The Dublin International Film Festival kicks off on Thursday night with eighty screenings of new movies and some big names due in town
"We've got the best film industry in the world and I am so proud to be part of it!" declared Kneecap director Rich Peppiatt from the stage at the Irish Film and Television Awards last Friday night.
Maybe he had been carried away by red carpet fever and the extraordinary breakthrough success of his film and who can blame him? However, English-born Peppiatt, who became an Irish citizen on the day he collected his IFTA award for Best Director, has got a point.
Irish film has gone from strength to strength and come of age over the past few years with Oscar and Bafta recognition and the rise of number of A-list stars such as Saoirse Ronan and Cillian Murphy and the unlikely whirlwind success of Barry Keoghan.
Ireland is now not just an attractive place for filmmakers to ply their trade but we are also a wellspring of great stories - from the anarchic rough and tumble of Kneecap, to the enraging tale of archaic oppression in Small Things Like These, and to the spellbinding intimacy of An Cailín Ciúin, one of the greatest movies ever made about a child’s view of an adult world.
And that’s not to mention our booming animated film sector.
Last week’s IFTAs saw the saintly Saoirse and Cillian take home more awards for their work and there was also further recognition for the growing expertise of Irish crews and creatives and a whole new generation of talent waiting in the wings.
The Oscars take place on 3 March but Irish film isn’t done yet. On Thursday night, Ireland becomes a film capital again when the Dublin International Film Festival starts rolling with world premieres, plenty of red carpet rubbernecking, gala nights, Q&As, and industry masterclasses.
The festival’s mission statement is simple: "DIFF is dedicated to presenting the best in contemporary and classic world cinema and brings the world to Ireland and showcases Ireland to the world."
This is a festival about filmmakers, filmmaking and actors but it does come with a sprinkling of glam.
Over the past 22 years, it has screened more than 1,600 international movies from over 52 countries and hosted over 600 high profile guests, including Al Pacino, Angela Lansbury, Brendan Gleeson, Daniel Day-Lewis, Danny DeVito, Ennio Morricone, Julie Andrews, Kristin Scott Thomas, Stanley Tucci, and Stellan Skarsgård.
Twiggy and Ralph Fiennes will be in town
The festival runs until 2 March and this year there will be some eighty screenings and DIFF has once again attracted some big names, including Fiona Shaw, Ed Harris, and Ralph Fiennes.
The action starts when Fiennes, fresh from the success of Conclave, which is about the election of a new Pope, attends the Irish premiere of The Return at DIFF HQ, the Light House Cinema in Smithfield.
The movie is a retelling of the last sections of Homer's Odyssey and also stars Juliette Binoche.
Friday will see the Irish premiere of Park Avenue with leading lady Fiona Shaw in attendance at the Light House. It follows a mother and daughter who face an emotional reckoning. Shaw will also take part in a public interview as part of DIFF’s Tanqueray 0:0% Film Club.
On Monday, sixties model and icon Twiggy and actress and director Sadie Frost will attend the screening of Twiggy at the Light House. Directed by Frost, it follows the star’s upbringing, career and relationships and features the 75-year-old herself, with contributions from Paul McCartney, Dustin Hoffman Joanna Lumley.
Twiggy will also be discussing her life and times with Amy Huberman as part of DIFF.
Next Thursday 27 February sees Ed Harris and Jessica Lange attend the Irish premiere of Long Day's Journey into Night, Jonathan Kent's feature directorial debut based on Eugene O'Neill's play. Harris and Lange will both receive Volta Awards during the festival.
Director Stephen Bradley and cast members Darragh Humphreys, Amy Huberman, Deirdre O’Kane, and Risteard Cooper assemble at the Light House for their new movie Fran the Man, a sporting comedy about an Irish football club which becomes embroiled in an international match-fixing scandal.
Veteran Irish actress Fionnuala Flanagan will attend the Irish premiere of Four Mothers, while Cillian Sullivan, Naoise Kelly, Danielle Galligan, Emmet Kirwan and Pom Boyd attend the world premiere of Spilt Milk.
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Watch the trailer for Four Mothers
DIFF will once again also host numerous public interviews and events with filmmakers Elia Suleiman, John Connors, and Rich Peppiat and an In Conversation event with Ray Donovan star Eddie Marsan, who has appeared in movies by Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese, Mike Leigh, and Ridley Scott.
For full details of DIFF 25 and how to secure tickets click here.
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