A Student Guide to Film Festivals

Student Guide to Film Festivals

FILM CONNOO As Mia has already discussed, Berlin is an excellent festival to attend as a student, providing the opportunity to see many exciting fi lms that you would not get the chance to see otherwise, and all in unique venues around the German capital city. Berlinale isn’t the only festival accessible to students, however, so here are some of the best European fi lm festivals that off er passes or discounts for students.

Venice (September 2-12, 2020) Venice is a festival that off ers the chance to get up close to the red carpet, attend big world premieres, relax on one of Lido’s beaches, sip €1 espressos and Aperol Spritzes between fi lms, and see a wide range of both Hollywood and international-language cinema. Venice is my favourite fi lm festival that I’ve attended so far (Brad and Timothée may have something to do with that), and it’s a perfect excuse to skip freshers’ fl u with some last minute sunshine. With a €70 Early Bird fee for ‘University Students Accreditation’, you are given the same access to fi lms and locations as the fi lm students and industry. And, unlike Berlinale, you don’t have to queue at 5am, just before each fi lm. Food and drink tend to be a little cheaper than Dublin, but public transport, accommodation and fl ights can begin to add up.

BFI London Film Festival (October 7-18, 2020) Th e London Film Festival is one of the smaller festivals to visit, but one of the most aff ordable. Students of any kind, merely stating an ‘interest’ in fi lm or the industry are eligible to apply for ‘Future Film’ accreditation, which cost £40 in 2019. London tends to collate several of the fi lms on the festival circuit, so I was able to catch up with the fi lms I had missed at Venice here, such as Marriage Story (Noah Baumbach, 2019) and  e Painted Bird (Václav Marhoul, 2019), as well as some hits from Toronto, like Jojo Rabbit (Taika Waititi, 2019) and Knives Out (Rian Johnson, 2019). Accommodation is so plentiful in London that, unlike Venice, you have options to choose from, and food is cheaper than in Dublin. You queue for each screening with people in the industry, so be sure to give your friend a phone call in the line and mention that great screenplay you’ve been working on….

Dublin International Film Festival (February/early March 2021) Dublin is another great, small festival that showcases many unique and international voices in cinema. Unfortunately, Dublin hasn’t off ered much fi nancial incentive for students this year or in the past, with the student price for an accreditation-style ‘Season Ticket’ valued at €225. Th ey are, however, improving, with a student discounted ticket available for every event, unlike previous years which only discounted a select few screenings. Th is year is also the fi rst that they have run the ‘First Frame’ event, which invited fi lm students from around the country and showcased several student short fi lms on the largest screen at Th e Lighthouse in Smithfi eld, including one short from Trinity fi lm students. It is clear that student engagement does matter to the festival, and this is still one of the cheaper options as there is no need to pay extra for accommodation or fl ights.

Cannes (May, 2021) ‘Film buff s’ aged 18-28 are eligible to apply for a pass to the fi rst and last weekend of the Cannes Film Festival and it’s free. Gratuit. Th e catch? You have to write a one-page cover letter to explain your love of fi lm and why you would be a good candidate for the pass. Th e pass gives you access to all the competition fi lms (imagine getting to see Parasite (Bong Joon Ho, 2019) in May last year and rubbing that in your friends’ faces) as well as the industry hangouts, where, again, you can make that phone call about your screenwriting magnum opus. Th at leaves the fl ights, accommodation and food to cover, but, apparently, you get free coff ee in the industry areas with a pass. Just don’t spill it on your tux.

WORDS BY Connor Howlett . 21

That’s the Tee: Your Dublin Guide to a Night WITHOUT ALCOHOL

WORDS BY Ursula Dale

Best Student Mocktails:

For some of the best student mocktails in Dublin, there’s a surprising amount of availability in places you probably already know.

Th e Porterhouse on Nassau Street (and the busier sister branch in Templebar, which I’ve never personally been able to fi nd a seat in) off ers delicious and surprisingly high quality mocktails for only €4.70. Th is is my personal favourite spot for a fancy, non-alcoholic beverage - I’d recommend the ‘Turkish Delight’, which blends rose lemonade, a dash of cranberry juice, rose syrup, a lime wheel and fresh strawberries, all over crushed ice.

Next up is Captain America’s, a well-travelled student hotspot. Th ey off er frozen cocktails, pitchers and an array of other alcoholic treats to accompany dinner (or to be enjoyed alone), but also provide a very aff ordable collection of mocktails which cap - no pun intended - at €3.85 each. If you’re stopping here for a while, both the ‘Woo Woo’ and ‘Little Engineer’ are also available in pitchers for just €12.50.

Bow Lane is at the high-end of the student list, off ering non-alcoholic cocktails for €6. Certainly the pricier option, it’s better suited to those enjoying a meal out or a cocktail night with friends - the relative luxuriousness of the drinks and venue means anyone can be included in cocktail festivities. Most appetising to me is the ‘Tropical Smash’, which combines passionfruit, ruby grapefruit, orange, lime, apple and lemonade.

IRELAND’S ONLY NO-ALCOHOL BAR:

If you don’t mind splashing the cash for a quieter and slightly more opulent experience, the place for you is Th e Virgin Mary. Lauded upon opening for introducing Ireland’s fi rst non-alcoholic bar, it off ers a range of sophisticated drinks for any teetotaler, or anyone fancying a day off from the lash. Extending beyond the purview of faux cocktails, it off ers an expansive range of non-alcoholic drinks. Its website explains the source of selection and that all the available “beers, wines and cocktails are 0.5% ABV (the same as a ripe banana) or below.” For fancy mocktails look no further than their blend of self-titled “interesting ingredients”, such as the ‘Caleno Spritz’ for €8.50, which mixes Caleno (a tropical, distilled no-alcohol spirit), Chamomile, Mandarin, Cardamom, Sparkling Wine and “bright fruity bubbles”.

Th is is probably not the ideal locale for regular student bevving, its prices for mocktails starting at around €8 and beers ranging from €4.50 upwards. An interesting alternative to prosecco is also available - though perhaps not of interest to the average student - in the form of ‘Copenhagen Sparkling Tea’, which is fi ne if you’re happy forking out €35 for a bottle. Despite the price, the complete dedication to a venue not centred on alcoholic socialisation provides a much more normalised milieu for teetotalers of all ages. For any with more unconventional tastes, treats such as non-alcoholic absinthe are also on the menu.

NON-BAR LOCALES:

For any teatotalers who aren’t looking for faux beverages, there are several cute spots for late night tea and coff ee.

In the same vein, there’s Accents Cafe. Nestled in at the end of Stephen Street Lower, Accents is one of my favourite places to hike to for hot chocolate, which is served as hot milk with a box of chocolate drops for stirring in (to your taste). It’s open every night of the week (except Sunday, when it closes at 10pm) until 11pm, providing a cosy venue for late night coff ee and chats, no alcohol required.

Also on off er is “fi ne tea and coff ee” venue Clement and Pekoe, which sits at 50 South William Street. Off ering very tasty tea, coff ee and pastries until late, this spot is perfect for coff ee till 7pm on weekdays, 6.30pm on Saturdays and 6pm on Sundays.

Honourable Mention:

Another sweet spot for drinks with non-abstaining friends is Coppinger Row. Th e bar off ers three fl avours of homemade lemonade to be enjoyed - elderfl ower, mint and raspberry.

OUTSIDE THE CITY:

Finally, Nick’s Coff ee and Copán, situated in the cosy boroughs of Ranelagh and Rathmines respectively. Nick’s Coff ee Company, at 22 Ranelagh, is open till 8pm every night of the week, except Sunday when it doesn’t shut for another hour! As an added bonus, the prices are student friendly.

Copán in Rathmines off ers €5 mocktails and in line with its celebrity-motif menu has humourously coined a ‘Safe Sex on the Beach’. Any low-cost, low ABV drink which promotes good sexual health is a win in my eyes!