Battle of the Boyce

Belfast Film Festival is once again teaming up with Northern Ireland Screen’s Digital Film Archive and BBC Northern Ireland to bring you an audio-visual 12 rounds about one of our best-known, and least remembered, television icons. Actor, writer, radio personality and Belfast Inst school teacher James Boyce was, at one point, one of the most-watched faces on Northern Irish television.

Into the 1960s, with his love of literature, poetry and his flair for language - describing moussaka as a “transcendental shepherd’s pie” - he could be seen frequently on both channels - and there were only two! These days, the two channels have a lot more competition from other terrestrial stations, satellite services and screening platforms, but they were once the biggest rivals around. With this in mind, we present footage of their charismatic star from both archives, making this... the clash of the titan. How will giant of the small screen Boyce compete with himself? Who will win?

Following Belfast Film Festival’s previous archival explorations such as The Weird & The Eerie, WERK! and last year’s Ulster Mirror, this will be a one-off screening using valuable archive footage and music to celebrate a unique personality. 

To book tickets visit Belfast Film Festival website: https://belfastfilmfestival.org/whats-on

For access information on the venue visit the Black Box website (the event is in the main venue space): https://www.blackboxbelfast.com/accessibility-faq/

The Black Box

18-22 Hill Street

Belfast

BT1 2LA

November 7, 2025, 8:00 - 10:00 PM

Footage courtesy of BBC Northern Ireland and Northern Ireland Screen’s Digital Film Archive (courtesy of the UTV Partnership project). 

Explore thousands of BBC archive clips from Northern Ireland and across the UK at bbcrewind.co.uk