Set in the tumultuous time of 1960s Northern Ireland, Belfast is a semi-autobiographical film that charts one boy’s childhood and the loved ones in his life. Despite being set in a violent, uncertain time of political unrest, at its heart, the film is an uplifting love letter to a boy’s past. Our assignment was to keep it light and focus on the themes of connection and family.

To keep the upbeat, feel-good levity, we focused more on the wonderment of boyhood and memory rather than the political circumstances surrounding his childhood. A black and white palate allowed us to tap into themes of memory and nostalgia of the writer/director’s personal experience, and with access to expert photography we were able to create a beautifully clean and tonally correct piece of art.

The end result was a campaign that spoke to the uplifting, nostalgic nature of the film that helped drive viewership, with Belfast going on to be nominated for many awards.