Róisín Burns’ Liverpool-Set Project ‘Happy Hardcore’ Wins Cannes Critics’ Week Next Step Prize

France-based Irish British filmmaker Róisín Burns has scooped nan Cannes Critics’ Week Next Step prize for her task Happy Hardcore.

Set against nan backdrop of Burns’ autochthonal metropolis of Liverpool, nan play revolves astir a 17-year-old worker who deserts his station during nan Iraq war.

Happy Hardcore is among 10 projects selected for nan 12th version of nan Next Step programme of Cannes Critics’ Week, which supports nan first characteristic films of board who antecedently showed their shorts successful nan conception focused connected emerging filmmaking talents.

Burns participated successful nan 2025 version of nan parallel action pinch her short movie Wonderwall.

This year’s Next Step Prize assemblage featured Carole Scotta, founding co-head of Paris-based production, distribution and accumulation institution Haut et Court; Rebecca De Pas, programmer for nan Rotterdam International Film Festival and curator for nan Fondazione Prada Film Fund; Fiorella Moretti, laminitis and president of income institution Luxbox, and Alexandre Hautecoeur, trading head astatine France-based streaming level Sooner, which is simply a partner of nan programme this year.