Cast of The Flats Attend Sold Out Belfast Premiere in Docs Ireland 2024 Opener

Docs Ireland The Flats Opening night
Joe McNally (Photo by Jim Corr Photography)

The cast of The Flats documentary attended the sold-out screening at Cineworld at the SSE Arena in Belfast on the opening film of Docs Ireland 2024.

Joe McNally, Jolene Burns, Sean Parker, Rita Overend as well as other New Lodge residents (including Freedom the dog) and director Alessandra Celesia turned out for the highly anticipated event.

Front (L-R) Jolene Burns, Sean Parker, Joe McNally with Freedom the dog (Back L-R) Jolene’s mum, Gerard Magee, Alessandria Celesia and Rita Overend
Joe McNally, Freedom the dog and Sean Parker
Sean Parker
Docs Ireland Opening night
 Family members of Angie B Campbell who has passed away since the documentary was filmed

Jolene and Sean are subjects of the film and also act in some of the scenes depicting memories of main subject Joe McNally and others living in the working class, Catholic community in Belfast.

Emotionally taut, haunting in its authenticity and bursting with characteristically dark Belfast humour, The Flats invites the audience into both the past and the present of the neighbourhood that has been irrevocably impacted by the Troubles. The film recently won the most prestigious prize at CPH:DOX, one of the largest documentary film festivals in Europe.

Tickets for all Docs Ireland Festival screenings and events are on sale now. Ticket prices are Pay What You Can (unless otherwise specified) ranging from £4.50 to £9.50 and can be purchased at the Docs Ireland website.