New Irish movie looks like must-see for true film lovers

The comedy-drama is set in a small town in Ireland in the 1980s.

Set in a small-town Limerick cinema over the course of one eventful evening in 1984, the film follows the theatre's "harassed" owner Earl Clancy (Colin Morgan - The Boy Who Never Was, Humans).

While dealing with a Friday night from hell at work, as eager patrons pile into the movie house to watch the Richard Gere-starring cult neo-noir Breathless, he mulls over the sale of his business to a shady politician.

Written and directed by David Gleeson (Cowboys & Angels, The Front Line), the cast of Once Upon a Time in a Cinema also features Calum Lynch (Dunkirk), India Mullen (These Sacred Vows), Niamh Cusack (In the Land of Saints and Sinners) and Stanley Townsend (Killing Bono).

The movie opened the Dublin International Film Festival last month, where it earned positive reviews, including one from Screen Daily (which included the "cineaste" quote above).

Set for a release in Irish cinemas in May, director Gleeson said in a statement:

“Once Upon a Time in a Cinema is a love letter to an experience that’s been woven into the Irish soul for a hundred years, a film that celebrates the rollercoaster of emotion that has forever bonded us in the company of strangers.

"On May 1, it is my deepest honour to invite audiences across Ireland to rediscover those profound connections, those close bonds we yearn for today more than ever.

"So come inside and take a seat. In the darkness, no one can see you’re crying."

Once Upon a Time in a Cinema will be released in Irish cinemas on 1 May 2026. Check out its trailer below: