Kiev: Irish Comedies and Documentaries in the Spotlight at Irish Fest
The Irish Fest in Kiev is now underway, with six popular Irish films screening at this year’s event.
Amongst the lineup are four acclaimed comedies funded by Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board. The Hardy Bucks Movie, based on the hit TV series, sees a bunch of loveable slackers leave the confines of small town Irish life and head across Europe. The Stag was released to strong reviews and box office success in 2014, and stars Hugh O’Conor, Andrew Scott, Peter McDonald and Amy Huberman. Lance Daly’s Life A Breeze stars Pat Shortt and Fionnula Flanagan in a warm and engaging comedy about a family making its way in post-Celtic Tiger Ireland. Standby, released in late 2014, is a romantic comedy starring Brian Gleeson (Love/Hate) and Jessica Paré (Mad Men).
The festival also has two IFB-funded documentaries in its lineup. Alex Fagan’s The Irish Pub, described by the Washington Post as “a lovingly laid-back documentary about the charms, liquid and otherwise, of the traditional Irish watering hole.” Also screening is Nick Ryan’s award-winning The Summit, which examines the deadliest day in modern mountain climbing history when 11 climbers including Limerick man Ger McDonnell were killed on a K2 mountain expedition in August 2008.
The Kiev Irish Fest began on March 12th and continues until March 17th.