Programme for Dingle Film Festival taking place 15th -18th March
Think smart and celebrate what you have! That is just what Dingle International Film Festival are doing this year with a massive local and Kerry involvement in their four-day festival programme over Paddy's bank holiday weekend.
St. Patrick's Day falls right in the heart of the festival programme this year and as a result the festival are delighted to begin their day in the atmospheric St. James' Church, with a very special screening of never-before seen 8mm silent film footage, entitled The Stand-In and shot by local Tom Fitzgerald during his time working on the set of Ryan's Daughter. Tom was the stand-in for Robert Mitchum. Festival-goers will arrive at the church at the early hour of 8am where they will be greeted by the Dingle Fife & Drum Band who will welcome them with a tune or two. Once inside the church, local group Lumiére will perform live to the silent footage of The Stand-In, projected onto a 16 X 9 ft screen encased in lush red fabric.
Michael O Sullivan will be remembered with a special screening of the new film STELLA DAYS. A very fitting story, set in Tipperary, telling of the priest Daniel Barry, played by Martin Sheen, who set up the first Stella cinema in Ireland. The screening will take place in The Phoenix on the Friday night of the festival along with a short film entitled AG CIANT WITH MICHAEL O SULLIVAN directed by festival CEO, Maurice Galway and edited by Tralee man Rory Kirby.
Other Irish films to screen at the festival include Ian Fitzgibbon's DEATH OF A SUPERHERO, Alexandra McGuinness's LOTUS EATERS and Paulo Sorrentino's THIS MUST BE THE PLACE which stars Sean Penn. There will be a programme of Bord Scannán na hEireann/the Irish Film Board funded shorts as well as a special screening of Irish Oscar nominated shorts which will include PENTECOST and THE DOOR amongst others
Workshops, talks, seminars and summits are very strong this year and there will be a focus on the successful Irish animation company JAM Media. John Rice from Abbeydorney who set up the company will be there with fellow directors at the festival to discuss the company with producer Michael Ryan (The English Patient, The General). The event is in association with Media Desk Ireland.
Amy Hubbard, daughter of Ros and John Hubbard will give the inside track to budding actors during a Casting Summit in The Dingle Skelligs Hotel on St. Patrick's Day. Amy was the casting director of The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings and recently the new Irish film Albert Nobbs.
Local filmmaker Cathal Watters will introduce his latest Irish language feature MUIDE ÉIRE in The Phoenix on St. Patrick's Day. The film looks at films which have been made here in Ireland. Cathal will also be judging the Físín competition. The lucky script writer will receive €5,000, along with €1,000 worth of lighting hire from Teach Solais. Also on the judging panel are local writers Louise Ní Fhiannachta and Marina Ní Dhubháin. Last year's winner of Físín will be screened on the opening night, Thursday 15th March and the winner of this year's competition will be announced at the closing film on the Sunday night.
Amy Winehouse: The Day She Came to Dingle is a premiere screening of the film which captures Amy's visit to Dingle for Other Voices back in 2006. Anthony Wall, creator of BBC Arena, who has just completed this film will be on hand to introduce the screening. The film will be screened in St. James' Church on Paddy's night, the same venue as Amy gave that amazing performance in.
Dingle Business Chamber will again present the very popular FREE Family film at the festival. This year it is a visual treat with the premiere screening TALES OF THE NIGHT. Set in a little cinema, two children and a projectionist meet every night to act out various tales set in forests and cities of gold and populated with sorcerers, fairies and powerful kings.
Local filmmaker Aideen O Sullivan will be represented with her film Home Turf and Gerry O Sullivan from the Maharees is represented with her film Stolen Children, Stolen Lives. Tralee man Rory Kirby will have his TG4 commissioned film Joe Lios Thuathail on show, telling the story of Joe Murphy, also known as The Vicar. Joe runs St. John's Art Centre in Listowel. The film is part of a Listowel on Film section of the programme which also includes the premiere of MAKING MAGIC HAPPEN directed by Steven Byrne and based on the 50th anniversary of Listowel Writers Week.
Tickets can be bought at any Tourist Information office, right across the country, or from the festival website or indeed by calling into the Dingle Bay Hotel.