TV & Showbiz

One of the 2025 Oscar winners was a favourite at a recent film festival in Manchester

Yes, we claim any minor Manc clout possible.

Danny Jones Danny Jones - 3rd March 2025

It’s not often we get to say that Greater Manchester can lay any sort of claim to Oscars fame, but once in a while it happens and in this case, we’re only a few degrees of separation away from the latest Academy Award-winning film thanks to a recent film festival.

Being most recently hosted in Manchester once again, the 2024 edition of the UK Jewish Film Festival saw a number of shorts, student films and indie projects associated with the religion spotlighted – one of which just won not one but two bits of bronze.

Picking up not only the award for this year’s award for ‘Best Original Screenplay’ for the film itself but with Succession favourite and Home Alone child star, Kieran Culkin’s role winning him ‘Best Supporting Actor’, the much-celebrated A Real Pain has now won an Oscar.

But the part of all this that we’re especially happy about is that one of the first times it was seen in the UK happened right here in Manchester city centre late last year.

This year’s ‘Best Original Screenplay’ award winner at the Oscars, just a few months after screening in Manchester. Have you seen it yet?

The now Oscar-winning picture, which just so happens to be the second original feature film from Jesse Eisenberg (Social Network, Zombieland, Justice League), has been delighting audiences ever since its debut at Sundance in January 2024 and went on to premiere at several international film festivals.

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However, the second time it was screened here in Britain prior to its official UK release nearly a full 12 months later (8 Jan 2025) at the UK Jewish Film Festival, was in 0161, returning for another consecutive year across multiple Greater Manchester venues.

Based at the main hub in the HOME theatre, cinema, arts and social space on First Street, A Real Pain was part of the event’s 28th annual programme of movie and TV programme.

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Without giving away too much about the plot itself, the synopsis of the film reads as follows: “Mismatched cousins reunite for a tour through Poland to honour their beloved grandmother, but their old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history.”

Shown to us Mancs for the first time at Cineworld Didsbury on Thursday, 17 November last year, you won’t be surprised to hear it was one of the most popular picks of this festival too.

A Real Pain has been largely described as a buddy comedy and a road trip movie by lots of critics but there’s also tonnes of drama and serious subject matter that it gets stuck into.

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Touching not only the obvious themes of Judaism and Zionism but also family, the Holocaust specifically and theology in general, the film has gone down as a deeply important piece of cinema for a whole community and plenty of people beyond it.

Admittedly, the Greater Manchester connection to the film might only be a slight one but given its new Oscars fame and how well-reviewed the film has been ever since we saw it at the UK Jewish Film (UJFF) Festival, we’re absolutely jumping on the bandwagon and we’re glad to keep supporting events like this.

Make sure you check out the UJFF the next time it comes to our neck of the woods. Applications to enter a film into the 2025 festival are now open.

Side note: it also led to arguably one of the best acceptance speeches in years:

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Featured Images — Searchlight Pictures/HOME Manchester

TV & Showbiz

Jürgen Klopp reveals the main reason he turned down the Manchester United job

Danny Jones Danny Jones The reason why Jurgen Klopp turned down the Man United manager job

Former Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp has revealed one of the main reasons he turned down the Manchester United job more than a decade ago.

The ex-Borussia Dortmund boss turned Merseyside hero spent nine years at Anfield, going on to win a Champions League, Premier League, and a collection of cups.

It’s also worth noting that this all came in the years following the departure of legendary Man United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, but there could have been an alternate reality where Klopp carried on where ‘Fergie’ left off, as the now 58-year-old says the club spoke to him during that time.

With Sir Alex leaving in 2013 after the best part of 30 years, Klopp told Steven Bartlett on his most recent Diary of A CEO episode that “of course, they were interested.”

Admitting that the interest was mutual “at one point”, the prospect of joining Liverpool‘s historic rivals clearly appealed to him.

Noting that he was flourishing as an up-and-coming coach (aged 46 back then) in charge of an impressive Dortmund team – adding that even some of his then future players to be at Liverpool flew to watch them play in the Champions League – it’s clear he had plenty of suitors.

However, the retired German footballer turned ‘Gegenpressing’ tactician goes on to explain that despite United trying to poach him from the Bundesliga, it was “the wrong time, wrong moment for me.”

Crucially, he says that some aspects of the conversations between him and the club at the time proved to be a turn-off rather than an incentive, citing talk of ‘the biggest club in the world’ and supposedly “signing any player we want.”

In short, Klopp says that, crucially, it didn’t sound like it would have been his project, drawing parallels to the board wanting to bring back players like Paul Pogba, with arguably similar ‘mistakes’ being made with the return of Cristiano Ronaldo. In his eyes, looking backwards simply “never helps”.

You can see the clip in full here:

Had he not turned down the offer, do you think Klopp could have helped rebuild Man United?

According to Klopp, after negotiations seemed to revolve primarily around the kind of players they were going to bring in, he decided the opportunity wasn’t for him.

Nevertheless, it looked like things worked out for Merseyside’s biggest club, at least, as he went on to become one of the most successful managers in the Premier League, managing to break up the long period of dominance overseen by both Manchester United and, most recently, Man City.

As for the red half of Manchester, they at the very least had a good weekend as they finally ended their long wait for a win away against Liverpool.

In case you missed it, you can watch the highlights – including another big clutch goal from Harry Maguire – down below.

What an ending that was, eh?

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For all the latest news, events and goings on in Greater Manchester, subscribe to The Manc newsletter HERE.

Featured Images — Diary of a CEO (screenshots via YouTube)/Tim Reckmann (via WikiCommons)

TV & Showbiz

Netflix releases first look images of Run Away, yet another Harlan Coben drama filmed in Manchester

Daisy Jackson Daisy Jackson Ruth Jones and James Nesbitt filming in Evelyn's in Manchester

Netflix has released first images of Run Away, a brand-new limited series filmed around Greater Manchester.

The drama will be another Harlan Coben novel adapted for the small screen, with Netflix once again using our region as a filming location.

In the sneak peeks alone, we can see hit Northern Quarter cafe Evelyn’s has been used for scenes with two of the show’s stars.

Run Away will star James Nesbitt, as well as Gavin & Stacey’s Ruth Jones, acting legend Minnie Driver, and Harry Potter star Alfred Enoch.

The series follows the successful release of limited thriller series Missing You.

Run Away will follow Simon (Nesbitt) as his perfect life falls apart when his eldest daughter Paige runs away.

When Simon finds his little girl, strung out on drugs in a city park, he finally has a chance to bring her home – but an argument escalates into shocking violence.

It’s a twisty tale of a dangerous underworld that could tear this family apart forever.

Once again, Netflix has relocated the Harlan Coben novel to the UK, filming around Manchester and the North West.

In pictures: First look at Netflix’s Run Away

Ruth Jones in Run Away. Credit: Netflix
Ruth Jones in Run Away. Credit: Netflix
James Nesbitt and Minnie Driver star in Run Away. Credit: Netflix
James Nesbitt and Minnie Driver star in Run Away. Credit: Netflix
Alfred Enoch in Run Away, a new Harlan Coben Netflix drama
Alfred Enoch in Run Away. Credit: Netflix
James Nesbitt in Run Away. Credit: Netflix
James Nesbitt in Run Away. Credit: Netflix
Run Away hits Netflix on 1 January 2026. Credit: Netflix
Run Away hits Netflix on 1 January 2026. Credit: Netflix
Run Away is a new Harlan Coben Netflix drama filmed around Manchester. Credit: Netflix
Run Away is a new Harlan Coben Netflix drama filmed around Manchester. Credit: Netflix
Ruth Jones in Run Away. Credit: Netflix
Ruth Jones in Run Away. Credit: Netflix

Danny Brocklehurst (Brassic, Missing You, Fool Me Once) will serve as lead writer and executive producer, while Harlan Coben acts as executive producer through his company Final Twist Productions.

Run Away will hit Netflix on 1 January 2026.

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Featured image: Netflix

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