A great choice of Irish films on Television over Christmas
There will be lots of opportunities to see some great Irish films on television over the Christmas period.The award-winning film Garage starring Irish comedian and actor Pat Shortt can be seen for the first time on television on Saturday December 27th. This, the second feature film from director Lenny Abrahamson and writer Mark O'Halloran (Adam & Paul), is an austerely funny elegy to a small-town misfit. It has won numerous international awards including the prestigious CICAE Art and Essai Cinema Prize at the Cannes Film Festival 2007.
Tom Collin's Irish-language feature film Kings will be screened on St. Stephen's Day. Starring Colm Meaney and Brendan Conroy, Kings is the story of a group of friends who emigrated to England in the late 70's promising to return to Ireland rich and successful. Now 25 years on, only one of them is going home after his body was found in the underground, crushed by a passing train.
Nollaig Shona, the Irish language short film written and directed by Orla Murphy will have its television premiere on Christmas Eve. When Alan's girlfriend walks out on him just before Christmas, he plunges into denial, reassuring himself and the twelve-foot-tall Christmas tree that "she'll be back any day now". Over the Christmas period, a surreal relationship unfolds between man and tree. This is a darkly comic tale for anyone who's just been dumped and not seen it coming!
Cillian Murphy and Brendan Gleeson will star in Neil Jordan's darkly humorous tale Breakfast on Pluto on Christmas Day. It tells the tale of Patrick Braden, an illegitimate child of a small town parish priest who evolves into the beautiful transvestite "Kitten" and heads to London seeking his unknown. The film is a tale of self discovery, love and reconciliation.
The Magdalene Sisters directed by Peter Mullan will screen on December 30th. It tells the story of the now infamous Magdalene laundries in the 1960's where young girls were sent there by families or orphanages to atone for their 'sins', by working, unpaid and often abused in the harsh conditions of the launderies. This Golden Lion winner (Venice Film Festival) follows the fortunes of four of these women as they find themselves in an almost medieval nightmare....
Neil Jordan's Oscar nominated Michael Collins starring Liam Neeson, Aidan Quinn and Julia Roberts will screen on Sunday 28th December.
Christmas Eve
Nollaig Shona, TG4 at 7.45pm
Christmas Day
Breakfast on Pluto, RTE Two at 9.30pm
St Stephen's Day
Kings, TG4 at 9.30pm
Saturday, December 27th
Garage, RTE Two at 9.30pm
Sunday, December 28th
Michael Collins, RTE One at 11.10pm
Tuesday, December 30th
The Magdalene Sisters, Channel 4 at 10pm