The best element of any film festival are the surprises - the little known director who wins all the plaudits; the multi-million pound blockbuster that is adjudged to be a flop . . . The biggest surprise of this year's Galway Film Fleadh, which kicked off on Tuesday, happened off-screen rather than on and the multi-talented Quinn family members were the ones looking stunned. It was no surprise that the Quinn quartet were in Galway for the Fleadh - This Is My Father, a film written and directed by Paul Quinn, starring Aidan Quinn and sister Marian Quinn in a cameo, and with Declan Quinn as cinematographer is the closing film of the festival. All are well-known in their own right - indeed Declan won the cinematography award at this year's Sundance Film Festival for Jimmy Smallhorne's film, 2 X 4 which is also showing at the Fleadh. However, it's the first time the family worked together on a film. Yesterday, the brothers Quinn made their way to the Town Hall Theatre to watch the screening of Three Brothers, Fergus Tighe's documentary about the family, having steeled themselves for a packed public question and answer session. However, there were some members of the audience who they were not expecting: namely, Michael and Teresa Quinn, their parents. Dave Power of Power Pictures, the company behind the documentary, had the bright idea of secretly flying the pair over from Chicago for a rare family reunion. After the Fleadh, the family took off for a few days' holidays in Ireland.
Plenty of film folk flew in for the Fleadh including Nick Broomfield, director of Wednesday's controversial documentary about Courtney Love and Kurt Cobain, called Kurt and Courtney, which Love managed to get pulled at the last minute from the Sundance Film Festival. Comedian Denis Leary turned up for the European premiere of Monument Ave, a Ted Demme movie that also stars Colm Meany, Martin Sheen and Irish newcomer who wowed the critics in Titanic, Jason Barry.
In fact, the Fleadh was big on tributes this year. A series of films starring Donal McCann was shown as he swooped into town to introduce The Nephew in the Town Hall theatre today. Although his co-stars Pierce Brosnan and Sinead Cusack couldn't make it to the Irish premiere, Donal was on hand to receive a paean of praise from Michael D. Higgins. His longtime friend and admirer, playwright and director Gerry Stembridge, will conduct a public interview with him tomorrow.