Shush, Now - dir. Craig Austin Reynolds - 12 mins

This gently observed coming-of-age tale follows a seven-year-old girl learning firsthand what secrets mean. From little white lies to earth-shattering revelations, Kara watches on quietly as she discovers the complex nature of truth and the harsh realities of growing up. An exercise in restrained naturalism, the film is anchored around its brilliant central performance where so much is conveyed through the mere flutter of an eye.

Field Queens - dir. Áine Ryan - 15 mins

One hungover morning, two fifteen-year-old girls find themselves cleaning the vomit out of a minibus from the night before. Whilst they analyse their nocturnal mishaps, the bus driver’s wife appears and invites them for a drink in a field. This microcosm of a young friendship encountering an old soul becomes a barbed consideration of alcohol as a way of life in rural Ireland, and the sadness and hurt that lies beneath the national stereotype.

The Lacey Way - dir. Regina de Faoite - 17 mins

The Lacey family live in a sheltered utopia. They work/learn/play at home; they say and do as Mammy Lacey says and does. But the eldest daughter, George, wants to go dancing, and this simple desire tears apart the family and their cloistered world, entirely. This cautionary tale is sprinkled with moments of transcendent beauty, embodying the excitement and awe of discovering the world for yourself, and the terror of the unknown.

Screening as part of Belfast Film Festival. Find out more about the festival programme here.