Galway Film Fleadh has announced its full programme for its 35th edition, set to run from 11 to 16 July.
With new Irish cinema, award-winning world cinema, short films, panels, discussions, and masterclasses, the Fleadh promises to bring storytelling from both emerging and renowned filmmakers to Galway.
It will feature 21 World Premieres, 6 European premieres and 60 Irish premieres from 43 countries, featuring 95 feature films in total.
Highlights include an advance screening of Thaddeus O’Sullivan’s The Miracle Club, and the World premieres of Irish films Apocalypse Clown, Lies We Tell, The Martini Shot, Face Down, Verdigris and Made In Dublin.
It will also include the Irish premiere of acclaimed debut film Past Lives with director Céline Song in attendance and the Irish premiere of the winner of the Golden Bear at Berlinale, On The Adamant from director Nicholas Philibert.
Maeve McGrath, Director of Programming for the Fleadh said that it is an honour to work with the programme team to find the best in Irish and International cinema to present for the audience in Galway.
“In the 95 feature films that we are presenting, we have 48 debut films with 41 documentaries, 49 narrative films and two animations alongside 102 short films,” she said.
“We are introducing new sections with a focus on Architecture on Film, Defender and The Artist On Film alongside our well-established programme sections such as Irish Cinema, World Cinema, Peripheral Visions, Generation and What the Fleadh?!”
Thirty-four Irish films will screen in the Irish cinema section with 20 world premieres and seven Irish premieres.
These include the World Premiere of George Kane’s Apocalypse Clown which follows a troupe of failed clowns as they embark on a chaotic road trip of self-discovery after a mysterious solar event plunges the world into anarchy.
The World premiere of The Martini Shot starring actor Matthew Modine follows an ailing film director as he begins to shoot what he believes to be his final work of art.
The Martini Shot was directed by Stephen Wallis, with performances from John Cleese, Derek Jacobi, Stuart Townsend and Fiona Glascott.
The World premiere of Lie Of The Land from director John Carlin presents a tense drama that unfolds on a farm as a couple decide to abandon their farm but a last-minute change of heart leaves them fighting for survival.
Our Bingham Ray New Talent Award features ten nominees from all disciplines across film including Agnes O’Casey who leads the cast in the world premiere of Lies We Tell from director, Lisa Mulcahy, where a young woman finds herself in a struggle with family in this period drama.
In the world premiere of Patricia Kelly’s Verdigris, New Talent Nominee, Maya O’Shea plays a young woman, Jewel who befriends an older woman, Marian, a census enumerator, who needs her support to fill out the forms on the streets of Dublin.
The World Cinema Competition which has a prize fund of €3,000 features four debut films in the 7 narrative and 3 documentaries with stories from around the world including the Irish premiere of Here, a captivating romantic drama that asks us to stop, reflect and enjoy living in the moment from award winning director, Bas Devos.
The Irish premiere of Carol Dysinger’s One Bullet is a story of intimate female friendship forged amidst America’s longest war while Muayad Alayan’s A House in Jerusalem follows a young Rebecca as she moves with her father from the UK to Jerusalem, in the hopes that a new beginning can help her heal from her mother’s sudden death.
This year the Galway Film Fleadh will remember two good friends of the festival who are no longer with us.
A retrospective 35 mm screening of KINGS will remember director Tom Collins and to honour James Flynn’s contribution and legacy to the Irish film industry, the Fleadh will name the Best First Short Drama Award in his name.
Find out more with the Galway Film Fleadh brochure here.
