Cillian Murphy’s ‘Small Things Like These’ to open Berlin Film Festival

Directed by Tim Mielants and written by Enda Walsh, the film also stars Eileen Walsh, Michelle Fairley and Emily Watson

Cillian Murphy’s historical drama Small Things Like These is set to open this year’s Berlin Film Festival. Based on the book of the same name by Claire Keegan, the film will have its world premiere in the festival’s competition on February 15.

Directed by Tim Mielants and written by Enda Walsh, the film also stars Eileen Walsh, Michelle Fairley and Emily Watson. The film is produced by Murphy alongside Alan Moloney for their banner Big Things Films with Catherine Magee. The producers list includes Matt Damon and Drew Vinton while executive producers include Ben Affleck, Kevin Halloran and Michael Joe for Artists Equity.

A statement on Variety by Berlinale artistic director Carlo Chatrian reads, “With Small Things Like These, Tim Mielants tells the story of a man of few words, with wide open eyes, as clear as the skies of Ireland. In The Quiet Girl, we already had a sense of Claire Keegan’s skill in portraying small, apparently simple characters and making them unforgettable; here her delicate, rich and yet down-to-earth writing finds a great interpreter in Cillian Murphy.”

“We are confident that this story that allies the kindness to be directed to the more fragile, and the willpower to stand up against injustice, will resonate with everyone. We are looking forward to launching this ‘quiet’ yet quite exceptional film at the start of Zeitgeist Irland 24, a year-long celebration of Irish culture in Germany,” he added.