Normal Cinema Club is extremely excited to be collaborating with Eastside Arts Festival in the beautiful milieu of the Harland and Wolff Social Club. Inspired by the East’s rich history of shipbuilding, for this screening, we take a trip down the docks for Aki Kaurismäki’s LE HAVRE.

In a picture-postcard vision of port-town Le Havre, Marcel Marx is a Bohemian shoe-shiner with a seemingly idyllic lifestyle. He enjoys his work, he props up his local bar, and he loves his wife Arletty. When she falls ill however, he crosses paths with young African refugee Idrissa. At risk of deportation and falling foul of an inhumane and ruthlessly bureaucratic system, Marcel takes him under his wing.

A paean to humanism and opening your heart, LE HAVRE is funny, touching, and unfortunately timely. Kaurismäki is the king of deadpan with a luscious visual style which recalls the effortless charm of 1960s French cinema. It will probably be the best-looking film you see in a social club this year.

Prior to the feature, we will be screening Dennis Harvey’s short film THE BUILDING AND BURNING OF A REFUGEE CAMP. The horrors of the asylum system are laid bare as we spend time with three men seeking sanctuary in Ireland, kept in limbo through ruthless bureaucracy. Despite their situation, they find joy and optimism in their company and create a space to exist. Harvey’s camera keeps us with them as mobs descend on the encampment and sadistically tear it apart. Infuriating and urgent, this is a film that speaks to our current moment and exposes the inhumanity at the heart of both the asylum system and the far-right movements fuelled by hatred.

Doors 6.30pm / 7pm start 

Normal Cinema Club is a community cinema group which screens films about the world we live in. They provide a platform for short form work alongside feature films to create conversation. They only show normal films for normal people.