Ben Wheatley and Cillian Murphy are first guests confirmed for ADIFF 2017

Irish actors Jack Reynor (Transformers: Age of Extinction) and Cillian Murphy (The Wind That Shakes the Barley, Batman Begins, Peaky Blinders) will be joined by British cult-classic directing maestro Ben Wheatley at the festival, which will run from February 16-26. They will be present at the exclusive Audi Gala screening of Wheatley's gun-toting, crime caper Free Fire on Thursday February 23 at the Savoy Cinema.

Speaking about the festival, Wheatley said: "It’s always very exciting to have a film at the Audi Dublin International Film Festival. Showing Free Fire feels particularly satisfying as two of its stars, Jack Reynor and Cillian Murphy, were in the audience for the screening of High-Rise in Dublin last year. Afterwards they took me out and showed me the town, and we gently drank fizzy water and were all done and dusted by 11 at night. Just how I like it. This year I hope to have some more of this moderate, sensible fun."

The Festival tickets are on sale now at ADIFF's brand new website: www.diff.ie