The 20th Galway Film Fleadh is a boon for the discerning moviegoer, with multiple Irish world premieres and a curious, post-modern outing starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, writes Michael Dwyer
PETER O'Toole, Jessica Lange and Bill Pullman head the international guest list at this year's Galway Film Fleadh, which runs from July 8th to 13th. The programme includes a range of new Irish and international features, dozens of shorts, and masterclasses and seminars. Here are some highlights.
OPENING PRESENTATION
Events in Nazi-occupied Poland trigger the drama of Canadian director Jeremy Podeswa's
Fugitive Pieces. Adeptly structured, it reflects on the trauma of a boy who witnesses the murder of his parents and the abduction of his sister. Played as an adult by Stephen Dillane, he becomes consumed with researching a book on the subject in this touching, multi-layered movie.
CLOSING PRESENTATION
Two-time Oscar-winner Jessica Lange will attend the screening of Christopher Rowley's road movie
Bonneville, in which she co-stars with Joan Allen and Kathy Bates. Lange will give the fleadh's acting masterclass on July 12th.
NEW IRISH CINEMA
Fresh from its world premiere in Edinburgh, Ian Fitzgibbon's
A Film with Me in Itis a black comedy/thriller with Dylan Moran and Mark Doherty as a dissolute scriptwriter and a struggling actor becoming embroiled in a murder case.
The programme also includes Martin Duffy's Summer of the Flying Saucer, set in rural Mayo in 1967 when a farmer's son (Robert Sheehan) discovers aliens in his back yard.
Written and directed by Macdara Vallely, Peacefireis an urban drama with John Travers as a young man experiencing crime and punishment on a housing estate.
The fleadh will present the world premieres of six Irish features: Alarm, written and directed by Gerry Stembridge, is a contemporary thriller featuring Ruth Bradley as a young widow caught up in sinister events when she moves to a new suburban home.
Anton, directed by Graham Cantwell, is a thriller set in a Cavan border town in the 1970s when a man (played by the film's writer, Anthony Fox) returns home after five years. Gerard McSorley co-stars.
Kisses, the new film from Halo Effectwriter-director Lance Daly, follows two children (Shane Curry and Kelly O'Neill) on the run from their dysfunctional families.
Our Wonderful Home, written and directed by Ivan Kavanagh, observes a modern Irish couple in a loveless marriage and their daughter, who's captivated by the cult of celebrity.
Satellites and Meteoritesis a romantic fantasy involving coma patients played by Adam Fergus and Amy Huberman. Screenwriter Rick Larkin directs.
Vox Humana (Notes for a Small Opera), Bob Quinn's new film, features Luke Caldwell as a down-at-heel drummer becoming obsessed with a soprano from a local choir.
NEW WORLD CINEMA
Before the Rains, the first English-language feature directed by Santosh Sivan, stars Linus Roache as an Englishman involved with a village girl (Nandita Das) in 1930s India.
Blackoutfeatures Irish actor Aidan Gillen, with Amber Tamblyn and Katie Stuart as characters trapped in an elevator.
Gone for a Danceis directed by Alain Berliner, who made Ma Vie en Rose(1997). Vincent Elbaz plays a Belgian passionately taking up tap dancing after he sees Singin' in the Rain.
JCVDfeatures Jean-Claude Van Damme as an action movie star caught up in a child-custody battle that prompts existential angst. No kidding.
Lemon Tree, directed by Eran Riklis, features Hiam Abbass as a Palestinian widow standing up to her new neighbour, the Israeli defence minister, when he insists her tree must be cut down for security reasons.
Surveillancewill be introduced by Bill Pullman, who plays an FBI agent on the trail of a serial killer. Jennifer Lynch, daughter of David, directs.
The Trapis a Serbian drama in which a man, struggling to finance an operation on his ailing son, is tempted to commit a murder.
The Wacknessis a comedy-drama of a teen marijuana dealer (Josh Peck) falling for the stepdaughter (Olivia Thirlby) of his drug-addicted psychiatrist (Ben Kingsley).
DOCUMENTARY PROGRAMME
Alex Gibney's Oscar-winning
Taxi to the Dark Side, dealing with US torture practices in Afghanistan, will have its Irish premiere, as will
Man on Wire, James Marsh's documentary on Philippe Petit's journeys across a high wire between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre.
Darfur Nowfollows the struggles of six individuals in Sudan. In The Art of Catching Lobsters, a dying fisherman passes his knowledge on to his son. A Beautiful Tragedydeals with jealousy and the strenuous regime at a Russian ballet school.
Anvil!traces the short-lived success of the eponymous teen metal band.
Young at Heartfeatures a chorus whose average age is 81 and whose repertoire includes songs from James Brown, the Ramones, the Clash, and aptly, Bob Dylan's Forever Young.
TRIBUTE PROGRAMME
Peter O'Toole, who to date has received eight Oscar nominations, will participate in a public interview on July 13th. A short season of his films will include
My Favorite Year, Goodbye Mr Chipsand
Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell.
Principal venues are the Town Hall Theatre, the Omniplex and the Cinemobile.
The 20th Galway Film Fleadh runs from July 8th-13th. For more, see www.galwayfilmfleadh.com
