The Office of the Northern Ireland Executive in Brussels was pleased to present an evening of film, as part of the 2026 Scéal Eile, Irish Film Festival Belgium. On 23 April, ONIEB presented screenings of two films from Northern Ireland, ‘Housejackers’ and ‘Nostalgie’, as part of the festival’s week long programme.
We were delighted to welcome HouseJackers writer Brian McGleenon to the event, where he introduced the film and spoke about the real-life events that inspired its creation. He also paid tribute to the film’s lead actor, Finnian Garbutt, who sadly passed away recently. Reflecting on the performances, McGleenon remarked that “the synergy between Finnian (Raymond) and John (Jerdy) gave the film a gravity we couldn’t have scripted,” adding that “HouseJackers is, and will always be, Finnian’s film.”
HouseJackers follows Raymond (Finnian Garbutt) a man stuck in a dead-end job and living with middle-class students with whom he has nothing in common. His life changes when he reunites with his charismatic but volatile former foster brother, Jerdy. Written by David Kline & Brian McGleenon, directed by Rian Lennon and supported by NI Screen
Nostalgie, follows Drew Lord Haig, a washed-up ’80s one-hit-wonder turned IT entrepreneur, who is stunned when a Belfast battalion invites him to perform at their centenary celebration. Flattered and intrigued, Drew accepts, hoping to relive his glory days and recapture his youth. Written by Wendy Erskine & Sean Kearns and Directed by Kathryn Ferguson
Scéal Eile is the result of dedication and hard work from organiser Declan Lynch, and ONIEB is glad to have the opportunity to take part and share three fantastic Northern Ireland films with a Brussels audience.
To keep up to date with our events in Brussels, make sure to follow @BrusselsNI on X (Twitter), @Brussels_NI on Instagram and ‘The Office of the Northern Ireland Executive in Brussels’ on LinkedIn