1. Sing Street
The phrase '80s Irish musical' may not stir the greatest of excitement in the average movie-goer, but John Carney's third film (after Once and Begin Again) is easily our favourite of the festival. With catchy songs that tip their hat to everything from Duran Duran to The Cure, Sing Street buzzes with an infectious energy as we follow teen Cosmo (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo), who forms a band with his friends to impressive troubled model Raphina (Lucy Boynton). The burgeoning relationship between Cosmo and Raphina is delicately played, while the other members of his band offer alternately hilarious and touching support. (And Jack Reynor puts in a great turn as Cosmo's stoner bro.) With the film hitting the UK in April, Carney's beautifully observed musical deserves to be as huge a hit as Billy Elliot and The Commitments.
