Galway Film Fleadh launches full programme of 36th edition: Directorial debuts, new documentaries and industry events among 2024 highlights
Posted: 24th June 2024
Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland is delighted to welcome the launch of the programme of the 2024 Galway Film Fleadh. Ahead of its 36th edition, set to take place from 9th to 14th July across several venues in Galway, the festival has announced its full line-up of film screenings, short films, masterclasses, Q&As and industry panels, which are now available to book online or by contacting the festival's box office.
Director Of Programming of the Galway Film Fleadh, Maeve McGrath, said:
The line up for the 36th Galway Film Fleadh is very exciting. We have first time filmmakers alongside established filmmakers in a programme packed with drama, documentaries, experimental film and animation. The increased production in Irish language film is welcomed, and as well as 6 Irish language feature films in the programme, we have a full strand of Irish language short films. This year, we introduce a new strand for cinephiles called ‘Cinefleadh Collection’ with films that we don’t want you to miss and if you haven’t had enough of the football from EURO 24, we have a strand of football themed films called ‘The Beautiful Game’, so plenty for all audiences to enjoy at the Fleadh in July”
Fleadh CEO, Miriam Allen, noted that:
The Fleadh programme this year reflects the quality of films that will be available to the audience in July. Award winning World Cinema will screen alongside films produced in Ireland ensuring that the local audience has access to new and exciting films curated for them by the programme team. The Film Fair goes from strength-to-strength and will host hundreds of meetings over the duration of the festival. This year, we will present the Galway Hooker award to actor Brian Cox, this is the highest award that the festival presents, and Brian will receive his award on July 14th in Galway.”
Joining the highly anticipated Opening Night screening of Rich Peppiatt's Kneecap and previously announced festival highlights Mrs Robinson and Fidil Ghorm, several Screen Ireland supported feature films and documentaries will screen in Ireland for the first time throughout the course of the festival. This includes Ciaran Cassidy's documentary Housewife of the Year, which received its World Premiere earlier this year at CPH:DOX and has recently been acquired by Wildcard for a release in Irish cinemas later this year, and Eva Birthistle's Kathleen is Here in her feature directorial debut, exploring the loneliness and hope of a young teenager fresh out of foster care, a follow-up to her critically acclaimed 2021 short film. Other programme highlights to look forward to are Alessandra Celesia's The Flats, which recently won the Pull Focus Award at Docs Ireland's 2024 edition, Dermot Malone's critically acclaimed feature debut King Frankie, and Neasa Ní Chianaín's unique tale of intrigue, politics and money in The Alexander Complex.
A total of 94 feature films, including 20 World Premieres, 11 International/European Premieres and 52 Irish Premieres from 45 countries will feature at this year's festival across multiple strands, including the World Cinema strand, Peripheral Visions, the Fleadh's European cinema competition for first and second feature filmmakers, a new spotlight for films for cinephiles with the CineFleadh Collection, an Architecture on Film strand, the GENERATION strand for coming-of-age stories and many more. As previously announced, the Country of Focus for this year's edition of the festival will be Palestine, highlighting narrative and documentary feature films from Palestinian filmmakers.
On Saturday 13th July at 11.30am, Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland will proudly present the World Premiere screening of ten new live-action and animated Irish short films funded under the agency’s flagship Focus Shorts and Frameworks short film schemes. From modern comedies to Irish-language dramas and original animated works, the screening will showcase exciting new works from emerging Irish talent in their first steps on the international festival circuit.
Additionally, several films from Bow Street Academy and Screen Ireland's Actor as Creator scheme, aimed at supporting unique creative voices within the Irish screen acting community, will screen across the festival's multiple short film programme strands. Over 100 Irish and international short films were selected for the festival to be in competition for the Fleadh's Academy Award qualifying prizes.
Rounding out the premieres and Q&As are a range of industry events, including the festival's annual Marketplace and Pitching Competition, talks, masterclasses and public interviews. Highlights of this year includes the Actor's and Director's Masterclass with Tim Roth and Anthony Chen respectively, and the return of the Fleadh Forum. More details and registration details will be announced this Thursday.
Tickets for all films are now available on galwayfilmfleadh.com, or by contacting Town Hall Theatre box office on 091 569777.
The Galway Film Fleadh is supported by the Arts Council, Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, Failte Ireland and Galway City Council.