The Flats

Strange things are happening in Joe's flat. Situated at the top of a tower block in the working-class Catholic district of New Lodge in Belfast, this is where Joe has decided to recreate memories of his childhood, which was heavily affected by the armed conflict in Northern Ireland. The so-called Troubles, which lasted from the 1960s until 1998, claimed more than 3,500 lives, including Cocke, Joe's young uncle who was murdered at the age of 17 in New Lodge. With the help of his psychotherapist Rita, he attempts to understand why these wounds have never healed. Determined to summon the past in order to find peace, he re-enacts his uncle's wake with the help of his neighbours, Jolene, Angie and Sean. Filmmaker Alessandra Celesia has brought together a cast of characters who have all been directly affected by this bloody chapter of history, or indirectly as a result of its consequences. Through their gestures, they will build mutual attention and revisit the collective memory of the neighbourhood, attempting in their own way to implement the final words of Bobby Sands, who died of a hunger strike in 1981: "Our revenge will be the laughter of our children". A masterful ensemble film, and a powerful work of love built on the still-smouldering ashes of the past.

Aurélien Marsais

The Flats, 2024
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