Ewan McGregor walks into a Belfast church and nobody's ready for what happens next.
Belfast, Christmas 1999. A poor, badly dressed woman is half walking, half stumbling down the road. She is tearful and her behaviour is so disturbed that passers-by look furtively at her before hurrying on. Her walk is purposeful though. She is hurrying to go somewhere specific. She stumbles towards a church that is lit up. As she approaches it we see a sign outside announcing "SERVICE FOR PEACE Belfast Christmas together. All Denominations, 8pm"
Acting
McGregor's silent presence shifts the entire room's energy.
Direction
Stark builds unbearable tension in under ten minutes.
Director
Jeff Stark
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
McGregor filmed this during his Trainspotting fame, taking zero pay for the short. Stark was his former drama school teacher.
Shot in the fragile aftermath of the Good Friday Agreement, the 'peace service' irony wasn't lost on Belfast audiences.
US
