Birthday Feast

RAP BAND Niggers With Attitude, who once sang the song 'Burn Hollywood' would be more than pleased to hear of the success of the Irish Film Centre which came to Dublin's Temple Bar Area a year ago.

The efforts by the IFC to get away from the major Hollywood successes and present more obscure Irish and international films have won over Irish film-buffs who acclaimed the avant-garde cinema as both a popular and critical success.

On the 25th of September IFC will celebrate it's first birthday and everyone is invited to a free day of entertainment. You don't even have to be a serious film-buff and if you haven't been there before, it's time you checked it out.

The all day film feast is being jointly presented by the different film organisations in the centre; The Irish Film Archive, The Junior Dublin Film Festival, Film Base, Media Desk Ireland, The Federation of Irish Film Societies and Espace Video European (EVE).

The Federation of Irish Film Societies presents Red Sorghum, a Chinese film directed by Zhang Yimou who also directed The Story of Qiu Ju and Raise the Red Lantern. Red Sorghum, which looks at the fate of women in rural China in the 1930's during the Japanese occupation, is filled with rich sensuous images and offers an extremely powerful cinematic experience.

Look out for the hilarious O Hara's Holiday, followed by vintage footage of GAA football and hurling finals. There's a rare chance to see Liam O'Leary's Mr Careless Goes To Town (1949) and Tiernan Mac Bride's 1978 film Christmas Morning.

Film Base is showing a selection of winners of the Film Base/RTE short script awards; Alan Arboid's No Flowers, Johnny Gogan's Stephen, Stephen Kane's Made In Oz, Kevin Liddy's Horse, Orla Walsh's The Visit and Liam O Neill's The Barber Shop.

Fellini's masterpiece Eight And A Half, which is a grab-bag of Felliniesque delights with great photography by Di Venanzo, is bound to go down a treat. As will the deliciously offbeat Jaco Van Dormael film Toto The Hero. This film tells of the now elderly Thomas who has harboured dreams of murderous revenge ever since it first occurred to him as a bouncing baby that he was exchanged with Alfred, the kid from next door. Well worth seeing!

The Irish Film Archive is being thrown open to the public and visitors will have a chance to view rare footage of their own choice from a selection of archival titles and topics.

Don't miss the special sneak preview of a surprise title and don't forget to bring home a slice of the IFC's first birthday cake.

• Emma Flynn