Irish Film Festival Boston To Celebrate Irish Cinema This Month
Irish films PARKED, THE RUNWAY and THE PIPE will screen as part of the line-up of the 12th Annual Irish Film Festival, Boston this month. With over 35 films screening from March 24th - 27th, the festival, which is the largest Irish film festival in the United States, will also play host to numerous Irish filmmakers and US distributors who will be in attendance.Darragh Byrne's PARKED starring Colm Meaney will open the festival on March 24th at the 450-seat Stuart Street Playhouse in Downtown Boston.
Dawn Morrissey, Co-Director, Irish Film Festival Boston said:
"PARKED is a piece that shows the intricacies of human connection. It is raw yet filled with warmth. It is fragile, yet shows the power in people. We are honored to premiere this film on American soil and are anticipating a very strong reaction."
The films director Darragh and producers Dominic Wright and Jacqueline Kerrin will be in attendance. The film is in receipt of the Aer Lingus Best Feature Award.
THE RUNWAY directed by Ian Power will screen as the Directors Choice - Feature. Inspired by the true story of a South American pilot who crashed his plane near Mallow, Co. Cork in 1983, the director will be present for the screening. The Best Documentary this year is THE PIPE, a raw and candid portrayal of the struggles of a small Irish village that stood up to a big oil company. Both the director Risteard O' Domhnaill and producer Rachel Lysaght will be in Boston for the screening.
The festival lineup also includes American premieres of celebrated short films including DEEP END DANCE (the Stella Artois Best Short), a piece that showcases the art of dancing fully clothed, at the deep end of a swimming pool. Director Conor Horgan and choreographer David Bolger will attend.
Domhnall Gleeson's short film NOREEN will screen as the Directors Choice - Short. The hysterical short starring Brendan and Brian Gleeson tells the story of two Irish policemen and their quest to get out of trouble. Domhnall will attend the screening.
The last weekend in March promises to please Boston audiences. Screenings are varied; stories are vast, and strong in multi-cultural content and Irish language. The Irish Film Festival, Boston is a gateway for Irish and foreign film in general and brings the world of visual story-telling to a place that has appeal across the masses.
About Irish Film Festival, Boston
Founded in 1999, The Irish Film Festival, Boston is the largest event of its kind outside of Ireland. Deemed one of the top 20 "Coolest Film Festivals" worldwide by MovieMaker Magazine, the festival celebrates the very best of Ireland and the Irish on screen - past, present and future. Over the years, the festival has premiered highly acclaimed films such as In America, Intermission, and Bloody Sunday, and it was the first American film festival to recognize the 2007 Oscar-winner, Once. The festival has also played host to some of the greatest names in Irish cinema, including Jim Sheridan, Gabriel Byrne, Brendan Gleeson, Colm Meaney, Fionnula Flannagan, John Boorman, and Aidan Quinn.
For more information, please visit http://www.irishfilmfestival.com/.
List of the winners
- Aer Lingus Best Feature: PARKED
To screen Thursday, 3/24 at 7:00pm
Stuart Street Playhouse
- Stella Artois Best Short: DEEP END DANCE
To screen Thursday, 3/24 at 7:00pm (with "Parked")
Stuart Street Playhouse
- Director's Choice Feature: THE RUNWAY
To screen Friday, 3/25 at 7:30pm
Somerville Theater
- Director's Choice Short: NOREEN
To screen Friday, 3/25 at 7:30pm (with "The Runway")
Somerville Theater - Best Documentary: THE PIPE
To screen Saturday, 3/26 at 4:30pm
Somerville Theater