DIFF 2023 Catalogue

DUBLIN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

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For full details of our ticketing terms and conditions see WWW.DIFF.IE/TERMS-AND-CONDITIONS

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ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW

Find Us

If you are planning to visit Dublin to attend the 2023 Dublin International Film Festival, use our map for information (Page 98) on our venues and assistance for travel.

Access

As part of our 21st edition, our main focus at DIFF, as in the past years, is to celebrate and promote equality, diversity and inclusion through our programmes, events and talent. To do this, DIFF welcomes our audiences from different parts of Ireland and around the world to participate in screenings and events in-person at our venues and online on our website.

• All our venues have accessible seating.

• Non-English (Foreign) language films are subtitled.

• A selection of features, documentaries and shorts are made available exclusively online with Closed Caption for geographical accessibility.

• Our volunteers have undergone training for identifying hidden disabilities and will be wearing lanyards with sunflowers to be approached.

• On-screen text, SDH subtitles and captions for D/ deaf or hard of hearing. These films are tagged as 'CC' on https://www.diff.ie/festival-schedule-2023# More information about venue and online accessibility is available at diff.ie/access.

If you have any specific access needs or queries, we would be happy to help:

+353 1 662 4260

CHAIR’S INTRO

As the newly appointed chair of the Dublin International Film Festival, and on behalf of the hardworking, passionate Board and our Deputy Chair Elaine Gill, it is my privilege to warmly welcome our audiences, industry colleagues and partners, supporters, friends and patrons to our 2023 Festival.

Film is an exceptionally powerful medium for transporting us to other worlds, enabling us to experience the lives of others and explore our own feelings and ideas more deeply. And film festivals offer us a unique opportunity to immerse ourselves intensely in many such experiences over a short period, in the company of other fans, losing and finding ourselves repeatedly through the portal of journeys and stories offered only by the big screen. As someone who used to take holidays dedicated to fully enjoying the pleasure of this festival, I know in my bones what DIFF in particular delivers both to general audiences and to film makers present and future.

Established in 2003 by our sorely missed friend Michael Dwyer, and by David McLoughlin, DIFF this year celebrates its 21st birthday. The board especially wishes to acknowledge the support of two key state agencies: The Arts Council/ An Comhairle Ealaíon, and Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland.

And we are delighted to welcome our fine new Sponsors and Partners.

The festival’s dynamic team, led by the inspired and inspiring Gráinne Humphreys, and supported by our invaluable volunteers, has assembled a truly wonderful programme of films and events for this year, including 16 Irish films.

Our warm thanks to the dedicated outgoing Chair, Aidan Greene, under whose leadership the festival successfully navigated many challenges, including interruptions in various years due to both snow and the pandemic. However, it is to you, our audiences that our most heartfelt thanks are due. I look forward to meeting as many of you as possible during the next 10 magical days.

Trish Long Chair of the Board

PICTUREHOUSE

MAKING CINEMA ACCESSIBLE TO COMMUNITIES

It is supported by wonderful Oscar-winning actress, Brenda Fricker.

The Picturehouse outreach programme needs support to continue reaching marginalised audiences in 2023. With the help of sponsorship, Picturehouse will continue to bring the festival magic to the communities by working with five centres around the city.

If you wish to donate to Picturehouse or be involved, please visit diff.ie

“

Picturehouse is one of the hidden gems of the festival and brings art and vitality to spaces and audiences outside of city life.

A celebration of creativity and participation, it is one of the highlights of DIFF since it was started in 2012, primarily focusing on older audiences.

SCREEN 8

At DIFF, we believe that cinema is for everyone. Since moving to Dublin 8, the Festival has been eager to explore ways of working with the local community, inspiring more people to get involved in film. This year, the Digital Hub and the Dublin International Film Festival ran Screen8 for older people in the community – those aged 60+. This cohort of people experienced a taste of filmmaking and worked with a professional filmmaker to create their own short film. Laura O’ Shea, Oscar and BAFTA qualifying director, writer and actor, is leading this year’s Screen8 programme. To find out more about taking part in Screen 8, visit diff.ie/screen8

Heart of Dublin is a short documentary made by the 2022-23 Screen8 Participants. Through interviews, visuals and music, the group tell us about what they love, hate and wish for the Dublin 8 area. All footage and music included in the documentary was devised, filmed and performed by the class.

Picturehouse is hands down one of the brightest things about this festival. I’ve seen it make the people we bring it to laugh, cry and remember. I am complimented to be a close part of something that is so vital to a marginalised segment of our society.”

-PICTUREHOUSE

PATRON, OSCAR-WINNING ACTRESS BRENDA FRICKER

PATRONS SCHEME

While today we rightly focus on those who create art, in the past it was the patron — the person or group of people paying for or supporting the creation of the image — who was often considered the primary force behind a work's creation.

Patrons have always been a vital thread in the fabric of the artistic process (often helping ensure its completion and especially helping bring work to an audience). I believe these creative unions and partnerships are as important now as they ever were, if not more important.

We are therefore delighted, in this our 21st year to launch our inaugural Patrons scheme, which invites and enables members of the industry and the public to ally with Dublin International Film Festival Since its inception, our festival has premiered the best of cinema through our programme of Feature films, shorts and documentaries from filmmakers throughout Ireland and globally. Now taking place over ten days each Spring with a wonderfully rich and diverse programme of new and classic films, international and national. In any given year, up to 100 directors, actors and producers attend the festival to meet Irish filmmakers and audiences.

In the past two decades the festival has grown in stature and impact and as we head into our next phase, we have exciting plans to grow our audiences and engage a broader public. Importantly for the development of the Festival — 2023 also marks our first year as DUBLIN International Film Festival — owning our own name and without a title sponsor. Exciting indeed as it enables independence, however this also naturally brings some challenges which new Patrons can help us meet.

The support of our Patrons and Friends enables us to sustain and grow and to develop the Festival further. It also allows us to reach those who might not have had the opportunity to experience wider strands of film or to participate in or have a voice in its making. We are delighted at the support we have already received in the inaugural year of our Patrons and Friends Scheme and send our heartfelt thanks to those who have already allied with us.

We now invite you to join with our Patrons in helping safeguard Ireland’s Premier Film Festival and especially in helping us in the vital work of audience development and access to Patrons scheme: www.diff.ie/donate

Looking to the future - and in acknowledgement of the many new forms of patronage and ways of support now available in our digital world- we shall also be starting a virtual DIFF supporters group who will help identify and develop new strands of support for the future. If you are interested in being involved please contact office@diff.ie and we shall be in touch post 2023 Festival.

To steal a line from a favourite Pixar character - and with your help - together we can go ‘To infinity and beyond’.

If you would like to donate and be a part of the inner circle to enjoy privileges like priority booking, gala invites, exclusive access to private screenings and more, you can find more information on: www.diff.ie/donate

PATRONS AND FRIENDS

ADAM MCKAY

JOE DEVINE

TRISH LONG

PADDY WOODWORTH

PORTLAKE LIMITED

TREASURE ENTERTAINMENT

SPONSORS & SUPPORTERS

PRINCIPAL FUNDER

GOLD SPONSOR

INDUSTRY PARTNER

CORPORATE EVENT PARTNERS

CULTURAL FUNDERS

SPONSORS & SUPPORTERS

PROGRAMME FUNDERS

MEDIA PARTNERS

EMBASSIES AND CONSULATES

SPONSORS & SUPPORTERS

FESTIVAL AND FRINGE VENUES

NEEDSAD

RTÉ supports more than 120 arts events nationwide every year.

DIRECTOR’S INTRO

Welcome to our 21st festival and our first as the Dublin International Film Festival. Despite the enormous changes in cinema exhibition, the 2023 festival faces into its third decade with a sense of optimism and excitement for both cinema and cinema audiences. Our programme is a testament to the strength of contemporary Irish filmmakers and we are delighted to present their new work alongside their European and world counterparts.

This year, we are celebrating our commitment to the film culture of Dublin through our DIFF and Beyond initiative, bringing our film programme and series of public events to five partners' venues across the city.

Among many highlights, I would select our curated selection of cinematic essays as part of a wide-ranging programme of documentaries. Music maestro Neil Brand returns to DIFF with a celebration of Buster Keaton, an extremely rare opportunity to see the work of visionary filmmaker Artavazd Peleshyan and a fantastic line-up of new Spanish films are just some of our must-see screenings

Across the busy 2023 programme we will present the premieres of 16 new Irish features and documentaries, five programmes of short films and host a series of workshops and industry events both in person and online.

We received record levels of film submissions this year and the catalogue you hold is a result of the combined effort of the large festival team, including our industrious screening committee. I would like to acknowledge the entire DIFF team but reserve a very special thanks to our incredible Festival Administrator Karen English.

Thanks also to the board of the festival led by our superb Chair Trish Long and Deputy Chair Elaine Gill. I would like to join with Trish in thanking our key funders for their ongoing commitment to our event and welcome our new patrons and sponsors who join us this year for the first time.

DIFF aspires to bring the best of world cinema to Dublin, to bring the best cinema to the best audiences in the world. I hope you can join us.

Gráinne Humphreys Festival Director

CHERISHING 21 YEARS OF DIFF!

“This is my 'claim to fame' story I tell everyone! I was one of the first people to enter Lighthouse Screen 1 to see 'The Lure' at DIFF2016 edition and already there, standing by the screen was Jan Kaczmarek, the Polish composer who I believe had a workshop or a masterclass earlier that day. Anyway, since I recognized him, as I was passing, I greeted him politely, in Polish obviously, and went up to take my seat. As more people were coming in, he looked at me and asked if I was in the 'Polish section' and I responded that we can make it one. So, he came up and sat next to me, introduced himself and we chatted a bit before others started reaching out. Anyway, I now say that I know an Oscar winner!”

-Kasia

Jasiecka, Season ticket holder

Some tips from our season ticket holders!

• Avoid the queues by attending the morning screenings.

• Buy 2 tickets and bring a friend!

• Hang around after the screenings... you don't know who you may bump into and thank the filmmakers if you meet them.

“My favourite memory from Diff is from around the time I was a student - so many years ago - just beginning to think about making films and I remember sitting in a pub drinking pints with the late Michael Dwyer and other film obsessives discussing what we’d just seen that day and relishing more days of seeing 4 or 5 films every day.”

-Lenny Abrahmson, Board Member and Director

“Jessie Buckley singing live after the screening of 'Wild Rose' at the 2019 festival was particularly moving, and who could forget the metal group 'Anvil' performing live after the screening of ‘Anvil: The Story of Anvil’ at the 2009 festival”

-Oisin Kane, Season ticket holder

“My favourite memory is definitely speaking to Patricia Clarkson over the phone in 2010. It was a bit of a shocking event, I was so starstruck because her voice is so iconic. So I phoned her in her New York apartment and she went, "Hi, it's Patty", and I froze...So that was very cool. "

-Aideen Darcy, Hospitality Manager

SCHEDULE

WED 22 FEB FRI 24 FEB

THURS 23 FEB

First Frame Limerick Millenium Theatre Ciné-Guerillas

First Frame Dublin LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 1

God's Creatures LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 1

God's Creatures LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 2

God's Creatures LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 1

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 1

INDUSTRY EVENTS TU Grangegorman

The Sharp Shorts LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 1

Kanaval

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 2

Paris Memories

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 1

THE POOL

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 2

LOLA

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA

Screen 1

The March on Rome

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA

Screen 2

PEARL

23 FEB 04 MARCH All day 13:00 94 m 14:00 15:30 123 m 16:30 76 m 18:00 103 m 18:15 103 m 20:25 79 m 20:40 98 m 22:30 102 m

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA

Screen 1

Our online programme that runs between 23 Feb - 04 Mar includes films, events and workshops. Details on Page 74 and on www.diff.ie

Galas and highlights : Listed in Navy Irish features and docs Listed in Green European in Listed in Red World Cinema Listed in blue Events Listed in pink Shorts programme and out of the past: Listed in black

SAT 25 FEB SUN 26 FEB MON 27 FEB

Butcher's Crossing

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA

Screen 1

DIFF Awards Brunch event Opium

Victim LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 1

Day After LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA

Screen 2

Screen Ireland Shorts

Steamboat Bill Jr with Neil Brand

Accidental Anthropologist IRISH FILM INSTITUTE

Peter O'Toole: Along the Sky Road to Aqaba LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 1

Plan 75

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 2

Close

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 1

VM Discovers

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA

Screen 2

Sunlight LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA

Screen 1

On the Fringe

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 2

SISU LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA

Screen 1

BLUEBACK LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA

Screen 1

Steamboat Bill Jr with Neil Brand Movies @ The Square Tallaght

Dublin On Screen

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA

Screen 1

Tata LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 1

The Girl from Tomorrow LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA

Screen 2

Ann LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA

Screen 1

The Ordinaries

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA

Screen 2

Barber LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA

Screen 1

Smoking Causes Coughing

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 2

Cool Hand Luke LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA

Screen 1

Older People on Screen Generator

Shorts Programme II

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA

Screen 2

Notes From Sheepland IRISH FILM INSTITUTE

Mother and Son LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA

Screen 2

Cairo Conspiracy LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 1

SCHEDULE

TUE 28 FEB WED 01 MARCH THURS 02 MARCH

Equality Diversity Inclusion panel Cervantes

Foudre LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 1

Shorts Programme III LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 1

Dublin on Screen 2

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 2

Dublin on Screen 1 Odeon/Dublin Port VIP Screen

The Beasts LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 1

Fields of Darkness IRISH FILM INSTITUTE

Hamlet Syndrome LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 2

Medusa Deluxe

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 2

How To Blow Up a Pipeline

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 1

Film criticism panel Generator

1976

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA

Screen 1

CAREERS ON SCREEN IRISH FILM INSTITUTE

Dead for a Dollar

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA

Screen 1

Brainwashed

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA

Screen 2

Maximising Your Festival Presence Generator

The Future Tense IRISH FILM INSTITUTE

BlackBerry LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA

Screen 1

Sick of Myself

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA

Screen 2

R.M.N

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA

Screen 2

The Black Guelph

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA

Screen 1

13:00 101 m 15:20 121 m 16:00 60m 18:00 103 m 18:00 18:00 113 m 19:30 101 m 20:30 102 m 20:30 100 m

Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA

Screen 1

International Sales Agents Event Cervantes

La Syndicaliste

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 1

SHAKESPEARE IN CASABLANCA

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 2

Volunteers Quiz Night

Stolen

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 1

Freedom On Fire UCD Cinemas

One Fine Morning

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA

Screen 1

Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy

23 FEB 04 MARCH 13:30 95 m 15:30 114m 16:00 105 m 17:15 18:00 89 m 18:00 91 m 18:15 97 m 20:30 125 m 20:30 125 m

The Circular, Rialto Documentary Room

My Sailor, My Love

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA

Screen 2

Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 2

Our online Programme: 23 Feb - 04 Mar, see page 74 for details.

Galas and highlights : Listed in Navy Irish features and docs Listed in Green European in Listed in Red World Cinema Listed in blue Events Listed in pink

Shorts programme and out of the past: Listed in black

FRI 03 MARCH SAT 04 MARCH

Prison 77 LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 1

The

Mincéir...

The Eight Mountains LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 2

In conversation with Jane Seymour Dublin Castle

La Nature LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 1

Chevalier LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 1

My Imaginary Country LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 2

Pray for our Sinners LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 1

I Must Away LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 2

Arrebato LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 1

Seasons LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 1

The Five Devils LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 2

DFCC Awards Generator

Surprise Film

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 1

The End of Sex

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 1

406 Days

LIGHTHOUSE CINEMA Screen 1

GOD’S CREATURES

INFO: THURS 23 FEB / LIGHT HOUSE / 19:00/ 94 MINS

DIRECTOR: Saela Davis, Anna Rose Holmer

COUNTRY: Ireland

WRITER: Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly (story by) Shane Crowley (screenplay by)

*CAST: Emily Watson, Paul Mescal, Aisling Franciosi, Declan Conlon, Toni O'Rourke

HoH Captioning at 21:20

Saela Davis and Anna Rose Holmer’s powerful, evocative drama is set in a windswept Irish fishing village. It centres on a mother (Emily Watson) who is torn between her love for her returning emigrant son (Paul Mescal) and her own sense of right and wrong. What follows threatens to tear an entire community apart as a terrible secret is revealed. Watson, Mescal and Aisling Franciosi deliver powerful performances in this taut and emotive thriller.

*DIRECTORS AND CAST IN ATTENDANCE

STEAMBOAT BILL JR

*LIVE PRESENTATION BY NEIL BRAND

INFO: SAT 25 FEB / LIGHT HOUSE 1 / 14:00 / 100 MINS

DIRECTOR: Charles Reisner

COUNTRY: USA

WRITER: Carl Harbaugh

CAST: Buster Keaton

His knack for storytelling, slapstick and physical comedy made Buster Keaton one of the most beloved artists in the history of cinema. Now the man whose deadpan expression earned him the moniker ‘The Great Stone Face’ comes to the big screen at DIFF. The experience will be brought further to life by festival favourite, composer Neil Brand, who will perform a live score and take audiences through many of Keaton’s most laugh-out-loud gags and death-defying stunts.

Jaw-dropping moments in the film include one of Keaton’s most famous stunts, where a house collapses on him during a storm. DIFF’s family gala offers the perfect way to revisit Keaton’s magic, or to experience it for the first time.

BLUEBACK

INFO: SUN 26 FEB / LIGHT HOUSE 1 / 13:10 / 102 MINS

DIRECTOR: Robert Connolly

COUNTRY: Australia

WRITER: Robert Connolly

CAST: Mia Wasikowska, Radha Mitchell, Ilsa Fogg, Liz Alexander, Ariel Donoghue, Clarence Ryan, Pedrea Jackson, Erik Thomson, Eddie Baroo, Eric Banna.

Robert Connolly’s striking coming-of-age tale introduces us to Abby, a girl who befriends a wild blue groper while out diving. When she realises the fish’s very survival is under threat, she joins forces with her mum to take on the poachers who pose a threat to it. What emerges is a powerful and emotional cry from the heart in support of marine life, adapted from Tim Winton’s much-loved and bestselling novel. The film features two of Australia’s best-known actors - Mia Wasikowska and Radha Mitchell - in leading roles as women devoted to protecting the world’s oceans. They’re joined by the charismatic Eric Bana in a supporting role.

Parental Guidance advised.

*DIRECTOR IN ATTENDANCE

Proudly supported by

SURPRISE FILM

INFO: SAT 4 MAR / LIGHT HOUSE 1 / 17:00

In 1985, the late Michael Dwyer launched the first Dublin Film Festival. The inaugural festival had a diverse programme that continued such future classics as Heimat, Insignificance and The Official Version. Only after the programme had gone to press, did he and fellow founder Myles Dungan discover that they were one film short. With characteristic flair, Michael Dwyer turned this potential mishap into one of the most beloved slots in the festival; the Surprise Film.

In the 32 years since the first Surprise Film, the structure of the festival has changed only slightly. Each year, the Surprise Film is shown amid great speculation and no one – not even the projectionist – knows the film’s title until the first few frames on screen slowly reveal its true identity.

So, as usual, no clues for this year’s title but join the discussion on Twitter. Follow us @dublinfilmfest and tag your suggestions #DIFF2023Surprise

HOW TO BLOW UP A PIPELINE

DIRECTOR: Daniel Goldhaber

WRITER: Ariela Barer, Jordan Sjol, Daniel Goldhaber

CAST: Ariela Barer, Kristine Froseth, Lukas Gage, Jayme Lawson, Forrest Goodluck, Sasha Lane

COUNTRY: Canada

A crew of young activists hatch a daring attempt to sabotage an oil pipeline in Daniel Goldhaber’s Toronto festival hit. Set in Texas, it centres on the self-styled rebels as they devise and think through their audacious plans. The story unfolds like a ticking-clock thriller, blending heist elements and a powerful environmental message to impressive effect. That it also manages to give us well-rounded characters serves to propel that message further.

*DIRECTOR + CAST IN ATTENDANCE

INFO: TUE 28 FEB / LIGHT HOUSE 1 / 20:30 / 99 MINS

406 DAYS

INFO: SAT 04 MAR/ LIGHT HOUSE 1 / 20:00 / 90 MINS

DIRECTOR: Joe Lee

WRITER: Joe Lee & Fergus Dowd

COUNTRY: Ireland

In the early days of the pandemic, the retailer Debenhams closed its Irish stores and filed for liquidation. As a consequence, staff began picketing, citing unfair terms of dismissal. The dispute became one of the longest in the history of Irish industrial relations, with workers holding the lines for 406 days until a court resolution. DIFF award-winning director Joe Lee charts the workers’ resilience as they refused to back down and squared off against a big business.

Parental Guidance advised.

*FILMMAKER IN ATTENDANCE

ARTAVAZD PELESHYAN

Armenian director Artavazd Peleshyan is one of the most visionary artists to have emerged from the Soviet Union, but like several of his friends making cinema in the thenexisting republics of the South Caucasus, he struggled to work uninterrupted or breach the margins of canonised world film history. When he embarked on his career during the early 1960s, his near-wordless black-and-white films were way ahead of their time in blending the reality levels of documentary archive and poetic fiction. Their shortness of length and blurring of categories, though, reinforced their status as outliers, resistant to being co-opted and stripped of their arcane mystery by crass marketforces, and unlikely candidates for mainstream popularity. Peleshyan has a near-cult core of devotees, and few initiated into the singular, intuitive strangeness of his montage experiments would argue with the evaluation of his contemporary, Georgian-Armenian maverick Sergei Parajanov, that he’s one of cinema’s rare ‘authentic geniuses’. For all that, his name is still rarely heard beyond cinephile circles.

DIFF IS DELIGHTED TO WELCOME MR PELESHYAN TO DISCUSS HIS WORK WITH FILMMAKER TADHG O'SULLIVAN

Supported by Hon. Consulate Republic of Armenia

The Seasons

INFO: Sat 4 Mar / Light House 1 /

16:00 / 29 mins

DIRECTOR: Artavazd Peleshyan

COUNTRY: Armenia

Legendary Armenian filmmaker Artavazd Peleshyan’s avantgarde work has been championed by many of his peers including Jean-Luc Goddard. Collaborating with acclaimed cinematographer Mikhail Vartanov, Peleshyan documents the experiences of an isolated and small farming community as they battle against the harshest elements of nature. It captures the human spirit of resilience as workers battle against rushing water, move to the spring mountains with their herds, and fight for survival in wind and snow.

La Nature

INFO: Sat 4 Mar / Light House 1

/ 14:00 / 64 mins

DIRECTOR: Artavazd Peleshyan

COUNTRY: Armenia

The force of nature is captured to unique and impressive effect in Artavazd Peleshyan’s homage to its power. To the surprise and delight of film lovers, the filmmaker presented this title in 2020, aged 82 and more than two decades after his previous film. Made up of found footage, he uses his distinct techniques to bring home the frailty of humanity in the face of nature at its most powerful, be it massive floods, hurricanes or volcanic eruptions.

DUBLIN ON SCREEN

To celebrate our 21st Birthday and as part of our effort to bring film culture and our programme to new audiences, we are partnering with the following venues to take film out of the festival and into communities:

Dublin on Screen 1

Lighthouse Cinema, Sun 26 Feb at 14:00

Odeon Cinema, Point Village Tues 28 Feb at 17:00

• Heart of Dublin / Screen8 initiative

DIFF filmmaker-in-residence Laura O’Shea with: Norma Bodie, Peter Bodie, Lorna Cady, Veronica Cahill, Marion Connolly, Paul Haughan, Kristina McElroy, Josephine O’Byrne, Yvonne O’Reilly, Carmel Rooney, Raymond Sherlock, Mark Wale

Presenting a series of Shorts by young filmmakers with thanks to Shireen Shortt:

• Eagleman / Kelvin Thawe

• Pressure / EmilyLee Duff

• The Steps / Courtney Dunne

• Rubber Band / Holly Tracey & Demi-Leigh Murray

• The Eviction / Kyle Hogan-Bennett

Push Boundaries

Dublin on Screen 2

Light House Cinema Sun 26 Feb at 14:00

• Bestial Ones / Miles Davis Murphy

A young, discontented single mother must choose between her troubled son or the freedom she desperately craves after a chance encounter presents an opportunity for escape.

• Somewhat Dissatisfied / Damien O’Donnell, Anne-Marie Curran

A Dublin odyssey following several characters whose working day is less rewarding than they had hoped...

Supported by:

DIFF & BEYOND

2. Sphere17 & Creative Places, Kilbarrack & Bonnybrook

A first-time initiative of DIFF, the Young Programmers team from Sphere 17 viewed a number of films and have devised a programme to be screened during the festival in their own communities.

Programmers team: Sophie Ellis, Abbie Powney, Kaylei Kelly, Mia Croker, Nikola Nowakowska, Gemma Agemoh, Irma Ramanauskaite. Staff: Gary Mullen, Lee Cummins, Graham O’Neill, Kim Malone, Shaday Blake and Ashley White.

3. The Circular, Rialto Screening of Desperate Souls, Dark City & the Legend of Midnight Cowboy

INFO: Thursday 2 March/ The Documentary Room: The Circular, Rialto / 19:30

Short Circuit presents The Sharp Shorts funded films – a selection of 7 of Glasgow International Film Festival’s best Shorts.

INFO: Fri 24 Feb / TU Grangegorman / 14:00

5. UCD Film Society

Freedom on Fire – Ukraine's Fight For Freedom + Q&A

INFO: Thurs 2 Mar / UCD Student Centre Cinema / 18:00

Evgine Afineevsky’s eye-opening documentary which first premiered at the Venice Film Festival depicts the horrible realities of the unprovoked war instigated by Vladimir Putin. Picking up after the events of Maidan, Afineevsky unravels the politics and movements in central Europe over the last eight years, mapping out the events leading up to the invasion. Afineevsky’s latest work is a companion piece to Oscar and Emmy nominated 2015 movie Winter on Fire: Ukraine’s fight for freedom.

4. TU Dublin

Ciné-Guerillas

INFO: Fri 24 Feb / Light House 1 / 13:00 / 94 mins

DIRECTOR: Mila Turajlic

WRITER: Mila Turajlic

COUNTRY: Serbia

Brainwashed: SexCamera-Power

INFO: Wed 1 Mar / Light House 2 / 16:00 / 105 mins

DIRECTOR: Nina Menkes

WRITER: Nina Menkes

CAST: Rhiannon Aarons, Kathleen Antonia, Rosanna Arquette

COUNTRY: USA

Documentary filmmaker Nina Menkes examines a fascinating topic - that of the male gaze in cinema - in her latest feature. Examining the work of filmmakers from the late 1800s to the present day, she challenges that sexist shot design contributes to an environment of sexual harassment and assault, as well as employment discrimination towards women in the screen and other industries. Screen International described the film as: “A real no-bullshit breath of fresh air. With a torch”.

In the 1950s, at the height of the Algerian Liberation War against France, the President of former Yugoslavia, Josip Tito, sent his favourite cameraman Stevan Labudović to document the war by embedding with Algeria's National Liberation Army. Serbian filmmaker Mila Turajlić’s extraordinary documentary reexamines Labudović's work and legacy, using his footage and diaries to highlight the differences in how France and Algeria portrayed the war. The results are a stark portrayal of propaganda and colonialism.

Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy

INFO: Thurs 2 Mar / Light House 1 / 13:00 / 101 min

DIRECTOR: Nancy Buirski

WRITER: Nancy Buirski

CAST: Bob Balaban, Edmund White, Jon Voight

COUNTRY: USA

The March on Rome

INFO: Fri 24 Feb / Light House 2 / 20:40 / 98 mins

DIRECTOR: Mark Cousins

WRITER: Mark Cousins & Tony Saccucci

CAST: Alba Rohrwacher

COUNTRY: Italy

Documentarian Nancy Buirski delves into the 1969 beloved classic Midnight Cowboy, directed by John Schlesinger and starring Dustin Hoffman and Jon Voight. As their trailblazing exploration of male friendship marks a definitive shift in Hollywood filmmaking, Buirski examines the transition, what allowed it to happen, and why the unconventional film has had such a lasting impact. Featuring contributions from many involved, this is a deep dive into the magic of movie-making, a must for cinephiles and fans.

The rise of fascism in Italy and its unprecedented fallout across Europe in the 1930s is the subject matter of Mark Cousins’ latest documentary. In part an essay film, in part a historical account of extraordinary times, the film uses rich detail in examining Benito Mussolini’s march on the Italian capital 100 years ago. It does so through a lens of the contemporary political climate, reminding us of the real dangers of history repeating itself.

My Imaginary Country

INFO: Fri 3 Mar / Light House 2 / 18:30 / 83 mins

DIRECTOR: Patricio Guzmán

WRITER: Patricio Guzmán

COUNTRY: Chile

It was an uprising that 80-year-old documentarian Patricio Guzmán had been waiting for his entire life. When a million and a half people took to the streets of Chile’s capital seeking justice under Pinochet’s oppressive regime, he felt a sense of hope. Guzmán’s intimate and very personal documentary recounts his own history of demanding a better way of life. Using powerful imagery, footage and photography, it is a testament to the power of protest. Suitable for 12 years or over.

Sunday Times

‘Theatrical magic! A mesmerising adaptation of Neil Gaiman’s hit novel’.

Illustration by Nicolas Delort

Ann

INFO: Sun 26 Feb / Light House 1 / 17:40 / 98 mins

DIRECTOR: Ciaran Creagh

WRITER: Ciaran Creagh

CAST: Eileen Walsh, Ian Beattie, Zara Devlin

COUNTRY: Ireland

Barber

INFO: Sun 26 Feb / Light House 1 / 20:30 / 102 mins

DIRECTOR: Fintan Connolly

WRITER: Fintan Connolly & Fiona Bergin

CAST: Aiden Gillen, Gary Lydon, Aishling Kearns

COUNTRY: Ireland

Based on the true story that shocked Ireland and the world, Ciaran Creagh’s drama is set over the course of one day in 15-year-old Ann Lovett’s life. It’s 1984, and realising that she is about to give birth, the teenager (Zara Devlin) goes to the grotto of her local church. Frightened and alone, Creagh’s film shines a light on the tragedy of a young woman whose story invoked impassioned calls for change.

*DIRECTOR IN ATTENDANCE

Private investigator Val Barber is hired by a wealthy widow to track down her missing granddaughter in director Fintan Connolly’s Dublin-set drama. His initial investigations unlock key secrets about the disappearance, putting him firmly on the radar of some powerful and shady people. Has he taken on more than he could have ever envisaged? Connolly has assembled an impressive cast including Aidan Gillen, Gary Lydon and Aishling Kearns for the film, told in the film noir style.

WISHINGA HAPPY 21ST BIRTHDAY

INFO: Fri 24 Feb / Light House 1 / 20:25 / 79 mins

DIRECTOR: Andrew Legge

WRITER: Andrew Legge & Angeli Macfarlane

CAST: Emma Appleton, Stefanie Martini, Rory-Fleck Byrne

COUNTRY: Ireland

My Sailor, My Love

INFO: Thurs 2 Mar / Light House 2 / 18:00 / 103 mins with HoH Captioning

DIRECTOR: Klaus Härö

WRITER: Jimmy Karlsson & Kirsti Vikman

CAST: Bríd Brennan, James Cosmo, Catherine Walker

COUNTRY: Ireland

Filmmaker Andrew Legge’s feature debut blends sci-fi and drama and is set as WW2 escalates. Sisters Thom and Mars have built a machine - LOLA - that can intercept radio and TV broadcasts from the future. Giving them a tantalising glimpse into a future world, it allows them to hear music not yet made and witness events yet to unfold. LOLA could even transform the course of the war - but the machine’s powers bring huge potential consequences.

*CAST IN ATTENDANCE

Acclaimed Finnish director Klaus Härö makes his Englishlanguage debut in this drama filmed in and around Achill in the west of Ireland. It focuses on a former sea captain and his daughter, who must revisit their difficult family dynamic when he embarks on an unexpected new romance with a local widow. Haro’s knack for finding grace and empathy in his storytelling is aided by a top-notch cast that includes James Cosmo and Bríd Brennan.

*DIRECTOR + CAST IN ATTENDANCE

Sunlight

INFO: Sat 25 Feb / Light House 1 / 20:15 / 91 mins

DIRECTOR: Claire Dix

WRITER: Ailbhe Keogan

CAST: Barry Ward, Liam Carney, Maureen Beattie

COUNTRY: Ireland

Filmmaker Claire Dix (Broken Song) makes her narrative debut with a compassionate drama about a very special connection. When Leon, a recovering addict, discovers the terminally-ill sponsor he adores is planning to self-euthanise, he feels a sense of betrayal. He begs Ivor - the man he sees as a hero - to first watch the tribute show he’s been preparing in his honour. Sunlight was supported by Screen Ireland as part of its POV scheme for female writers.

*DIRECTOR + CAST IN ATTENDANCE

The Black Guelph

INFO: Wed 1 Mar / Light House 1 / 20:30 / 125 mins

DIRECTOR: John Connors

WRITER: John Connors & Tiernan Williams

CAST: John Connors, Barry-John Kinsella, Denise McCormack

COUNTRY: Ireland

Actor and director John Connors’ drama feature tells the story of Kanto, a small-time drug dealer who’s trying to get off the streets. When his long-absent father, Cormac - the survivor of an industrial school - returns to his son seeking reconciliation, both men must confront some tough truths. Connors’ debut drama feature is a crime thriller with an edge - one which examines the after effects of trauma and abuse as well as its repercussions.

*DIRECTOR + CAST IN ATTENDANCE

NCAD EXHIBITION: ALTERNATE TAKE

Festival films as interpreted by second year NCAD Graphic Design and Illustration students

INFO: Lighthouse Cinema

DATE: 23 Feb - 04 Mar

Butcher's Crossing poster: Designed by Simon Rischar

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EDI

EQUALITY, DIVERSITY & INCLUSION PANEL

INFO: Tues 28 Feb / Instituto Cervantes / 13:00

TICKETS: See www.diff.ie/infocus for more details

As part of the ongoing discussion on diversity and inclusion, the Dublin International Film Festival is delighted to partner with British Council, Ireland, to present a panel that will shed light on making inclusive programming choices, improving practices around EDI in the creative arts industry, as well as to broaden the lens and reduce barriers to access cinema.

PANELLISTS INCLUDE: Rico Johnson-Sinclair, Ruth McCarthy, Amanda Coogan, Nic Pillai, Dr.Bashir Otukoya, Zbyszek Zalinski

Mincéir

THE CONVERSATION CONTINUES...

INFO: Fri 3 Mar / The Generator, Smithfield / 17:00

Following the screening of Mincéir, we are presenting a panel featuring discussion on the struggles that members of the Travelling community often face in terms of social inclusion in the wider Irish Society.

Featuring a series of speakers with experience in all aspects of Traveller culture, the panellists will draw on both their own experiences, and the themes featured within the film, to draw attention to the challenges and discrimination regularly faced by Travellers, with the hope of generating a greater understanding and inclusion of the Travelling community in Irish society.

GUESTS INCLUDE: Oein DeBhairdúin, Eileen Flynn, Martin Mahon, Catherine Joyce.

Older People on Screen Panel

INFO: Mon 27 Feb / The Generator, Smithfield / 17:15

Following our panel last year – we are delighted to revisit our Older People on Screen Panel, in which we invited filmmakers and audiences to discuss ageing on screen and the importance of representation. This year we have invited participants from both our Screen 8 and Older Critics programmes to discuss the importance of representation and the benefits of programmes that engage with and include more mature people in film across the board.

Careers in Screen 2023

INFO: Wed 1 Mar / IFI

For its sixth consecutive year, DIFF will collaborate with IFI Careers in Screen Day, an inspiring and innovative event for young people interested in the Irish screen industry. Aimed at students aged 15-18, this year's Careers in Screen will comprise a varied programme of events, with guests drawn from a diverse range of film and television disciplines and departments.

Careers in Screen is presented by the Irish Film Institute and Dublin International Film Festival, with the kind support of Screen Ireland and BAI.

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DIFF On Tour

In association with access>CINEMA, we are elated to announce seven additional screenings of The Ordinaries, directed by Sophie Linnenbaum, in venues outside of Dublin from 26 Feb to 03 Mar, during the festival.

• PavilionTheatre,DunLaoghaire

• GarterLaneArtsCentre,Waterford

• SligoFilmSociety@TheModel,Sligo

• RiverbankArtsCentre,Newbridge

• SolsticeArtsCentre,Navan

• DroicheadArtsCentre,Drogheda

• ClubScannánSailearna,Inverin,Co.Galway

INFO: Please visit venue websites to book tickets

Film Culture and Film Criticism

DO FILM CRITICS HAVE THE BEST JOB IN THE WORLD? FILM CRITICISM PANEL

INFO: Tuesday 28 February / The Generator, Smithfield / 17:00

Film distributors eagerly quote professional critics when marketing their slate, yet poor reviews don’t seem to hamper the commercial success of Studio films. It can be argued that, whilst reviewers have no effect on blockbusters, their opinions are crucial to the success or failure of films outside the mainstream. In the age of social media, do we still need film critics and what do they bring to our selection of what to watch on a Saturday night?

Join Fionnuala Halligan – Chief Film Critic of Screen International and some special guests as we debate the future of film criticism.

Film Criticism

We are delighted to work with two groups – Young Critics and Older Critics – who will bring their critical eye to the 2023 Festival programme this year.

A select group of up-and-coming film writers and podcasters aged 18-25 will have the opportunity to view and produce content around films in the 2023 festival programme.

The Young Critics group include: Amy McFarland, Jamie Waddell, Kieran Brennan, Jack Griffin, Khushi Jain, Eleanor Moseley, Pia Roycroft, David Smith, Adelaide Kane, Leone Wright, Adam Van Eekeren.

The Older Critics group include: Maria McCormack, Ray Sherlock, Kristina McElroy, Lorna Cady, Ann Kilemade, Norma Bodie, Peter Bodie, Peter Clarke, Neville Wiltshire, Carmel Rooney Bernadette Shannon.

JANE SEYMOUR IN CONVERSATION WITH RICK O’SHEA

Each year we invite filmmakers to participate in public interviews and discuss their careers and inspirations, previous guests include Stanley Tucci, Mike Leigh, Liam Neeson, Julie Andrews and the late Angela Lansbury.

We are delighted to welcome acclaimed actor and producer Jane Seymour to the festival and to talk about her illustrious career with RTE broadcaster; Rick O’Shea.

A multiple Emmy and Golden Globe winner, recipient of the Officer of the British Empire (OBE) in the year 2000, which was bestowed upon her by Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace, Jane Seymour has proven her talents in virtually all media, the Broadway stage, motion pictures and television. Currently, Seymour stars in Harry Wild for Acorn TV as a college professor who cannot quite manage to stay quietly retired to the dismay of her police inspector son. The series, which is filmed on location in Dublin, Ireland, debuted to rave reviews in the Spring of 2022. Seymour recently appeared alongside Michael Douglas and Alan Arkin in The Kominsky Method for Netflix and on film starred opposite Robert De Niro in the family comedy The War with Grandpa and with Malin Akerman in Friendsgiving. Additional past films include the James Bond movie Live and Let Die, the cult classic Somewhere in Time, and the comedy smash Wedding Crashers, and Ruby’s Choice, a poignant tale that follows three generations of strong Australian women who struggle to deal with the effects of Ruby’s illness as it threatens to push them apart. Additional television credits include the Emmy Award winning performance in Onassis: The Richest Man in the World as Maria Callas, East of Eden for which she was awarded a Golden Globe, the mini-series War and Remembrance and her iconic Golden Globe winning role as “Dr. Quinn” on Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman. Through her production company, she served as the executive producer of the documentary Glen Campbell…I’ll Be Me, which tells of his touching farewell tour while dealing with the effects of Alzheimer’s disease. In addition to her work in film and television, Seymour has written over a dozen books including The Road Ahead, The Wave, Open Hearts Family, Among Angels, Open Hearts, Making Yourself at Home, and Remarkable Changes. An accomplished fine artist, her art serves as inspiration for Open Hearts by Jane Seymour, her signature line of jewellery which reflects her mother’s philosophy that only when you keep your heart open can you best give and receive love.

INFO: Sat 4 Mar / Dublin Castle / 14:00

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International Festival Programmers

INFO: Sat 25 Feb / Instituto Cervantes / 10:30

Get connected and get informed. Whether you have a new film or a new project in the works get ahead of the curve and get your festival strategy off to a flying start by meeting the best festival programmers in the world.

• Rachel Rosen; New York Film Festival

• Sharon Badal; Tribeca Film Festival

• Christoph Terhechte; Doc Leipzig

• Jaie LaPlante; Doc NYC

• Ania Trzebiatowska; Sundance Film Festival

The panel will discuss their festival and programming policies, deadlines and submissions criteria – vital information for anyone preparing their own international festival strategy. Chaired by Ciaran Walsh (Culture Ireland)

‘Maximising your Festival Presence’

INFO: Wed 1 Mar / The Generator, Smithfield / 17:15

with Fionnuala Halligan, Screen International & Jonathan Rutter, Premier PR: a focused discussion to ensure that all filmmakers use their DIFF launch to the maximum to successfully maximise your festival premiere and to sustain your festival run.

International Sales Agents event

Following our hugely successful Sales Agents event in 2019, we have invited a select group of sales agents to join us to meet with Irish filmmakers in 2023. With a keynote address by acclaimed sales agent Calum Gray who will outline current trends in sales and acquisition. We are delighted that guests include Stephen Kelliher; Bankside Films, Marcin Luczaj; New Europe Film Sales, Matthias Ziegler; Global Screen, Immy Sutton; Autlook Films and Charades.

For more details, please email industry@diff.ie

The Ordinaries

INFO: Sun 26 Feb / Light House 2 / 18:30 / 120 mins

DIRECTOR: Sophie Linnenbaum

WRITER: Michel Fetter Nathansky

CAST: Pasquale Aleardi, Christian Steyer, Noah Tinwa

COUNTRY: Germany

Have you ever felt like a supporting character in your own life?

Sophie Linnenbaum’s daring and original film imagines what it would be like if you really were one. It tells of Paula - a supporting character in a movie - who dreams of having her own storyline by attending Main Character School and becoming a lead. A clever satire about identity and exclusion, The Ordinaries sees a woman battling these themes playfully in a filmic meta world.

*DIRECTOR IN ATTENDANCE

Foudre

INFO: Tue 28 Feb / Light House 1 / 13:15 / 92 mins

DIRECTOR: Carmen Jaquier

WRITER: Carmen Jaquier

CAST: Lillith Grasmug, Lou Iff, Diana Gervalla

COUNTRY: Switzerland

Proudly supported by

Swiss director Carmen Jaquier’s drama is a powerful account of female emancipation in the early 1900s. When novice nun Elisabeth (17), returns home to her rural Swiss village following the unexpected death of her sister, family require her help on the farm. There, Elisabeth discovers a world she thought she had lost as she experiences an awakening. On finding her sister’s diary - which raises her suspicions about her death - she decides to assert herself in her conservative village.

*DIRECTOR + CAST IN ATTENDANCE

SHAKESPEARE IN CASABLANCA

INFO: Thurs 2 Mar / Light House 2 / 16:00 / 60 mins

DIRECTOR: Sonia Terrab + Q&A

COUNTRY: Morocco, France

Writer and human rights activist Sonia Terrab’s documentary embraces an adaptation of one of Shakespeare’s most-beloved plays. In the Moroccan city of Casablanca, she follows a group of young people as they set out to stage Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. It is no easy task as the text must first be translated into Moroccan Arabic.

The group brings Shakespeare to the people, as the exotic, romantic streets of Casablanca become their stage. In doing so, they ask the people of the city who they would feel about the classic story of star-crossed lovers. What emerges is a charming and gently funny tale about the universality of storytelling.

*DIRECTOR IN ATTENDANCE

*A RECORDED INTERVIEW OF LEILA SLIMANI WITH THE DIRECTOR WILL BE PLAYED AFTER THE SCREENING

Presented in partnership with

Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman

INFO: Thurs 2 Mar / Light House 2 / 20:30 / 100 mins

DIRECTOR: Pierre Földes

WRITER: Pierre Földes

CAST: Michael Czyz, Zag Dorison, Jesse Noah Gruman

COUNTRY: France, Canada, Luxemburg, Holland

Adapted from the beloved short story collections by Haruki Murakami, Pierre Foldes turns to animation for his directorial debut. Set in Tokyo shortly after the 2011 earthquake, a lost cat, a giant toad and an unambitious salesman are among the characters who band together to try and save the city. What emerges is a surreal, powerful and truly original movie, described by Screen International as: “Storytelling which balances moments of flighty whimsy against deeper existential questions”.

*DIRECTOR

IN ATTENDANCE

Bread and Salt

INFO: Fri 3 Mar / Light House 1 / 13:30 / 100 mins

DIRECTOR: Damian Kocur

WRITER: Damien Kocur

CAST: Tymoteus Bies, Jacek Bies, Nicola Raczko

COUNTRY: Poland

Damian Kocur’s tense and gripping drama centres on Tymek, a gifted young pianist studying at the prestigious Warsaw Academy of Music. Returning to his small hometown for the holidays, he notices a growing tension between his peers and the Arab workers who have set up a kebab shop in the town. The fact that the film is inspired by true events and features a non-professional cast serves to add to its sense of urgency and authenticity.

Cairo Conspiracy

INFO: Mon 27 Feb / Light House 1 / 20:30 / 126 mins

DIRECTOR: Tarik Saleh

WRITER: Tarik Saleh

CAST: Tawfeek Barhom, Fares Fares, Mohammad Bakri

COUNTRY: Sweden, Finland, Denmark

Swedish director Tarik Saleh returns to his Egyptian roots with a multi-layered, edgy thriller examining class and elitism. It centres on a fisherman’s son who’s offered a place at the esteemed Al-Azhar University in Cairo - the main seat of power of Sunni Islam. It screened in competition for the Palme d’Or and won best screenplay at Cannes. Saleh’s last film, The Nile Hilton Incident, was banned in Egypt for its presentation of the country’s police.

Chevalier

INFO: Fri 3 Mar / Light House 1 / 18:00 / 107 mins

DIRECTOR: Stephen Williams

WRITER: Stefani Robinson

CAST: Kalvin Harrison Jr, Samara Weaving, Lucy Boynton, Minnie Driver

COUNTRY: Ireland

The son of an African slave and a French plantation owner, Chevalier tells the remarkable story of Joseph Bologne. He was a musical prodigy who rose from poverty to the highest echelons of French society - but an ill-fated love affair and subsequent falling out with Marie Antionette posed a threat to his status. From its high-octane opening violin battle, director Stephen Williams’ lavish, handsome film gives Bologne a sense of rock-and-roll swagger.

Close

INFO: Sat 25 Feb / Light House 1 / 18:10 / 105 mins with HoH Captioning

DIRECTOR: Lukas Dhont

WRITER: Lukas Dhont, Angelo Tijssens

CAST: Eden Dambrine, Gustav De Waele, Émilie Dequenne

COUNTRY: Belgium

ProudlysupportedbytheBelgianEmbassy

The Eight Mountains

INFO: Sat 4 Mar / Light House 2 / 13:00 / 147 mins

DIRECTOR: Felix van Groeningen & Charlotte

Vandermeersch

WRITER: Paolo Cognetti, Charlotte

Vandermeersch, Felix van Groeningen

CAST: AlessandroBorghi,LucaMarinelli,FilippoTimi

COUNTRY: Belgium

ProudlysupportedbytheBelgianEmbassy

A remarkable bond between teenage best friends Léo and Rémi is dramatically threatened in Lukas Dhont’s elegant and deeply moving drama. When their close relationship comes under the scrutiny of their peers, one of the boys moves to distance himself. What follows is a remarkable portrait of growing up, friendship and identity, told with grace and a simplicity of storytelling. Close comes to DIFF following widespread critical acclaim at Cannes, where it won the Grand Prix.

Friendship, childhood and the ties of tradition are explored in this screen adaptation of the acclaimed bestselling novel from Belgian filmmakers Felix van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch. It tells the story of a friendship from boyhood to adulthood as two young boys meet for the first time in the Alps during a memorable family vacation. Their friendship is deep and instantaneous - but when they reunite years later, will it survive the test of time and distance?

Medusa Deluxe

INFO: Tue 28 Feb / Light House 2 / 18:30 / 101 mins with HoH Captioning

DIRECTOR: Thomas Hardiman

WRITER: Thomas Hardiman

CAST: Clare Perkins, Kae Alexander, Harriet Webb, Lilit Lesser

COUNTRY: United Kingdom

Victim

INFO: Mon 27 Feb / Light House 1 / 15:30 / 91 mins

DIRECTOR: Michal Blaško

WRITER: Michal Blaško

CAST: Gleb Kuchuk, Igor Chmela, Viktor Zavadil

COUNTRY: Czech Republic

First-time feature director Thomas Hardiman takes a competitive hairdressing competition and turns it into a fun and extravagant murder mystery when one of the stylists dies in violent circumstances. Hardiman, a Screen Star of Tomorrow winner in 2021, has gathered a host of diverse characters – each one devoted to hairstyling. But which of them believes a good haircut is worth committing murder for? Irish cinematographer Robbie Ryan (The Favourite) vividly brings the film to life.

*DIRECTOR IN ATTENDANCE

Slovak director Michal Blaško’s towering debut examines morality and prejudice when a Roma family is wrongfully accused of a violent act in the Czech Republic. When attackers badly beat Igor, he is encouraged by the police to say his assailants are not white, allowing the authorities to pick on the boy’s Roma neighbours. Igor’s mother, a Ukrainian immigrant, finds herself hugely conflicted when she learns the truth about the boy’s injuries in this powerful social drama.

Mother and Son

INFO: Mon 27 Feb / Light House 2 / 20:30 / 116 mins

DIRECTOR: Léonor Seraille

WRITER: Léonor Seraille

CAST: Stephanie Bak, Laetitia Dosch, Thibaut Evrard

COUNTRY: France

Léonor Seraille’s tender and intimate drama centres on Rose, who leaves her home on Côte d’Ivoire to begin a new life in Paris with her two boys. It’s the 1980s, and the family moves into a small apartment with relatives. Despite difficult conditions and a demanding job, Rose is determined to be positive and give her sons the best life Paris can afford them. It’s a dream told over decades in Serraille’s big-hearted and beautifully acted film.

On the Fringe

INFO: Sat 25 Feb / Light House 2 / 20:30 / 104 mins

DIRECTOR: Juan Diego Botto

WRITER: Olga Rodriguez & Juan Diego Botto

CAST: Penelope Cruz, Luis Tosar, Adelfa Calvo

COUNTRY: Spain

Universally relatable, On the Fringe looks at the homeless crisis in Spain through the eyes of Rafe (Luis Tosar), an eviction lawyer undertaking the arduous task of dealing with unsympathetic landlords. What emerges is a tense social thriller reminiscent of the work of Ken Loach or the Dardenne Brothers, as it follows three personal stories of people in immediate crisis. This is actor Juan Diego Botto’s directorial feature debut - Spain’s finest, Penélope Cruz, produces and stars.

Suitable for 15 years or over.

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One Fine Morning

INFO: Thurs 2 Mar / Light House 1 / 18:00 / 113 mins with HoH Captioning

DIRECTOR: Mia Hansen-Løve

WRITER: Mia Hansen-Løve

CAST: Léa Seydoux, Pascal Greggory, Melvil Poupaud

COUNTRY: France

Filmmaker Mia Hansen-Løve follows her acclaimed Bergman Island with this powerful, affecting drama starring Léa Seydoux. She plays a young mother who fights to get her ill father the care he needs. A distraction comes in the form of Clément, an old friend with whom she embarks on a passionate affair despite the fact he’s already in a relationship. The film won the Europa Cinemas Label Award for Best European Film at Cannes Film Festival.

Paris Memories

INFO: Fri 24 Feb / Light House 1 / 18:00 / 103 mins

DIRECTOR: Alice Winocour

WRITER: Jean-Stéphane Bron, Marcia Romano, Alice Winocour

CAST: Virginie Efira, Benoit Magimel, Maya Sansa

COUNTRY: France

Following her mesmerising performance in Benedetta, Virginie Efira once again delivers in Alice Winocour’s powerful tale. She plays Mia, a young woman caught up in a shocking terrorist attack in a Parisian bistro. Still traumatised months later by her fragmented memories of that fateful night, Mia confronts her fears in her bid to find a healing process. Festival buzz has been strong for the drama described by Little White Lies as: “a poignant mediation on personal trauma”.

Prison 77

INFO: Sat 4 Mar / Light House 1 / 11:00 / 125 mins

DIRECTOR: Alberto Rodriguez

WRITER: Rafael Cobos

CAST: Miguel Herrán and Javier Gutiérrez

COUNTRY: Spain

Based on the story of a real-life, audacious jail break attempt, Alberto Rodríguez’s gritty prison thriller is set in a notorious institution in 1970s Barcelona. There, a young accountant facing embezzlement charges turns to an organisation fighting for the rights of prisoners. As the country at large takes steps towards democracy following the death of Franco, so too does the prisoners’ fight for better conditions - with much at stake during a time of unprecedented change.

R.M.N

INFO: Wed 1 Mar / Light House 2 / 20:30 / 125 mins

DIRECTOR: Cristian Mungiu

WRITER: Cristian Mungiu

CAST: Marin Grigore, Judith State, Macrina Bârladeanu

COUNTRY: Romania

Cristian Mungiu’s compelling drama comes to DIFF on foot of a widely lauded festival run. It focuses on Matthias, a man forced to abandon his job in Germany following a confrontation with a colleague. Back home in his multi-ethnic Transylvanian village and out of work, he seeks to reconnect with his son and ex-lover and rebuild his life. But he must do so in a place of growing and urgent cultural and political divisions.

Sick of Myself

INFO: Wed 1 Mar / Light House 2 / 18:15 / 97 mins

DIRECTOR: Kristoffer Borgli

WRITER: Kristoffer Borgli

CAST: Kristine Kujath Thorp, Eirik Sæther, Fanny Vaager

COUNTRY: Norway

Comedy meets horror in this Norwegian film which focuses on the very complex relationship between toxic couple Thomas and Signe. He’s a self-obsessed artist with little regard for his partner, so she takes extreme action to gain attentionshe intentionally makes herself ill. Signe takes unprescribed medication and fakes anaphylaxis to get Thomas’s sympathy, but just how far is she willing to go? Director Kristoffer Borgli channels Lars von Trier in this lively pitch-black comedy.

Sisu

INFO: Sat 25 Feb / Light House 1 / 22:30 / 91 mins with HoH Captioning

DIRECTOR: Jalmari Helander

WRITER: Jalmari Helander

CAST: Jorma Tommila, Aksel Hennie, Jack Doolan

COUNTRY: Finland

This gritty action movie is set towards the end of World War II, as a miner strikes it lucky when he uncovers a gold treasure in Lapland in Northern Finland. Taking his bounty, his luck looks to run out when he encounters a violent group of SS soldiers determined to take his gold. They don’t expect the miner to have sisu, the essence of Finnish courage and perseverance, as he bids to make his escape through enemy lines.

Smoking Causes Coughing

INFO: Sun 26 Feb / Light House 2 / 21:00 / 80 mins

DIRECTOR: Quentin Dupieux

WRITER: Quentin Dupieux

CAST: Gilles Lellouche, Vincent Lacoste, Anaïs Demoustier

COUNTRY: France

Tata

INFO: Sun 26 Mar / Light House 1 /

15:30 / 110 mins

DIRECTOR: Anna Maliszewska

WRITER: Anna Maliszewska

CAST: Polina Gromova

COUNTRY: Poland & Ukraine

Quentin Dupieux’s wildly inventive comedy features a starry cast and a bizarre premise - centring on the adventures of a group of superheroes known as The Tobacco Force. Named Nicotine, Benzene, Mercury, Ammonia and Methanol, they unite to tackle their enemies, including a giant turtle, but are sent to camp to brush up on their skills.

They may not be the Avengers, but if you’re looking for surreal and absurdist French cinema, you’ve come to the right place.

is a single parent - but when his childminder neighbour dies suddenly, he has no choice but to take his young daughter and her best friend to the highways of Poland and Ukraine with him. In doing so, he opens them up to a rapidly changing world - as he contemplates his own life priorities.

Acclaimed filmmaker Anna Maliszewska’s latest movie is a road-trip drama which centres on a long-distance driver facing major life changes. Michal

The Beasts

INFO: Tue 28 Feb / Light House 1 / 17:50 / 137 mins

DIRECTOR: Rodrigo Sorogoyen

WRITER: Isabel Peña, Rodrigo Sorogoyen

CAST: Marina Foïs, Denis Ménochet, Luis Zahera

COUNTRY: France & Spain

The Damned Don’t Cry

INFO: Fri 3 Mar / Light House 1 / 15:30 / 110 mins

DIRECTOR: Fyzal Boulifa

WRITER: Fyzal Boulifa

CAST: Abdellah El Hajjouji, Antoine Reinartz, Aicha Tebbae

COUNTRY: France, Belgium, Morocco

A French couple seek a simpler way of life in this mystery thriller from filmmaker Rodrigo Sorogoyen (Madre). Olga and Antoine have long settled in a picturesque village in Galicia - but their relationship with some locals is not as peaceful as they’d hoped for. When a dispute with neighbouring brothers escalates, there are terrible consequences in a film described by Screen International as: “A terrific psychological thriller and a brooding, muscular piece of filmmaking”.

British-Moroccan Fyzal Boulifa follows up his powerful exploration of female friendship, Lynn + Lucy (which was screened DIFF in 2020), by examining the dynamic between a poor single mother and her teenage son. Their already volatile relationship is pushed to breaking point as the boy learns his mother is harbouring dark secrets and will do anything to keep him safe from life’s hardships. Set in Morocco, the cast’s mix of non-professional and first-time actors amplifies its sense of potent realism.

The Five Devils

INFO: Sat 4 Mar / Light House 2 / 16:00 / 103 mins

DIRECTOR: Léa Mysius

WRITER: Paul Guilhaume, Léa Mysius

CAST: Adèle Exarchopoulos, Swala Emati, Sally Dramé

COUNTRY: France

Award-winning French actress Adèle Exarchopoulos stars in this fantasy-drama born out of Léa Mysius’ long-held fascination with smell. It centres on Vicky, a strange girl with the ability to reproduce any scent she likes, who has secretly captured the scent of the mother she adores. But when another family member comes into their lives, their scent brings her to dark and secretive places in a genre-bender about love, family and sense of place.

The Girl from Tomorrow

INFO: Sun 26 Feb / Light House 2 / 16:00 / 96 mins

DIRECTOR: Marta Savina

WRITER: Marta Savina

CAST: Gaetano Aronica, Dario Aita, Francesco Colella

COUNTRY: Italy

A woman violently forced into a marriage makes a courageous bid for justice in Marta Savina’s first feature. Based on an extraordinary true story, the filmmaker brings us to 1960s Sicily, where a young woman, Lia, is initially beguiled by the charms of Lorenzo. Troubled by his possessiveness and possible links to organised crime, she attempts to end the relationship only to face shocking consequences. But Lia and her family are determined to fight back.

Suitable for 15 years or over.

The Pool

INFO: Fri 24 Feb / Light House 2 / 18:15 / 103 mins

DIRECTOR: Doris Dörrie

WRITER: Doris Dörrie, Madeleine Fricke, Karin Kaci

CAST: Sabrina Amali, Ilknur Boyruz, Nilam Farooq

COUNTRY: Germany

With over thirty features and documentaries under her belt, Doris Dörrie is one of Germany’s most-prolific filmmakers. Here, she dives into culture wars as a female-only swimming pool faces a shakeup. Previously a destination for gossip hounds, the regulars are not sure how to deal with new arrivals - a group of burkini-clad and veiled women. What follows is a biting comedy that questions stereotypes and ponders a fascinating topic: what makes a female body?

*DIRECTOR IN ATTENDANCE

La Syndicaliste

INFO: Thurs 2 Mar / Light House 1 / 15:40 / 121 mins

DIRECTOR: Jean-Paul Salomé

WRITER: Fadette Drouard, Caroline Michel-Aguirre, (based on the book by) Jean-Paul Salomé

CAST: Isabelle Huppert, Alexandra Maria Lara, Marina Foïs

French movie star Isabelle Huppert plays

Maureen Kearney, the head union representative of a French multinational nuclear powerhouse who became a whistleblower, denouncing top-secret deals that shook the French nuclear sector. Alone against the world, she fought government ministers and industry leaders tooth and nail to bring the scandal to light and to defend more than 50,000 jobs. But following a violent assault where she is seen as a victim, Maureen becomes a suspect.

*MAUREEN KEARNEY IN ATTENDANCE

1976

INFO: Wed 1 Mar / Light House 1 / 13:30 / 95 mins

DIRECTOR: Manuella Martelli

WRITER: Manuela Martelli & Alejandra Moffat

CAST: Nicolás Sepúlveda, Hugo Medina

Carmen Gloria Martínez

COUNTRY: Chile

Chilean actor Manuela Martelli turns director for her debut feature. Set during the third year of Augusto Pinochet's dictatorship, the film follows Carmen (Aline Kuppenheim), a privileged housewife whose life is interrupted when she is asked to care for a wounded revolutionary. The corruption, oppression, and misogyny endemic throughout Pinochet's reign become part of Carmen's everyday life in this taut drama. It comes to DIFF having won the First Feature award at the BFI London Film Festival.

Suitable for 15 years or over.

BlackBerry

INFO: Wed 1 Mar / Light House 1 / 18:00 / 91 mins

DIRECTOR: Matt Johnson

WRITER: Matt Johnson

CAST: Jay Baruchel, Glenn Howerton, Cary Elwes

COUNTRY: Canada

It was set to change the world of communications, but BlackBerry's success was dramatically short-lived despite its massive rise in popularity. Director Matt Johnson's drama examines the story behind the Canadian smartphone and the hectic early days of communications tech. The film focuses on the relationship between its co-founders and friends, Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie, who saw their game-changing device lose its shine prematurely due to the appearance of the iOS and Android operating systems.

*DIRECTOR IN ATTENDANCE

Butcher's Crossing

INFO: Sun 26 Feb / Light House 1 / 11:00 / 105 mins

DIRECTOR: Gabe Polsky

WRITER: John Edward Williams & Gabe Polsky

CAST: Nicholas Cage, Rachel Keller, Jeremy Bobb

COUNTRY: USA

Dead for a Dollar

INFO: Wed 1 Mar / Light House 1 / 15:30 / 114 mins

DIRECTOR: Walter Hill

WRITER: Walter Hill

CAST: Rachel Brosnahan, Christoph Walz, Willem Dafoe

COUNTRY: USA

Nicholas Cage - enjoying a remarkable career run - dons a cowboy hat to play Miller, a veteran buffalo hunter in Gabe Polsky’s western. Set in the 1870s and based on John Williams’s 1960 novel, it centres on the dramatic exploits of a group of buffalo hunters. Polsky embraces drama in the American West as he follows Miller and a naïve adventurer (Fred Hechinger) as they set out on an arduous journey to the Colorado Rockies, risking life and sanity.

Top filmmaker Walter Hill turns to the western genre in a star-studded tale of rival cutthroats, retribution and justice. It centres on a confrontation between a conniving bounty hunter (Christoph Waltz) tasked with finding a young woman who has run away with an army deserter, and his longtime rival (Willem Defoe). Aided and abetted by his cast, Dead for a Dollar marks the latest arsenal in the storytelling career of a movie legend.

New Normal

INFO: Sat 25 Feb / Light House 1 / 11:00 / 111 mins

DIRECTOR: Jung Bum-Shik

WRITER: Jung Bum-Shik

CAST: Lee Yoo-Mi, Choi Min-ho, Choi Ji-Woo

COUNTRY: South Korea

Pearl

INFO: Fri 24 Feb / Light House 1 / 22:30 / 102 mins

DIRECTOR: Ti West

WRITER: Ti West, Mia Goth

CAST: Mia Goth, David Corenswet, Tandi Wright, Matthew Sunderland

COUNTRY: USA

Renowned Korean horror filmmaker Jung Bum-shik's latest outing mixes comedy with drama as six characters connect over four days in Seoul. These six characters do not intend to come together, but circumstances set them on a path with disturbing consequences. Told through chapters, the film bases itself on the Korean idea of hon-bab or eating alone, a concept that roughly translates to loneliness. Will coming together end their loneliness, or will it put an end to them full stop?

In 2022, the film X terrified audiences as a group of filmmakers set out to make a porn movie and ended up fighting for their lives. At the centre of it was Mia Goth, who plays an aspiring actor, Maxine, and Pearl, an older lady with a dark secret. Ti West’s prequel takes us back to the early days of the 1900s. Goth reprises her role as Pearl revealing - in blood-spattered detail - where her dark side first emerged.

Plan 75

INFO: Sat 25 Feb / Light House 2 / 16:00 / 112 mins

DIRECTOR: Chie Hayakawa

WRITER: Jason Gray, Chie Hayakawa

CAST: Chieko Baishô, Hayato Isomura, Stefanie Arianne

COUNTRY: Japan

First-time filmmaker Chie Hayakawa suggests a system that would offer euthanasia to the elderly - and then subverts every aspect of its concept - in this drama with sci-fi elements. Set in Japan’s near future, it tells of an elderly woman whose means are dwindling, a ‘Plan 75’ salesman invested in peddling the project, and a young labourer facing life-changing choices. It’s a prescient and damning takedown of the dangers of a cold and unsympathetic society.

The End of Sex

INFO: Sat 4 Mar / Light House 2 / 18:20 / 97 mins

DIRECTOR: Sean Garrity

WRITER: Jonas Chernick

CAST: Jonas Chernick, Emily Hampshire, Gray Powell, Lily Gao, Melinie Scrofano

COUNTRY: Canada

Between piles of laundry and the ever-increasing demands of their children, Josh (Jonas Cernick) and Emma (Emily Hampshire) have lost their matrimonial spark. Seizing an opportunity to revitalise things in the bedroom, the couple sends their kids to school camp for a week. The results are comical rather than steamy as they stumble in their bid to reignite the flame. Both leads previously worked with director Sean Gerrity on My Awkward Sexual Adventure.

*DIRECTOR + WRITER IN ATTENDANCE

OUT OF THE PAST

ACCIDENTAL ANTHROPOLOGIST

In 1925–1926, American naturalist Benjamin T.Gault visited west Kerry and Cork, collecting and filming seabirds and other wildlife specimens. He also captured the people of Cork and Kerry going about their business, farming, church-going and dancing in the streets. On his return home, he filed his footage away and it was never seen. A search, started by Mícheál Ó Mainnín of Ballyferriter who’d heard tales of Gault’s visit from his grandfather, led to the discovery and restoration of nineteen rolls of 35mm nitrate negatives at Chicago’s Academy of Sciences.

The films will be introduced by Kathy Rose O’Regan, Senior Film Restorer at the San Francisco Film Festival.

This restoration is a collaboration between the IFI Irish Film Archive, the San Francisco Silent Film Festival, and the Chicago Academy of Sciences.

Presented with live musical accompaniment from Dingle musicians.

INFO: SAT 25 FEB / IRISH FILM INSTITUTE / 15:30

I first encountered Paul Newman’s beautifully impenetrable, ineffably saintly Luke on late 70s TV when I was 10 or 11. In school we quoted lines and endlessly re-ran the beats of his moments of maximum cool. As a grown up I can appreciate the film’s immaculate craft and its resonance in Vietnamera America, but it’s that majestic, burning central performance that stays with me and which I can’t wait see in all its restored, big screen glory.

-Lenny Abrahamson, Director, Room, Normal People and Board member of Dublin International Film Festival

INFO: Mon 27 Feb / Light House 1 / 17:30 / 126 mins

DIRECTOR: Stuart Rosenberg

SCREENPLAY: Donn Pearce and Frank

BASED ON NOVEL BY: Donn Pearce

CAST: Paul Newman, George Kennedy, Strother Martin

COUNTRY: USA

Cool Hand Luke Arrebato

INFO: Fri 3 Mar / Light House 1 / 22:40 / 105 mins

DIRECTOR: Iván Zulueta

WRITER: Iván Zulueta

CAST: Will More, Carmen Giralt, Cecilia Roth

COUNTRY: Spain

To celebrate the centenary of Warner Bros, Oscar nominated director and DIFF Board member Lenny Abrahamson has chosen Cool Hand Luke from the Warner Bros library. With this great American classic, Paul Newman sealed his superstar status and George Kennedy won an Oscar for Stuart Rosenber's tale of a man sentenced to two years in a Florida prison farm - and promptly refuses to conform despite the remarkable pressures placed upon him. Screening to be followed by a conversation with Lenny Abrahamson

Ivan Zulueta’s edgy 1979 Spanish arthouse horror is regarded as a cult classic, with the great Pedro Almodóvar among its biggest fans. Recently remastered, it follows a frustrated film director whose addiction to heroin and complicated relationship with his girlfriend is enough to give anyone the shivers. The story takes a supernatural turn when an old video recording reveals a spectral figure visiting the filmmaker during his sleep resulting in a strange arrebato, or rapture.

FIRST FRAME

IN ASSOCIATION WITH WARNER BROS. STUDIO’S 100TH ANNIVERSARY

Millennium Theatre, Limerick: Feb 22

Lighthouse Cinema, Dublin: Feb 23

The Dublin International Film Festival is glad to bring back the First Frame Film Student Day, an initiative we first launched in 2020. As part of the competition, DIFF will showcase two programmes of Short films submitted by students as well as presenting an online and in-person film workshop – *last year it was editor Joi McMillion and filmmaker Adam McKay.

Now in its 4th Year, 'First Frame' brings together students from film courses, universities and further education institutions from around Ireland to come together to view a curated selection of student films, to participate in workshops and panels with film talent both emerging and established and an opportunity for course leaders and students alike to network with their peers as part of an international film event.

The aim of First Frame is to encourage film students from around the country to engage with DIFF, but also begin to build their own networks outside of their academic courses. Bringing together the wide range of the institutes of further education and courses from outside Dublin also brings a diverse mix of students to the event, we are also delighted that the project is beginning to develop an international profile.

Film. Photo. Audio

dcu.ie/madp

Fields of Darkness

INFO: Tue 28 Feb / Irish Film Institute / 18:00 / 70 mins

DIRECTOR: Michael John Whelan

WRITER: Michael John Whelan

COUNTRY: Ireland

Centred around the community and landscape of the darkest inhabited place in Ireland, 'Fields of Darkness' explores diverse physical and metaphorical perspectives on darkness, weaving together stories from archaeology, spirituality, astronomy, music, and blindness. An imaginative tapestry of human and non-human experiences unfold across millions of years, from the first life stepping on land to the environmental effects of light pollution.

*FILMMAKER IN ATTENDANCE

I Must Away

INFO: Fri 3 Mar / Light House 2 / 20:30 / 75 mins

DIRECTOR: Dennis Harvey

WRITER: Dennis Harvey

CAST: Tobias Janson

COUNTRY: Ireland, Sweden, Chile

Writer-director Dennis Harvey left Ireland at the height of the global financial crisis in search of a better way of life. The filmmaker is one of four migrants featured in this documentary seeking to rebuild their lives abroad. From Ireland to Spain, Chile, Sweden, France and Bangladesh, the film explores human roots, land and identity in the age of migration. The filmmaker narrates through a series of moving and personal letters to his grandmother.

*FILMMAKER IN ATTENDANCE

Mincéir

INFO: Fri 3 Mar / Light House 2 / 16:00 / 35 mins

DIRECTOR: Teresa Lavina

FEATURING: Nora Corcoran, Michael Collins, Martin Mahon, Catherine Joyce, Joe Casey, Theresa Mahon, Tina Mongan, Annie McDonagh

COUNTRY: Ireland

The cultures, traditions and evolving way of living for the traveller community is brought to screen in Teresa Lavina’s insightful and absorbing documentary. It portrays how traveller culture has progressed through past and present traditions via its storytellers, craftspeople and singers. Featuring many contributors from the traveller community - including those who have campaigned for a better means of living - it’s a revealing and colourful account of traveller life, told through the eyes, hearts and stories of travellers themselves.

*FILMMAKER IN ATTENDANCE

Notes from Sheepland

INFO: Mon 27 Feb / Irish Film Institute /

Notes from Sheepland bursts with candid observations of the lipstick-wearing, always swearing, no-nonsense artist and shepherd, Orla Barry. Through her fields, her digital diaries, and the pedigree sheep she cares for, we discover how the art is in the doing. Barry previously published her book, Shaved

Pray for our Sinners

INFO: Fri 3 Mar / Light House 1 / 20:30 / 81 mins

DIRECTOR: Sinead O’Shea

WRITER: Sinead O’Shea

COUNTRY: Ireland

Award-winning filmmaker and journalist Sinéad O’Shea trains her lens towards the everyday citizens pushing back against powerful establishments. In doing so, they confront the Catholic Church’s history of brutality against women and children, from corporal punishment to state-sanctioned mother and baby homes. In a deeply moving and personal film, O’Shea returns to her home town of Navan to chronicle the courage and stories of those who stood up to authority.

*FILMMAKERS IN ATTENDANCE

Peter O’Toole: Along the Sky Road to Aqaba

INFO: Sat 25 Feb / Light House 1 / 15:30 / 90 mins

DIRECTOR: Jim Sheridan

WRITER: Brian O’Flaherty

CAST: Anthony Hopkins, Jane Merrow, Peter O’Toole

COUNTRY: Ireland

With HoH Captioning

His pure acting talent and colourful nature made him one of cinema’s most-iconic and memorable stars. Yet Peter O’Toole first began working in theatre in what grew to be an illustrious and lengthy stage career. Jim Sheridan’s documentary reflects on the theatrical legacy of the man who brought a touch of danger to his work. Appropriately structured over four acts, Sheridan’s film features vast archive footage and interviews with those who knew him best.

*FILMMAKERS IN ATTENDANCE

Stolen

INFO: Thurs 2 Mar / Light House 1 / 20:30 / 102 mins

DIRECTOR: Margo Harkin

WRITER: Margo Harkin

COUNTRY: Ireland

Trailblazing filmmaker Margo Harkin (Hush-a-Bye-Baby) returns to the screen with a powerful account of the one of the greatest scandals in the history of the state. Stolen provides an insight into the Irish mother and baby homes scandal that reverberated around the world and revealed the terrible injustices that had been imposed on families. Harkin’s film examines the circumstances of the scandal and the revelations that went on to spark a government inquiry.

*FILMMAKERS IN ATTENDANCE

The Future Tense

INFO: Wed 1 Mar / Irish Film Institute / 18:00 / 90 mins

DIRECTOR: Joe Lawlor & Christine Molloy

WRITER: Joe Lawlor & Christine Molloy

COUNTRY: Ireland

Christine Molloy and Joe Lawlor follow their smart and timely thriller Rose Plays Julie with this documentary about Ireland and England’s complicated relationship. It’s centred around the flight time between Stansted and Dublin Airport - a journey the filmmakers know well - as they consider moving back to Ireland. They explore their own immigration story with wit and intelligence as they ruminate on whether to stay or go, contemplating writer Rebecca Solnit’s line: “In different places, different thoughts emerge”.

*FILMMAKERS IN ATTENDANCE

Kanaval: A People's History of Haiti in Six Chapters

INFO: Fri 24 Feb / Light House 2 / 16:30 / 76 mins

DIRECTOR: Leah Gordon, Eddie Hutton-Mills

WRITER: Leah Gordon, Eddie Hutton-Mills

COUNTRY: Haiti

"Every year the Haitian seaside town of Jacmel embraces its carnival spirit. But this is no ordinary party of floats and fireworks. Instead, locals dress in outfits that reflect their own often-troubled history and culture. This documentary captures - and echoes the spirit and colour of - Haiti’s carnival celebrations, unlike any Mardi Gras you’ve ever witnessed.

It’s a remarkable testament to the country’s turbulent past - and its people’s courage and dissent in the face of suppression. "

*DIRECTOR IN ATTENDANCE

Day After...

INFO: Mon 27 Feb / Light House 2 / 15:50 / 115 mins

DIRECTOR: Kahmar Ahmad Simon

WRITER: Kahmar Ahmad Simon

COUNTRY: Bangladesh

Hamlet Syndrome

INFO: Tue 28 Feb / Light House 2 / 18:10 / 85 mins

DIRECTOR: Elwira Niewiera & Piotr Rosolowski

WRITER: Elwira Niewiera & Piotr Rosolowski

CAST: Oksana Cherkashyna

COUNTRY: Poland & Germany

What if a river could tell stories? That’s the question at the heart of Kamar Ahmad Simon’s seductive and immersive film. The second part of his “water trilogy” (after Are You Listening!) is set in central Bangladesh, where a century-old paddle steamer transports people from all walks of life along their daily lives. Through the stories, conservations and hopes of its passengers, the film serves as both a fascinating travelogue and a funny and moving account of social life.

Before the Russian invasion of Ukraine in early 2022, the country faced conflict in the Donbas region. Ukrainian theatre maker Roza Sarkisian set out to mount a production of Hamlet with five young actors who all bear scars of trauma due to their experience in Donbas. Directors Elwira Niewiera and Piotr Rosolowski capture their rehearsal process - and the extraordinary healing powers of performance - amid rumours that a full-scale invasion is imminent.

*DIRECTORS IN ATTENDANCE

Calf

DIRECTOR: Jamie O’Rourke

WRITER: Jamie O’Rourke

PRODUCERS: Ronan Cassidy & Greg Burrowes

With the looming arrival of the birth of a calf on the horizon, a sinister farm accident leaves Cáit with a terrible decision to make.

Suitable for 15 years or over

INFO: Sat 25 Feb / Light House 2 / 18:30

Unhinged

DIRECTOR: Zoë Brennan-Whitmore

WRITER: Mary Kirwan

PRODUCERS: Fiona Dwyer

Following a recent sighting of her crush on a dating app, an overthinking, fat millennial searches for reassurance that her feelings are reciprocated. With the help and hindrance of the “Ghosts of Dating Apps Past”, finding these signs is easy. However, in a world awash with fatphobia, believing them can feel impossible.

Suitable for 15 years or over

INFO: Sat 25 Feb / Light House 2 / 18:30

Good Chips

DIRECTOR: Nell Hensey

WRITERS: Brigid Leahy & Nell Hensey

PRODUCERS: Lara Hickey & Sarah Ahern

In Dublin 1989, a family of Vietnamese immigrants struggle to keep their takeaway business afloat, while their 12 year old daughter Tam unexpectedly finds common ground with a local Irish boy.

INFO: Sat 25 Feb / Light House 2 / 18:30

Suitable for 12 years or over

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ONLINE EVENTS

Screenwriters Panel

Learn more about contemporary Irish screenwriting – where the inspiration springs from, how the ideas develop and the process through drafts and redrafts to the final version. Whether you’re an aspiring screenwriter, a film lover or passionate about storytelling, this is an opportunity to learn about the behind-the-scenes process of writing a great script.

PANELLISTS INCLUDE: Tiernan Williams & John Connors, Andrew Legge, Ailbhe Keogan, Fiona Bergin & Fintan Connolly

Documentary Panel

The panel will be pre-recorded next month in the second week of February and then released on the festival platform during the 2023 festival. We hope that the panel will provide an opportunity for both the general public and filmmakers of all levels to learn more about contemporary Irish documentary – where the stories come from and the background to bringing them to the screen. Whether you’re an aspiring filmmaker, a film lover or passionate about storytelling, we want to give Irish audiences an opportunity to learn about the behind-the-scenes process of making a great film.

PANELLISTS INCLUDE: Margo Harkin, Cara Holmes, Sinead O’Shea

LGBTQ+ panel

In response to a request from one of our international filmmakers who could not attend this year’s DIFF in person, we are delighted to share this online discussion on how "the queer" has influenced filmmaking and representation in cinema. In recognition that queerness influences not only what these filmmakers do, but also how they approach making it. Queer representation in cinema, and the limits of the private sphere of actors and filmmakers.

PANELLISTS INCLUDE: Daniel Vallejo, Columbian filmmaker; Cracks Will Come, Nathan Fagan; Mud Queen & Tania Notaro (Glitterbug)

DIFF Circle

HOW TO SELL YOUR FILM WITH MICHELLE RYAN

Based on years of explaining to filmmakers how important it is to create a good Electronic Press Kit (EPK) It's such a good idea to start planting this seed in filmmakers' heads before they get started on how important this side of filmmaking is. Very often it can become a box to be ticked with no further thought or planning put into it other than it “having to be done” (EPK material). To elevate storytelling and brand identity and translate that into effective content is essential especially in a cluttered market.

Michelle Ryan talks nitty-gritties of working on fast-paced projects to extract daily embedded coverage, on ability to self-produce and how to market films by landing the right press coverage.

DIFF Online films

We're delighted to offer a programme of film highlights online during the festival from Friday February 23 – Saturday March 4. Our digital programme comprises a selection of features and shorts that screened in cinema in the Festival, giving you a second chance to catch them no matter where you are in Ireland. The programme also includes events and films that are exclusive online-only.

Online Exclusive

Online and in Cinemas

Victim (See page 45)

My Sailor, My Love (See page 33)

My Imaginary Country (See page 30)

Notes From Sheepland (See page 67)

I Must Away (See page 66)

Mincéir (See page 66)

Day after... (See page 71)

Kanaval: A People’s History of Haiti in Six Chapers (See page 70)

Shorts Programme 1 (See page 78)

Shorts Programme 2 (See page 81)

Shorts Programme 3 (See page 83)

Just like cinema screenings, online screenings have limited capacity so we recommend pre-booking. See www.diff.ie to book and watch.

Tommie Potts: The Fireman Fiddler of the Coombe

Come with me to the CinemaTHE GREGORS

A

SELECTION

OF FÍS ÉIREANN /

SCREEN IRELAND SHORTS CURATED BY THE DUBLIN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

DURATION: 15 mins 51 sec

DIRECTOR: Sinead O’Loughlin

PRODUCER: Lara Hickey

COUNTRY: Ireland

An ordinary day takes a sinister turn for a woman and her child when a stranger walks into their isolated rural home.

Safe as Houses

DURATION: 16 mins 11 sec

DIRECTOR: Mia Mullarkey

PRODUCER: Claire Mc Cabe

COUNTRY: Ireland

On a hot summer’s day, Aggie, a woman with Down syndrome, offers shelter to a young girl, Lucy, when her home life is not so welcoming.

Regular Rabbit

DURATION: 7 mins 40 seconds

DIRECTOR: Eoin Duffy

PRODUCER: Jamie Hogan

COUNTRY: Ireland

The good name of a seemingly regular rabbit falls victim to an unstoppable tide of disinformation.

Bad Boy BuckRed Rabbit

DURATION: 21 mins 18 sec

DIRECTOR: James Fitzgerald

PRODUCER: Simon Doyle

COUNTRY: Ireland

After a one night stand with another man, a married farmer attempts to hide the affair from his family as the truth drives him to breaking point.

Shadow

DURATION: 14 mins 51 seconds

DIRECTOR: Janna Kemperman

PRODUCER: Maggie Ryan

A young girl is her Dad’s shadow as they work their farm. When a family tragedy causes her Dad to retreat into himself “Shadow” takes it on herself to secretly keep the show on the road while her Dad finds his way back to her.

DURATION: 04 mins 52 seconds

DIRECTOR: Rory Kerr

PRODUCER: Ciara Roche

COUNTRY: Ireland

A rabbit struggles to find peace and relaxation at home. These attempts are thwarted by a destructive shoulder devil, who takes glee in ruining any chance of tranquility.

Hermit

DURATION: 02 mins 27 seconds

DIRECTOR: Sarah Benson

PRODUCER: Stephen Fagan

COUNTRY: Ireland

In a dystopian future, Mother Nature guards the last of Earth's flora deep underwater. When the last of humanity - a hermit building a sheltermakes a discover, greed takes over.

DolorosaWill You Look At Me?

DURATION: 10 mins 22 sec

DIRECTOR: Emma Martin, Hugh O’Connor

PRODUCER: Zlata Filipovic

COUNTRY: Ireland

A young woman yields to a predetermined story. Someone’s son wrestles inside the abyss of his own skin. A woman’s face marked by hope, pain and triumph; a young girl rebels against expectation and success. Dolorosa is a short film reflecting on humanity in all its glory, innocence and desperation, power and vulnerability.

DURATION: 20 mins

DIRECTOR: Shuli Huang

PRODUCER: Shuli Huang

COUNTRY: China

As a young Chinese filmmaker returns to his hometown in search for himself, a long due conversation with his mother dives the two of them into a quest for acceptance and love.

Baths

DURATION: 14 mins 16 sec

DIRECTOR: Nell Hensey

PRODUCER: Claire Mooney

COUNTRY: Ireland

An intimate anthology short, with each chapter thematically centred on someone taking a bath at a turning point in their life.

Wednesday’s Child

DURATION: 10 mins 6 sec

DIRECTOR: Laura O’Shea

PRODUCER: Caroline Harvey

COUNTRY: Ireland

Marie faces her first day on the job as a Social Care worker. Despite her optimism, a house call to a family in crisis quickly brings her down to reality.

The Small Makings of A Storm

DURATION: 04 mins 45 sec

DIRECTOR: Avery Angle

PRODUCER: Avery Angle

COUNTRY: Ireland

A procession of water through its acts of metamorphosis in its life cycle. From the rising mists to billowing clouds, water weaves its way through every environment leaving an impression on even the smallest of creatures.

Everything At Once

DURATION: 8 mins

DIRECTOR: Henrik Dyb Zwart

PRODUCER: Øystein K. Dyb

COUNTRY: Norway

You’ve heard it before; that a moment can change your life. As if it's possible to point to a single instance when things changed. For Jakob, there's just a myriad of memories, piled up on top of each other. As if everything happened all at once.

Bean Feasa

DURATION: 17 mins 04 sec

DIRECTOR: Daniel Butler

PRODUCER: Maggie Ryan

COUNTRY: Ireland

The sceptical daughter of a traditional healer has her certainties challenged when she encounters one of 'the Good People'. Bean Feasa is an Irish-language supernatural drama inspired by Donegal folktales and filmed on location in the Donegal Gaeltacht.

One Good Conversation

DURATION: 13 mins 37 sec

DIRECTOR: Clare Dunne

COUNTRY: Ireland

This is a backwards love story exploring the seismic shifts one conversation can do to our lives and how maybe our biggest mistakes give us a journey we were really seeking.

DURATION: 13 mins 50 sec

DIRECTOR: Hadi Babaeifar

PRODUCER: Hadi Babaeifar

COUNTRY: Iran

Ehsan a nine-year-old boy lives with his family in a far village in the North of Iran. His younger brother has a terminal illness. Ehsan’s family does not let him know about his brother’s health and he himself figures out what is happening. Ehsan feels his brother is going to die. From an old story he believes that a death angel comes to get his brother’s life as a deer. Ehsan sees a deer at the window at midnight, he decides to guard the house, not to let the deer take his brother’s life.

Sons of the Crezent

DURATION: 10 mins 49 sec

DIRECTOR: Brendan Canty

PRODUCER: Roberto Nascimento, Valentine Taylor

COUNTRY: New Zealand

With his neighbourhood in South Auckland under threat from gentrification, a young man recalls his youth, his roots and his upbringing through spoken word memories and dance. The film is a kaleidoscopic blend of emotion, nostalgia, humour and tenderness all woven together across scenes of dance and play.

Mud Queen

DURATION: 18 mins 17 sec

DIRECTOR: Nathan Fagan, Luke Daly

PRODUCER: Seamus Waters

COUNTRY: Ireland

Set in a remote farmhouse in rural north county Dublin, Ireland in the early 1990’s. Sensitive, artistic Ryan, his 6-year-old sister Katie and his larger-than-life mother, Sue, are preparing to throw a wild and glamorous birthday party for Ryan’s 12th birthday. But is Mum’s behaviour just a normal part of the festivities? Or a sign of trouble to come? As the night wears on, Ryan must try to keep everything under control - and keep reality and the outside world at bay. Even for just one more night. A colourful, energetic film about the messiness of love and the complicated relationships between sons and mothers.

On Xerxes’ Throne

DURATION: 15 mins

DIRECTOR: Evi Kalogiropoulou

PRODUCER: Evi Kalogiropoulou

COUNTRY: Greece

A dystopian workplace at the Perama shipyard. A ban on physical contact has turned human interaction into otherworldly simulations. The suppression of touch has alienated the workers communication transforming the boatyard into a charged landscape of alienation and repressed sensuality beyond stereotypical heteronormative desires. According to local legend, the Persian King Xerxes watched the overwhelming defeat of his fleet from his throne on the rocky peaks of Mount Egaleo, in today’s Perama.

My Girlfriend

DURATION: 17 mins

DIRECTOR: Kawthar Younis

PRODUCER: Sandro Canaan

COUNTRY: Egypt

Desperate for intimacy, Ali follows his girlfriend’s suggestion that puts their relationship to the test. The plan unfolds unexpectedly when gender roles become blurred.

INFO: Mon 27 Feb / Light House 2 / 18:00 / 118 mins

You’re Not Home

DURATION: 10 mins 57 sec

DIRECTOR: Derek Ugochukwu

PRODUCER: Gregory Burrowes

COUNTRY: Ireland

When an ominous mould appears in their room, two African brothers seeking asylum are faced with a dark entity lurking within their direct provision centre.

DURATION: 18 mins 05 sec

DIRECTOR: Daniel Mateo Vallejo

PRODUCER: Anderson Ascanio, Andre del Sur. Daniel Mateo Vallejo, Kees de Klein, María Paula, Jiménez Trujillo

COUNTRY: Columbia

Keisi wakes up one morning with the obsession of escaping into the thick of nature that has been stalking her lately. A photograph as fantasy; the art gallery that exhibits it as a nightmare.

Sons of Róisín

DURATION: 10 mins

DIRECTOR: Conor Bradley

PRODUCER: Hana Mohammed Sami, Ruairi Bradley

COUNTRY: Ireland

Pádraig's life has been turned upside down after the tragic passing of his brother, Fionn. One month later Pádraig visits an audiologist to learn that his hearing has deteriorated beyond repair. Left in the silence of his own grief, Pádraig hides from the world.

Blind Spot

Cracks Will Come People of the Plaza

DURATION: 14 mins 35 sec

DIRECTOR: Elias Neijens

PRODUCER: Elias Neijens

COUNTRY: Tunisia

Under the dictatorship of Ben Ali, a man is kidnapped, tortured and killed, then vanishes without ever being found. Thirty years later, he comes back to talk to us. Taking over the question of his mother: "Where did you abandon my son's body?"

DURATION: 14 mins 23 sec

DIRECTOR: Paul Gleeson

PRODUCER: Emma Langan, Anna Lugard, Fionn Quigley, Luan Rogers, Naoise May

COUNTRY: Ireland

Should cities be shaped around people, or should people be shaped around cities? The passer-by's of Dublin 8 respond to the controversial fencing of Portobello Plaza for the building of yet another Dublin hotel. Is it a sign of a far bigger problem?

DURATION: 9 mins 38 sec

DIRECTOR: Ethan Barrett

PRODUCER: Tiffany Barrett

COUNTRY: USA

As he cradles his new-born, a father wonders if his daughter would be better off without him and imagines her life once he is gone. Completely hand-drawn with crayons.

Warsha

DURATION: 15 mins

DIRECTOR: Dania Bdeir

PRODUCER: Coralie Dias

COUNTRY: France/Lebanon

A Syrian migrant working as a crane operator in Beirut volunteers to cover a shift on one of the most dangerous cranes, where he is able to find his freedom.

Full Moon

Rosemay A.D. Tsutsué

DURATION: 9 mins

DIRECTOR: Alexander Wilson-Flynn

PRODUCER: James Flynn, Keith Browett

COUNTRY: Ireland

On a stormy night, a father tells his daughter a scary story before bed. But the darkness the story reveals hits perhaps a little close to home.

DURATION: 15 mins 35 sec

DIRECTOR: Amartei Armar

PRODUCER: Ike Yemoh

COUNTRY: France, Ghana

Set in a small Ghanaian town at the edge of a large landfill site that spills into the ocean, the sons of a fisherman, Sowah and Okai, struggle to cope with loss of their eldest brother who drowned during a fishing expedition. Haunted by his demise, Okai believes their brother is still out there…

GlitterbugLa Tumba

DURATION: 14 mins

DIRECTOR: Tania Notaro

PRODUCER: Ali Doyle, Trish Ryan

COUNTRY: Ireland

Set in 90’s Dublin, two young female DJ’s have their dreams of making it big in London crushed when one of them is diagnosed with HIV.

DURATION: 14 mins 15 sec

DIRECTOR: Natasha Waugh

PRODUCER: Natalie McAuley

COUNTRY: Ireland

When park ranger Paddy discovers Pilar, an elderly Spanish lady with no English, at a freshly dug grave, he thinks his fantasy of solving a murder case has finally come true.

Far Calls

DURATION: 22 mins 07 sec

DIRECTOR: Olwen Fouéré , Tristan Heanue

PRODUCER: Clifden Arts Festival, Tristan Heanue

COUNTRY: Ireland

A film about life and death, following the final moments of James Joyce's Finnegans Wake, as the river dissolves into the ocean towards the Atlantic horizon.

AWARDS

Every year, the Festival’s diverse range of awards champions excellence in filmmaking. From shorts, features and documentaries exploring different genres, from emerging artists to some of the most accomplished actors, writers and directors working today, the DIFF awards offer recognition for every type of film and every kind of filmmaker at every stage of their career.

• Volta Awards

• Discovery Awards

• Short Film Awards

• Audience Award

• ICCL Human Rights Film Award

• Documentary Competition

• Dublin Film Critics Circle Awards

VOLTA AWARDEE: EMILY WATSON

Emily Watson is one of the industry’s most acclaimed stage and screen actresses, highlighted by her OBE honour in 2015 for her Services to Drama. Emily first came to prominence with her memorable performance in Lars von Trier’s BREAKING THE WAVES. For this, her first film performance, Emily received an Academy Award, Golden Globes, and BAFTA Award nominations for “Best Actress”.

In 2012, Emily earned a BAFTA Award for ‘Best Leading Actress’ for her portrayal of Janet Leach in the miniseries APPROPRIATE ADULT. Additionally, she received both Emmy and Golden Globe nominations and universal critical acclaim for her work in the HBO/Sky mini-series CHERNOBYL in 2019.

Emily’s other film and television credits include: ON CHESIL BEACH; the BBC/PBS adaptation of LITTLE WOMEN; the Emmy nominated drama series GENIUS; APPLE TREE YARD; multiple award-winning THE THEORY OF EVERYTHING; A SONG FOR JENNY; Richard Eyre’s BBC production of KING LEAR; THE HAPPY PRINCE; THE DRESSER; TESTAMENT OF YOUTH; A ROYAL NIGHT OUT; EVEREST; THE BOXER; ANGELA'S ASHES; PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE;

RED DRAGON; CORPSE BRIDE; SUNECDOCHE NEW YORK; ORANGES AND SUNSHINE for which she was an Australian Film Institute Award nominee and a Film Critics Circle of Australia Award winner as ‘Best Actress’; WAR HORSE; THE BOOK THIEF and GOSFORD PARK, for which she won a Screen Actors Guild Award as part of the ensemble honoured with the top prize of Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture.

A veteran of the London stage, Emily’s theatre credits are extensive, including many productions with the Royal Shakespeare Company. In 2002, she received critical acclaim for her starring roles in UNCLE VANYA and TWELFTH NIGHT at the Donmar Warehouse. The shows ran concurrently, and were both directed by Sam Mendez.

Emily recently finished shooting A24 film THE LEGEND OF OCHI, a fantasy epic film starring opposite Willem Dafoe, Finn Wolfhard and Helena Zangel. At the end of 2022 it was announced that Emily will be playing Valya Harkonnen in the new HBO series DUNE: THE SISTERHOOD opposite Mark Strong and Shirley Henderson.

DISCOVERY AWARDS

The Irish film industry has never been busier, productions both large and small are reaching wider audiences and there is an abundance of talent working in the sector today. The Discovery Award and Short Film Award aim to identify, champion, support and encourage new and emerging talent both in front of and behind the camera.

INFO: SUNDAY 26 FEBRUARY / 12:00 NOON

Discovery Award Jury

CÚÁN MAC CONGHAIL Film producer

ALICE BLACK Cinema programmer and Head of Film Programming, Element Cinemas

CLAIRE DUNLOP Head of Theatrical Sales & Acquisitions, Eclipse Pictures

TYRONE RYAN Esports Athlete

Discovery Award Nominees

SINEAD

Producer: You’re Not Home

Other Credits: Ship of Souls, Calf, A Runner

Actor: Ann

Other credits: Modern Love, Hecuba, Nightman, The Other Lamb

Writer and Director: Lamb

Other credits: Stray (Director), Homecoming (Writer and Director)

BYRNE

Actor: Glitterbug

Other Credits:

Derry Girls, Darklands, Deadly Cuts

Actor: La Tumba

Other credits: The Bright Side, Locus of Control

Director: Red

Rabbit

Other Credits:

Dinner and Diatribes – Hozier (Animation/live design), Dead Fox (Director/ animator), Mood

Atlas (Animation director and design), Wolf Alice (Animator/Codirector)

Director: Wednesday’s Child

Other credits:

Match (Codirector, writer, actor), Hold the Line (Director, Writer, Producer, Lead Actor)

Director and cowriter: Baths

Other credits: Try and Touch (Director and writer), Baths, Good Chips (Director, cowriter)

Producer: Bean

Feasa/ Shadow

Other credits:

Sunlight (Production Manager), Echo’s Bones, Where Do All The Old Days Go?, Radha (Producer)

Director/Writer/

Editor: Bean

Feasa

Other credits: Afterlife (Director), Leave The Road Behind You (Writer/Director/ Editor)

RORY KERR

GREGORY BURROWES

LAURA O’SHEA

MAGGIE RYAN

NELL HENSEY

DANIEL BUTLER

ZARA DEVLIN

O’LOUGHLIN

THOMMAS KANE

PETER MCGANN

SHORT FILM AWARDS

The short film format has always been a crucial part of the festival, acting as both a showcase for future talent, and as an art form in its own right. For 2023, the Dublin International Film Festival is proud to host its largest programme of short films to date, with three programmes dedicated to the best Irish short films of the past twelve months, together with an additional three strands highlighting some of the most significant recent International work. The Short Film Awards recognise the best Irish and International shorts in the programme, as chosen by our jury.

Shorts Jury

ICCL HUMAN RIGHTS FILM AWARDS

The Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL) established the Human Rights Film Award in 2008 to recognise the role of film in raising awareness of human rights issues around the world. In 2019, the then Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival and ICCL relaunched the ICCL Human Rights Film Award as an integral part of the DIFF programme. The award celebrates films that enable audiences to explore human rights stories of all kinds, and honours filmmakers whose work argues passionately for a better world. The presentation of the Lifetime Contribution Award will take place alongside our Annual Human Rights Film Award.

INFO: SUNDAY 26 FEBRUARY / 12:00 NOON

The films nominated for the 2023 ICCL Human Rights Film Award are:

• Ann (2022)

• Pray for our Sinners (2022)

• 406 Days (2023)

• The Beasts (2022)

AEDÍN GORMLEY Radio Presenter, RTE Lyric FM

LLAURA MCGEE Artist, Writer, Gamemaker and Founder, Dreamfeel Studios

FEMI BANKOLE IT Risk Consultant; Founder and RTE Presenter, Black & Irish (podcast)

EVE CARNEY Assistant Committee Member, University College Dublin Film Society

AUDIENCE AWARDS

Each year the audience gets to vote on the films that bring a smile to your face; a tear to your eye; inspire you or clean knock your socks off! Our team of supremo volunteers will be at hand to help you cast your votes after each eligible film.

Join us for the screening of the winner of the Audience Award 2023, as chosen by this year’s audience!

2022 winner: An Cailín Ciúin

2021 winner: Minari

Join us for a screening of the winner of the Audience Award 2023, as chosen by this year’s audience.

DFCC AWARDS

Ireland’s professional film critics will announce their awards for Best Film, Best Director, Best Irish Film, Best Documentary and Best Performances from the 2023 festival line-up.

Supported by Limelight Communications

DOCUMENTARY COMPETITION

The Dublin International Film Festival Documentary Competition will recognise excellence in the field of documentary making. In its fifth year, we are lucky to have three esteemed judges on our panel; Luke McManus, Gillian Cooper and Jaie LaPlante

The following films will compete in this year’s Documentary competition:

• Pray for our Sinners

• Peter O'Toole: Along the Sky Road to Aqaba

• Notes from Sheepland

• Fields of Darkness

• I Must Away

• Dark Secrets

• 406 Days

Documentary Jury

• The Future Tense

• Kanaval: A People's History of Haiti in Six Chapters

• March on Rome

• Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy

• Ciné-Guerrillas

• Day After

• My Imaginary Country

Proudly sponsored by

LUKE MCMANUS

Documentary filmmaker, director- North Circular

GILLIAN COOPER Head of Theatrical, Wildcard Distribution

JAIE LAPLANTE Artistic Director, DOC NYC

PROUD SPONSOR OF THE DUBLIN INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL

BOARD & STAFF

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Chairperson ------------------------------ TRISH LONG

Deputy Chairperson-------------------- ELAINE GILL

Committee members ------------------ LENNY ABRAHAMSON

AIDAN GREENE

RUTH HUNTER

RONAN MURPHY

PAULA WOODS

NEASA HARDIMAN

LOUISE KIELY

LAURENCE MACKIN

OLA MAJEKODUNMI

BASHIR OTUKOYA

Festival Director-------------------------- GRÁINNE HUMPHREYS

STAFF SHORTS PROGRAMMERS

General Manager ----------------------- PHIL PURDUE

Festival Administrator ----------------- KAREN ENGLISH

Accounts Officer------------------------- CAROLE LAKES

Hospitality Manager ------------------- AIDEEN DARCY

Box Office Manager -------------------- CONOR HOGAN

Digital Festival Manager -------------- SIMEON COSTELLO

Events Co-Ordinator ------------------- NICOLA STAUNTON

Marketing Manager -------------------- SHRUTI NAIR

Digital Marketing Executive ---------- AOIFE MAGUIRE

Print Transport Manager ------------- ALASDAIR BLAIKIE

Volunteer Manager --------------------- BARRA DOHERTY

Commercial Consultant--------------- ALAN FITZGERALD

Production Manager ------------------- AISLING KING SWORDS

Festival Publicist ------------------------- KATE BOWE

Festival Publicist ------------------------------ JENNY SHARIF

Press Assistant --------------------------- ROBYN MURPHY

Festival Photographer ----------------- SIMON LAZEWSKI

CIAN MCCARTHY

CONOR RYAN

LIAM DELAHUNT

MEGHAN O'SHAUGHNESSY

MICHAEL SWEENEY

MILES DAVIS MURPHY

RACHEL HEAVEY

RUAIRÍ GREENE

TESS DOOLAN BURKE

WIKTORIA WEINTRITT

MOHAMMAD TAREK

AISHA BOLAJI

VOLUNTEERS

Volunteering at Dublin International Film Festival offers the chance to be a part of the behind-the-scenes action at Ireland’s top cinema festival. It’s a great chance to meet like-minded people and make contacts in the world of arts, festivals and film making. You'll also get the opportunity to attend screenings and events, giving you a unique insider's view of the event.

Every year we are delighted to see such a diverse range of volunteers, spanning age groups and nationalities. They generously give up their time to assist with the smooth running and final delivery of our events. The festival simply cannot go ahead without the enthusiasm, warmth and dedication that the volunteer team brings to the table. From everyone here on the festival team, thank you to all the wonderful people who volunteer their time, and help make the festival what it is. Your welcoming smiles and personalities are what the audiences remember and take with them, long after the festival has ended.

Volunteers Quiz

We host a volunteer’s film quiz night every year that helps unleash the film nerd within them as they battle it out to rake in the extra points!

Barra Doherty Volunteer Manager

FESTIVAL MAP

1. Light House Cinema Smithfield 2. Irish Film Institute Temple Bar 3. Movies@The Square Tallaght

Cinemas

10. DIFF HQ: Digital Depot

@Digital Hub, Thomas St

FILM INDEX

1976

406 Days

Accidental Anthropologist

Ann

Arrebato/ Rapture

Barber

Blackberry

Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman

Blueback

Brainwashed: Sex-Camera-Power

Bread and Salt

Butchers Crossing

Cairo Conspiracy

Calf

Chevalier

Ciné-Guerrillas

Close

Community Film Programme

Cool Hand Luke

Day After

Dead for a Dollar

Desperate Souls, Dark City and the Legend of Midnight Cowboy

Far Calls

Five Devils

Fields of Darkness

Foudre

Glitterbug

Gods Creatures

Good Chips

Hamlet Syndrome

How To Blow Up a Pipeline

I Must Away

Kanaval: A People's History of Haiti in Six Chapters

La Nature

La Syndicaliste

La Tumba

Lola

March on Rome

Medusa Deluxe

Mincéir

Mother And Son

My Imaginary Country

My Sailor My Love

New Normal

Notes from Sheepland

On the Fringe

Paris Memories

Pearl

Peter O'Toole: Along the Sky Road to Aqaba

Pray for our Sinners

Prison 77

RMN

Screen Ireland Shorts

Shakespeare in Casablanca

Shorts #1

Shorts #2

Shorts #3

Smoking Causes Coughing

Stolen

Surprise Film

Sunlight

Tata

The Beasts

The Black Guelph

The Damned Don't Cry

The Eight Mountains

The End of Sex

The Future Tense

The Five Devils

The Girl from Tomorrow

The Ordinaries

The Pool

The Seasons

Unhinged

Victim

NOTES

NOTES