Now entering its fourth year, you have to wonder how we ever got along without the civilising benefits of the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival.
A thrilling programme takes in many of this season’s Oscar contenders including Stephen Gaghan’s remarkably complex geo-political thriller Syriana, the splendid Capote, the gimmicky Transamerica and, from Palestine, the incendiary Paradise Now.
Those, meanwhile, wishing to take roads less travelled can delight in taut Hong Kong thriller Election, the impressively horrifying Dumplings, a restored print of Soy Cuba and Tsotsi, a film billed as the South African City Of God.
Remarkably, the bill features ten Irish films. Where did they all come from? Well, all over the place really. Donegal is the setting for Norah Mc Gettigan’s A Song For Rebecca and also for Tom Collins’ rom-com Dead Long Enough. Short Order, Anthony Byrne’s intriguing modern musical employs a Dublin backdrop.
The grand prize, however, for oddest variety of talent must go to the Belfast shot Johnny Was. Vinnie Jones, Eriq La Salle, Roger Daltry and Samantha Mumba somehow all star in Mark Hammond’s drama.
Sports movies, particular those dealing with the beautiful game, are rarely satisfactory (Escape To Victory, anyone?) but this year’s programme has cobbled together the finest work this sub-genre has to offer.
A precursor to Sky Sports’ player-cam, Hellmuth Costard’s George Best; Football As Never Before follows the late number 11 legend for every moment of a 1970 match against Coventry.
Elsewhere, Studs, the hotly anticipated adaptation of a Paul Mercier play featuring Brendan Gleeson in the lead role (about time too) will open the festival.
As ever, there’s a fine selection of documentaries including much lauded acts of Bolshevism such as WalMart; The High Cost Of Low Price and the Oscar nominated Enron; The Smartest Guys In The Room. Music fans can get hot and bothered in anticipation of New York Doll, a rockument tracing the fortunes of Arthur ‘Killer’ Kane, and Metal; A Headbanger’s Journey.
Of course, it would hardly be a festival without a contingent of celebrities and this year you can catch up with Ralph Fiennes at a public Q & A following the screening of his latest vehicle, The White Countess.
Also in town is Roger Donaldson, the New Zealand director behind The World’s Fastest Indian, an unbearably sweet movie with Anthony Hopkins as an unlikely landspeed hero.
The festival will come to a glamorous close with Rebecca Miller and Daniel Day Lewis in attendance for The Ballad Of Jack And Rose. Happy days.