Belfast's QFT named 'one of the greatest cinemas in the world'

It's a well-known and well-loved cinema in Belfast, but now Queen's Film Theatre (QFT) has been named as one of the best in the world.

It has been ranked as number 22 on Time Out's list of "the greatest cinemas in the world right now".

Coming in at 23 and 21 are cinemas in New York and Budapest.

So what makes Belfast's QFT so special?

Time Out described how the cinema is "inconspicuously situated within a Georgian terrace beside Queen's University".

"But stepping inside is often compared to entering a tardis, thanks to the surprisingly expansive and buzzy setting within," the article continues.

It further described how the theatre shows "boundary-pushing films" and has done so "since 1968 when the founder of the local film festival persuaded the university to transform a lecture theatre into a 250-seat cinema".

Cherith Crozier, Business and Operations Manager at QFT, said it was "a wonderful surprise" and "a huge privilege" to make the list.

"It means the world," she continued.

Crozier said that QFT was delighted to be featured at all, never mind being ranked at number 22.

She said it was a "huge recognition" for the QFT team and staff but also for the community who support the theatre.

Crozier said the theatre has "a very, very loyal fan base" and that some people have been coming to it for "the last 60 years".

The uniqueness of the venue, which Crozier said has been "likened to a tardis more than once" and the unique programming is perhaps why the cinema was ranked so highly.

She described the building as a "very unassuming little terrace house" that "you go into" not expecting to find a two screen cinema.

"It's a little haven and a portal to the rest of the world."

Dublin has two mentions on the list: The Irish Film Institute is number 35 and Stella Cinema in Dublin took the number two spot.

Stella Cinema was described by Time Out as "a cinema experience like no other."

"Gloriously restored to the glitz and glamour of its 1920s heyday, the bar and foyer buzzes to the sound of big band jazz as twinkling chandeliers and velvet ropeways usher you through.

"Movie-going has rarely felt so luxurious," it continued.

Karl Geraghty, Head of Stella Cinemas said the recognition was "a tremendous honour for Stella Cinema and for everyone who has contributed to its story".

"The aim has always been to celebrate cinema as something truly special, an experience that brings people together in a beautiful setting to share in the magic of film.

To see the venue recognised on a global stage is incredibly rewarding," Geraghty continued.

"The accolade further reinforces Dublin's growing reputation as a vibrant cultural city and celebrates the enduring appeal of cinema as a shared, communal experience."