DocNights: The Flats 18

From their central Belfast tower-block, resident Joe and his neighbours confront the lingering ghosts of the Troubles, reliving the memories that have shaped their lives.

The New Lodge flats are located in a predominantly working class, Catholic district of Northern Ireland’s capital. The area remains marked by its tragically high death toll during the Troubles, the country’s 30-year conflict that took place between the 1960s and late 1990s. Director Alessandra Celesia unearths the emotional wounds left on the families remaining on the estate – the legacy of political violence. As protagonist Joe grapples with personal tragedy, including the murder of his teenage uncle, his story intertwines with those of his neighbours: Angie, haunted by a violent past, and Jolene, who finds solace in music. Through moving reconstructions, testimonies and archival footage, Celesia’s profound and deeply human film reveals the ways unresolved trauma endures and changes across generations.

DocNights, in collaboration with Sheffield DocFest, is a monthly screening of documentary films taking place on the last Monday of every month.

This screening will be introduced by a member of the Sheffield DocFest team.

F-Rated: Directed by Alessandra Celesia