**REGISTERED COMPANY NUMBER: NI032251 (Northern Ireland) REGISTERED CHARITY NUMBER: NIC 102004** **Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 March 2023 for** **Belfast Film Festival Limited** _**(A**_ **Company Limited by Guarantee)** Lynn Drake & Co Ltd Chartered Accountants 1st Floor 34 B-D Main Street Moira Co. Armagh BT67 OLE **Belfast Film Festival Limited** ## **Reference and Administrative Details** ## **for the Year Ended 31 March 2023** |**TRUSTEES**|Dr Laurence McKeown Treasurer| |---|---| ||Kevin Jackson| ||Louise O'Meara| ||Mark Cousins Stepped down as Chair 9 February 2023| ||Lisa Barros D'sa appointed Co-chairperson (09/02/2023)| ||Lucy Baxter| ||Nisha Tandon (appointed 16/4/2022)| ||Marie-Therese McGivern Co-chairperson (appointed| ||9/2/2023)| |**COMPANY SECRETARY**|Michele Devlin| |**REGISTERED OFFICE**|23 Donegall Street| ||Belfast| ||Co. Antrim| ||BTl 2FF| |**REGISTERED COMPANY**|NI03225 l (Northern Ireland)| |**NUMBER**|| |**REGISTERED CHARITY**|NIC 102004| |**NUMBER**|| |**INDEPENDENT EXAMINER**|Lynn Drake & Co Ltd| ||Chartered Accountants| ||1st Floor| ||34 B-D Main Street| ||Moira| ||Co. Armagh| ||BT67 OLE| |**CHIEF EXEC OFFICER**|Ms Michele Devlin| |**FINANCIAL ADVISERS**|CRN Financial Group| ||1Forestgrove Business Park| ||Newtownbreda Road| ||Belfast| ||BT8 6AW| **Belfast Film Festival Limited** ## **Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 March 2023** The trustees who are also directors of the charity for the purposes of the Companies Act 2006, present their report with the financial statements of the charity for the year ended 31 March 2023. The trustees have adopted the provisions of Accounting and Reporting by Charities: Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland (FRS 102) (effective 1 January 2019). ## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES Mission Statement/ Aims / Objectives MISSION STATEMENT** Our mission is to promote a diverse and dynamic programme of film events, and outreach activity, which is entertaining, provocative and provides a platform for cultural expression and debate. ## **AIMS AND OBJECTIVES** Aim 1: Deliver the annual Belfast Film Festival and Docs Ireland, which will exhibit local and international films Related Objectives - (i) Organise a citywide film festival each year in November and a documentary festival in June involving film exhibition, seminars, workshops and master classes. (ii) Bring national and international film premieres to Belfast. - (iii) Showcase the work of local film - makers - (iv) Provide an industry marketplace as part of Docs Ireland. Aim 2: Enhance the profile & status of the Belfast Film Festival within the cultural life of Belfast Related Objectives - (i) Actively contribute to the establishment of a Belfast Film Centre (ii) Develop a year-long programme of film events. - (iii) Develop and implement an effective PR strategy. - (iv) Contribute towards making Belfast a more attractive destination for visitors. Aim 3: Promote access to film and the film making process Related Objectives - (i) Build relationships between local communities and the film industry (ii) Facilitate opportunities for volunteers to gain experience in film related events. (iii) Consult communities in order to enhance their involvement in the Festival programme. - (iv) Contribute to enhancing the profile of the local film industry. Aim 4: Maintain a sustainable structure and funding base for the Belfast Film Festival Related Objectives - (i) Obtain funding for BFF activities - (ii) Employ staff to carry out BFF's programme of work (iii) Undertake regular planning, monitoring and evaluation of BFF strategy and activities - (iv) Develop and implement a training plan. - (v) Build partnerships as required with relevant stakeholders 2 **Belfast Film Festival Limited** ## **Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 March 2023** ## **OBJECTIVES AND ACTIVITIES** ## **Public benefit** The purpose of Belfast Film Festival Ltd is to present, promote, organise, provide, manage and produce such specialized (cultural, lesser seen, archive) film screenings and events, community based film activities, film related outreach work in marginalized communities, broadcasts, concerts, musical pieces, entertainment and exhibitions, whether on any premises of the Company or elsewhere, as are conducive to the promotion, maintenance, improvement and advancement of education or to the encouragement of the art of film, or the arts. The direct benefits flowing from this purpose include; the promotion and enjoyment, better understanding and general advancement of the arts and film, for the benefit of the general public in Northern Ireland through exposure to, as an audience member or participant through outreach work in marginalized communities and schools, the arts and film. These benefits can be demonstrated by regular internal and external qualitative assessment; audiences and participation; photo and video documentation; regular reporting of charitable activities and financial performance in annual reports, audited annual accounts, and reports to grant funders. The purposes of our charity will not lead to any harm, although there are policies and procedures in place to address certain risks, for example - safeguarding and child protection policies - health and safety policy - code of conduct for staff and volunteers - equal opportunities policy - disability policy and safeguarding policy. The charity's beneficiaries are the general public in Northern Ireland. Specific projects may address the needs of specific sections of society (e.g. access to film and the arts project targeting social needs in particular electoral wards). The only private benefit flowing from the purpose is artists and filmmakers benefit from exposure to a wider audience, which may result in their gaining a higher profile. This is incidental to the achievement of the purpose and, while a private benefit, is necessary to help the charity achieve our charitable purpose. 3 **Belfast Film Festival Limited** ## **Report of the Trustees** ## **for the Year Ended 31 March 2023** ## **ACHIEVEMENT AND PERFORMANCE** ## DOCS IRELAND 4 The international documentary festival ran for 5 days 29 June to 3 July, and offered 58 screenings and special events in 12 venues across the city, where public audiences and industry professionals encountered both rising stars and documentary filmmaking legends. Music and culture were two key themes of this year's festival which opened with a now highly lauded documentary based on the life and career of Irish singer Sinead O'Connor. Directed by Belfast-born filmmaker Kathryn Ferguson, Nothing Compares has gone on to great critical acclaim, sell-out audiences and numerous awards. The festival continues to give emerging filmmakers the opportunity to meet and learn from seasoned industry experts through a series of masterclasses, workshops, panel discussions and 'in-conversation' sessions. This industry side of the festival is gaining traction both in terms of projects and calibre of participant. This year, the Marketplace, where filmmakers can meet one-to-one with leading international documentary industry decision makers, including international funders, broadcasters, distributors and exhibitors, welcomed 33 decision-makers from Ireland, UK, Germany, Austria, USA, Portugal, Israel, Poland, Finland, The Netherlands. It is the only marketplace dedicated to documentary on the island of Ireland and is acknowledged as an incubator for nurturing both domestic and international talent. The Northern Ireland Screen Documentary development pitch returned for the third year and presented six feature documentary project pitches from filmmakers across Ireland, in a competition to receive an award of up to £7,500 towards a pilot for their documentary feature. The industry programme offered a series of informative events including Fair Use for Documentary Film Archive; an examination of the mental health crisis in the film industry in our Whole Picture presentation; a focus on the European industry with a view to strengthening those filmic partnerships; a case study of TV series Once Upon a Time in Belfast (w/t) - currently in production in Northern Ireland and a case study of award-winning Young Plato. ## Awards were given to: o Short Irish documentary 2 x winners: Director Sheena Walsh 'Mam's Old Chair' and Director Sam Howard 'Ireland's Last Matchmaker' o NI Screen Pitch winner was 'They Say It Is Love' by Director: Roisin Agnew o Pull Focus Best Irish Film winner: An Buachaill Geal Gaireach / The Laughing Boy, Director Alan Gilsenan The IGNITE Talent Development Programme, which seeks to foster a new generation of Irish documentary filmmakers from the north and south of Ireland, is a joint initiative of Cork International Film Festival & Docs Ireland. 6 documentary teams participated in the bilingual programme, directed at emerging Irish documentary filmmakers embarking on their first or second non-fiction feature film. This unique training programme continues to grow in stature and popularity. Outreach and Inclusion activity for Docs Ireland included the allocation of between 20 - 30 complimentary and discounted tickets for 14 screenings and events. Groups targeted comprised Irish Language groups (for e.g.The Laughing Boy), Amnesty NI, students, young people and groups supporting those in hard to reach and from areas of deprivation, including Belfast Friendship Club and ACSONI etc. A Talent Development programme for young & new to the sector was run by the 3 festivals interns who curated a programme of films for Docs Ireland Fringe - "Treasures of the Archive" - they screened 5 films over a weekend and all films included a post-film discussion with each curator. 4 **H_elfast Film Festival Limited** ## **Report of the Trustees** ## **f_o_r the Year Ended 31 March 2023** The 22nd Belfast Film Festival returned in all its physical, in-person, post-pandemic glory this year, complete with a new programming team, an international competitive element and award-winning jury, as well as a home-grown premiere as the opening night film. The new programming team of Jessica Kiang and Rose Baker brought unbridled energy, passion and ambition to this year's festival and curated a full and exciting programme of premieres and gala screenings, panel talks, and special events which showcased the wealth of local talent and shone a spotlight on the best up-and-coming international talent. Opening the festival was the world premiere of Ballywalter, starring comedian Patrick Kielty in his acting debut. Directed by Prasanna Puwanarajah and written by Belfast's own Stacey Gregg (Here Before), the film follows Eileen (Seana Kerslake), a caustic, unrepentant University drop-out whose dreams of a successful life in London have fallen by the wayside. In the spirit of cross-border collaboration, the festival closed with a joint Irish Premiere with the Cork Film Festival of the highly anticipated Aftersun starring Paul Mescal, which had been generating significant buzz since its world premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in May. This year's festival saw the launch of new awards, presented by a jury of international filmmakers and industry professionals, including BAFTA and Academy-Award-winning auteur Andrea Arnold. The International Feature Competition offered a total prize fund of £ I 0,000; the Director of a first or second feature competed to win £7,000 for Best Film Director, while Jury Prizes of£ 1,500 each were awarded for Outstanding Craft Contribution and Breakout Performance. A vibrant New Cinema selection was packed with premieres, including Venice 2022 winner All the Beauty and the Bloodshed. We shone a solidarity spotlight on Ukrainian cinema and screened imprisoned Iranian filmmaker Jafar Panahi's No Bears. The new Blurred Lines strand offered hybrid docs, including the genius of Charlie Shackleton with As Mine Exactly. Actor/directors Prasanna Puwanarajah (Ballywalter) and Tony Devlin (The Quarry) both presented feature debuts. The UK/Ireland premiere of Mark Cousins' The March on Rome was a timely contribution, exploring the ascent of Italian fascism. Further highlights included a Scary Women horror strand, an XR Festival in collaboration with Deepa MannKier, and a rare opportunity to see Douglas Sirk masterpieces on the big screen. Using the built heritage venue of the old Bank of Ireland, the Vox Populi event was a cinematic tour offering a selected archive of short 'vox pop' interviews from the people of Northern Ireland. There are two major factors which have influenced the state of the company - the Covid pandemic and the cost of living crisis. Bearing in mind that the planning for our festivals was completed before both these happpened, these mitigating factors have had serious detrimental effects on various aspects of our company. It has been much more difficult to secure volunteers this past year; audience numbers are taking a long time to come back to anywhere near pre-pandemic levels - some people still do not wish to come out and sit in crowded spaces. The cost of living has an impact - cinema is not seen as an essential purchase. Box office income was less than projected. And of course, as everyone knows, costs continue to rise. Guest travel was much higher than projected - particularly flights, even with the "budget" airlines. We lost two sources of income - we were unsuccesful in our bid this year to Tourism NI and the BFI reduced our funding (by £8K) through Film Hub NI. We have had major staff changes. Our programmer moved to a new role in a new organisation (CQAF) and with the changes in the delivery of our festivals' content, we have ramped up our profile and employed 2 new programmers - one responsible for international films and another responsible for UK/Ireland. 5 **Belfast Film Festival Limited** ## **Report of the Trustees** ## **for the Year Ended 31 March 2023** ## **FINANCIAL REVIEW** ## **Financial position** The company had net outgoing resources for the year of £32,066 (2022: net incoming resources of £57,244), which reflected the completion of a number of projects during the year.At 3 I March 2023 Unrestricted funds increased by £63,076, while restricted funds decreased by £95,142. ## **Reserves policy** The charity's policy is to retain a level of free reserves, which matches the needs of the organisation both at the current time and in the foreseeable future. The reserves required should be sufficient to meet committed grant expenditure and the running costs for a period equivalent to six months annual expenditure. The charity has developed a plan to establish and maintain this agreed level of free reserves. The charity will continue to monitor compliance with this policy on a regular basis and the Committee will review the appropriateness of the policy annually. ## **FUTURE PLANS** We have an aim to double our audience figures annually over the next 5 years. Future planning is hampered by the fact that the organisation works on an annual funding basis, it would benefit greatly from a longer-term funding agreement from core funders. With the recruitment of a new, dynamic team it is intended to raise the festival to a whole new level, with innovative and exciting initiatives including an international competition. Over the coming 4 years we plan to continue to build audiences for all our activity, in particular we will focus on audience building for the new Belfast Stories site. We continue to seek and apply for new funding revenues. ## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT** ## **Governing document** The charity is controlled by its governing document, a deed of trust, and constitutes a limited company, limited by guarantee, as defined by the Companies Act 2006. 6 **Belfast Film Festival Limited** **Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 March 2023** ## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT Organisational structure** ## LIST OF BOARD MEMBERS ## Marie- Therese McGivern (Co-chair) Marie-Therese recently served as Principal and Chief Executive of Belfast Metropolitan College. Prior to that, she was Director of Development at Belfast City Council where she was responsible for economic development, arts, tourism, events and community services. She is Chair of Maritime Belfast and also Chair for the Employability and Skills Advisory Board for the £1Ob Belfast Region City Deal. She is a NonExecutive Director of the Strategic Investment Board for Northern Ireland. ## Lisa Barros D'Sa (Co-chair) Film director, writer and producer; studied English at University of Oxford; MA in Screenwriting from London University of the Arts. Born in Belfast, she is best known for co-directing and producing the 2019 feature film Ordinary Love; co-directed the films Good Vibrations and Cherrybomb with husband Glenn Leyburn; Based on these three 'strikingly different' feature films, the Irish Times described Barros D'Sa and Leyburn as "the most important contemporary filmmakers working from Northern Ireland". ## Dr Louise O'Meara (Vice-chair) ## Programme Director, Clinton Leadership inst. QUB Leadership development expert with 30 years of experience, including the design and delivery of pioneering learning interventions in Ireland, Europe and internationally; Has been a Programme Director at the William J Clinton Leadership Institute at Queens University Belfast for the past 5 years; Regional Director of the Interaction Institute for Social Change for 16 Years specialising in Leadership and Collaboration, a specialist developing high-impact leaders and working on transforming organisations; Doctorate Social Sciences, University College Cork. ## Dr. Laurence McKeown (Treasurer) Author, playwright, screen writer 2001 - present; Writer of the Les Blair directed feature film H3 about the 1981 hunger strike which premiered in 2001, co-written with long-time collaborator Brian Campbell (d.2005); The pair wrote two plays together, The Laughter of Our Children (2001), and A Cold House (2003); first solo play, The Official Version, (2006); Two Roads West with Kabosh Theatre company, a site-specific play set in a Belfast black cab, where the audience enters the cab with the two actors. Performed Belfast and Derry; Writer of the Green and Blue premiered as part of the Belfast International Festival (2016). Produced by Kabosh, Green and Blue dramatises the realities faced by, and unlikely relationship between, a Garda officer and an RUC officer; Publications Nor Meekly Serve My Time: The H-Block Struggle 1976-1981 (1994, co-written with Brian Campbell and Felim O'Hagan); Out Of Time: Irish Republican Prisoners, Long Kesh, 1972-2000 (2001 ); Threads (2019); Time Shadows : A Prison Memoir (2021); Founding member of Belfast Film Festival. ## Mark Cousins Northern Irish director and writer based in Edinburgh; he is a prolific documentarian, best known for his 15-hour 2011 documentary The Story of Film: An Odyssey; interviewed many famous filmmakers and actors including Jane Russell, David Lynch, Martin Scorsese and Roman Polanski in the TV series Scene by Scene; presented the BBC cult film series Moviedrome from June 1997 to July 2000; He introduced 66 films for the show; has made over 50 documentaries; was director of Edinburgh Film Festival; Cousins joined the jury of the BFI London Film Festival 2021; Co-Artistic Director of 'Cinema China', 'The Ballerina Ballroom Cinema of Dreams' and 'A Pilgrimage' with Tilda Swinton; with Antonia Bird, Robert Carlyle and Irvine Welsh, Cousins is a director of the production company 4Way Pictures; Between 2001 and 2011 wrote for Prospect; now writes for Sight & Sound and Filmkrant. 7 **Belfast Film Festival Limited** ## **Report of the Trustees for the Year Ended 31 March 2023** ## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT** ## Nisha Tandon Nisha is a social entreprenuer, founder & director of ArtsEkta - one of the few organisations on the island of Ireland promoting ethnic arts, culture and heritage. She founded ArtsEkta in 2006 after pinpointing a gap for quality ethnic arts engagement in the sector. Studied and obtained a degree from the National School of Drama in New Delhi. Former member of the executive board of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland; Member of the Intercultural Arts Steering Group which oversees the implementation of the Intercultural Arts Strategy developed by ACNI; Member of Belfast City Council's Festival Forum strategy sub group; NI representative for Voluntary Arts BAME Advisory UK Panel; Former trustee of Cahoots NI Theatre Company; Community Arts Forum; European Mela Network; Member of UTV's Regional Advisory Board; Founding member of 'Stronger Together', a collaboration of organisations in the field of racial equality, supporting an integrated community development approach to tackling racism, and promoting good relations. ## Kevin Jackson Film and TV producer with over 30 years' experience of broadcast television and feature film production; I 0 years' experience of theatre production, including writing and directing; involved in various capacities in over 80 titles for the BBC; Head of Production for 'BALLYKISSANGEL', 'FALLING FOR A DANCER', 'AMONGST WOMEN' 'OCCUPATION'; Has worked with Ronan Bennett, Danny Boyle, Alan Clarke, Simon Cellan Jones, Michael Winterbottom, Oliver Hirschbiegel, Ronan Bennett, Jimmy McGovern, Guy Hibbert, Pete Bowker; Retired from BBC (2010), he worked with Fox on "Sons of Anarchy" Season 3 in NI; produced the multi award winning feature film 'BEHOLD THE LAMB' (2011); produced THE TRUTH COMMISSIONER (2015); Associate Producer "THE DEVIL'S DOORWAY" (2016); Executive Producer "ZOO" (2017); Producer of multi award winning TV Film "UPS & DOWNS" (2019). Executive Producer "THE LAST RIFLEMAN" (2022); Has previously served as Chair and remains a Board member of The Belfast Film Festival. ## Lucy Baxter Lecturer, Centre for Documentary Research, QUB 18 years' experience in TV, film and digital content; ran a production company in London; producer and director of documentary, drama, independent film and digital content for TV/digital broadcast and theatrical release; Research currently is across creative enterprise, creative producing in documentary and fiction, Irish cross border co-production and the applications of digital content and XR/ virtual reality film in health and social care, particularly emotional trauma; produced and directed an animated film; PI on a Future Screens NI funded VR project as part of her inter disciplinary research project Mental Abuse Matters, which is the subject of her PhD. Michele Devlin (Company Secretary) - Festival Director PROGRAMMING SUB COMMITTEE - Kevin Jackson, Laurence McKeown, Michele Devlin STAFFING SUB COMMITTEE - Louise O'Meara, Laurence McKeown, Michele Devlin ## PATRONS Terry George - Film-maker Hotel Rwanda, In The Name of the Father, Some Mother's Son, Reservation Road, The Shore David Holmes - Composer, Producer Good Vibes, I Am Belfast, Oceans 11, Five Minutes of Heaven, Cherrybomb, Ordinary Love William Crawley - Presenter BBCNI Presented also on various documentaries 8 **Belfast Film Festival Limited** **f_orJhe Year Ended 31 March 2023** ## **Report of the Trustees** ## **STRUCTURE, GOVERNANCE AND MANAGEMENT** ## Stephen Rea - Actor Multiple titles including V for Vendetta, Michael Collins, The Crying Game; Founding member Field Day Theatre. ## **Wider network** ## LIST OF STAFF MEMBERS Michele Devlin (Director); Mary Lindsay (Marketing Manager); Sara Morrison (Inclusion/Audience Development); Moyra Lock (Finance/Admin (Freelance)). ## Temp Staff 2022-23 Jessica Kiang (Programmer); Rose Baker (Programmer); Stuart Sloan (Programmer); Raisin Geraghty (Marketplace and Industry Co-ordinator); Simeon Costello (Box Office Manager); Benen Dillon (Events Manager); James Hall (Programming Assistant); Tresca Mallon (Marketing Assistant); Richard Davis (Guest Liaison); Mitchell Harper (Guest Coordinator); Lizzie Howard (Box Office Manager); Aine Grogan (Volunteer Coordinator); Dara McWade (Box Office Assistant). ## **Risk management** The principles of good governance are embedded within all aspects of Belfast Film Festival Limited, operations with management and staff being keenly aware of the Boards responsibility of ensuring that the organisation protects itself from financial exposure and reputational damage, A close working relationship is maintained between the Board and management to ensure that operationally staff are aware of the standards required of them by the Board and the Board are always in a position to provide guidance and support to management in the discharge of their duties. This two way relationship is the key feature of Belfast Film Festival Limited governance arrangements and is a key strength in the company. A conscientious approach to ensuring that contractual project requirements are achieved has been maintained at all times both in the accounting period being reported on and since Belfast Film Festival Limited establishment. Very tight financial controls on expenditure and all financial commitments are maintained at all times and project staff have been trained and have become experienced in budgetary controls.In both these areas ie Project delivery and financial controls management all staff have established close working relationships with funding organisations to ensure all mandatory standards are consistently achieved. Board representatives also actively engage with funding bodies. The Board, management and staff are fully aware that the nature of the work in which Belfast Film Festival Limited is involved can bring with it a high level of scrutiny to ensure that all activities are fully compliant with funding requirements and, therefore, beyond reproach. The Board of Belfast Film Festival Limited is, therefore, greatly reassured of the company's compliance with the highest of standards of governance on the basis that all monitoring and evaluation of project delivery demonstrates achievement of all funders objectives and that funders' audits and vouching of financial expenditure and the independent examiners report confirm compliance with both probity and regularity in the use of monies received. ## **STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES' RESPONSIBILITIES** The trustees (who are also the directors of Belfast Film Festival Limited for the purposes of company law) are responsible for preparing the Rep01t of the Trustees and the financial statements in accordance with applicable law and United Kingdom Accounting Standards (United Kingdom Generally Accepted Accounting Practice) including Financial Reporting Standard 102 "The Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic oflreland". 9 **Belfast Film Festival Limited** ## **Report of the Trustees** ## **for the Year Ended 31 March 2023** ## **STATEMENT OF TRUSTEES' RESPONSIBILITIES- continued** Company law requires the trustees to prepare financial statements for each financial year which give a true and fair view of the state of affairs of the charitable company and of the incoming resources and application of resources, including the income and expenditure, of the charitable company for that period. In preparing those financial statements, the trustees are required to - select suitable accounting policies and then apply them consistently; - observe the methods and principles in the Charity SORP; - make judgements and estimates that are reasonable and prudent; - prepare the financial statements on the going concern basis unless it is inappropriate to presume that the charitable company will continue in business. The trustees are responsible for keeping proper accounting records which disclose with reasonable accuracy at any time the financial position of the charitable company and to enable them to ensure that the financial statements comply with the Companies Act 2006. They are also responsible for safeguarding the assets of the charitable company and hence for taking reasonable steps for the prevention and detection of fraud and other irregularities. This report has been prepared in accordance with the special provisions of Part 15 of the Companies Act 2006 relating to small companies. Approved by order of the board of trustees on 7 August 2023 and signed on its behalf by: Michele Devlin - Secretary 10 **Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Belfast Film Festival Limited** I report on the accounts of the company for the year ended 31 March 2023, which are set out on pages thirteen to twenty nine. ## **Respective responsibilities of charity trustees and examiner** As the charity's trustees (and also the directors for the purposes of company law) you are responsible for the preparation of the accounts in accordance with the requirements of the Companies Act 2006. Having satisfied myself that the charity is not subject to audit under company law and is eligible for independent examination, it is my responsibility to: - examine the accounts under Section 65 of the Charities Act - follow the procedures laid down in the general Directions given by the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland under Section 65(9)(b) of the Charities Act state whether particular matters have come to my attention. ## **Basis of the independent examiner's report** I have examined your charity accounts as required under Section 65 of the Charities Act and my examination was carried out in accordance with the general Directions given by the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland under Section 65(9)(b) of the Charities Act. The examination included a review of the accounting records kept by the charity and a comparison of the accounts presented with those records. It also included consideration of any unusual items or disclosures in the accounts, and seeking explanations from you as charity trustees concerning any such matters. My role is to state whether any material matters have come to my attention giving me cause to believe: 1. That accounting records were not kept in accordance with Section 386 of the Companies Act 2006 2. That the accounts do not accord with those accounting records 3. That the accounts do not comply with the accounting requirements of Section 396 of the Companies Act 2006 and with the methods and principles of the Charities Statement of Recommended Practice applicable to charities preparing their accounts in accordance with the Financial Reporting Standard applicable in the UK and Republic of Ireland 4. That there is further information needed for a proper understanding of the accounts to be reached. ## **Independent examiner's statement** Since your charity's gross income exceeded £250,000 your examiner must be a member of a listed body. can confirm that I am qualified to undertake the examination because I am a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland which is one of the listed bodies. I have completed my examination and have no concerns in respect of the matters (1) to (4) listed above and, in connection with following the Directions of the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland, I have found no matters that require drawing to your attention. ke Lynn Drake & Co Ltd Chartered Accountants 1st Floor 34 B-D Main Street Moira Co. Armagh 11 **Independent Examiner's Report to the Trustees of Belfast Film Festival Limited** BT67 OLE 7 August 2023 12 This page does not form part of the statutory financial statements 13