New crime drama from Cardboard Gangsters team now available to watch in Ireland

Stephen Porzio

Despite earning strong reviews on the festival circuit – its co-writer, director and star has claimed forces ‘tried to suppress’ the film in Ireland.

The Black Guelph, the new crime drama movie from actor and filmmaker John Connors (co-writer of Cardboard Gangsters), is now available to rent in Ireland.

Connors directs, co-writes and acts in the new film which tells the story of Canto (Graham Earley – Cardboard Gangsters, Broken Law), a small time drug dealer who desperately needs to get off the streets of inner-city Dublin.

“Then Dan (Paul Roe – Cardboard Gangsters, Adam & Paul), Canto’s absent father returns to reconcile his past before something much worse takes control of both of their lives,” the plot synopsis reads.

The Black Guelph has toured the movie festival circuit – even screening at the Dublin International Film Festival in 2023 – and has earned great reviews, currently holding an 86% score on Rotten Tomatoes.

It even picked up two awards at Germany’s Oldenburg Film Festival: Best Film and Best Actor for Earley.

Now, the movie is available to rent in Ireland on Morphed TV – with Connors claiming in a TikTok video announcing the film’s availability that forces in Ireland “tried to suppress” the crime drama.

Comparing The Black Guelph to Love/Hate – which Connors also starred in – and Cardboard Gangsters, the actor-director added:

“This is also the film the elites don’t want you to see. It’s a film that they tried to suppress in Ireland.

“But they’re not going to suppress it. The message is going to get out there.”

@paveeblaggard #fyp #movie #irish #ireland #film #viral ♬ original sound – John Connors official

Also in a statement about The Black Guelph’s release, he explained further: “This genre has to be a completely authentic or the audience doesn’t buy in. I’m from the most deprived anti-social council estate in Ireland, called Darndale.

“I know the world I inhabit. I know the characters, and I know how they operate. How they talk and behave, but more importantly I know how they think and feel.

“I’ve seen generations ripped apart by drugs, gang violence and an inability to deal with the underlying issues that are driving the entirety of this social deprivation.

“This film tries to shine a light on these issues and I bring my own personal experience to telling this story that I believe should be heard.”

You can read a sample of some of the positive reviews for The Black Guelph right here:

Film Authority: “An intense and well–acted slice of Dublin life, with a ring of authenticity.”

The Film Verdict: “Irish actor-director John Connors makes a powerful statement with this gritty crime thriller about secrets, lies and trauma passed down the generations.”

The Hollywood Reporter: “Effective and tightly woven.”

Screen International: “It’s a little rough around the edges but there’s no denying the film’s unflinching potency.”

The Black Guelph is available to rent at Morphed TV right now.

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