The millennial GALWAY FILM FLEADH this year offers its biggest programme ever, with two world premieres opening and closing the festival, which runs from July 11th to 16th.
With nature as a central theme, the Fleadh promises an exceptional line-up of Irish, European and international cinema; over 60 feature films; a strong programme of Irish and international documentaries; a strand of new French cinema; a mini-focus on Yugoslav director Goran Paskaljevic, and the return of some of the Fleadh's most popular events including the Fleadh debate, the directors' and actors' masterclass and the EU-backed Film Fair, which runs concurrently with the Fleadh over three days.
The Fleadh again re-affirms its position as the foremost festival for Irish film, continuing with competitive programmes of new Irish shorts, new animation and new Irish documentaries. Woody Harrelson (Cheers, The People vs. Larry Flynt) visits Galway for the Fleadh, and will introduce a documentary which he himself narrates: Ron Mann's Grass, which examines the US government's persecution of cannabis as an illegal substance.
Opening this year's Fleadh is the world premiere of Rat, from director Steve Barron (Electric Dreams). A hugely entertaining black comedy with a cast including Pete Posthlewaite, Frank Kelly and David Wilmot, and music by Bob Geldof, Rat sees actress Imelda Staunton giving one of the strongest central performances of her career, and promises a lively opening to the six-day festival. The Fleadh's curtain-closer is the long-awaited debut feature from Kevin Luddy Country, a tense and powerful drama featuring Gary Lydon, Lisa Harrow, Des Cave, Pat Laffan and young newcomer Dean Pritchard.
Other highlights from this year's packed programme include: the Irish premiere of The Borstal Boy, a first feature from director and author Peter Sheridan; the first Irish screening of Saltwater, the debut feature from playwright Conor McPherson (I Went Down); Fintan Connolly's Flick; the eagerly-awaited feature-film version of Nick Hornby's High Fidelity; a diverse international programme with feature films and documentaries from the US, Holland, Iran, Nepal, Greece, UK, France and Canada; French films from Claire Denis and Sam Karman; a tribute to the work of the Dublin-born cameraman Patrick Carey who died in 1993, and a powerful collection of Irish documentaries including Se Merry Doyle's journey into the psyche of Dublin street-trading Alive Alive O and, most unmissable of all, Shimmy Marcus' Aidan Walsh Master Of The Universe.
Building on the nature theme, two programmes of Paddy Carey's films will be shown including Yeats Country, Waves and Errigal; as well as the Greek film Earth And Water, Iran's The Colour Of Paradise, and the 1978 Terence Malick classic Days Of Heaven.
An absolute must for anyone inhabiting or visiting Galway between the 11th and 16th: for futher information ph: (091) 751655. Fax: (091) 770746 Email: [email protected] Website: http://ireland.iol.ie/~galfilm/fleadh