Top line-up for the Seagate Foyle Film Festival

Pop superstar Andrea Corr will launch this year’s Seagate Foyle Film Festival, now firmly established as one of Northern Ireland’s main cultural events.
The dark-haired songstress, lead singer and lyricist with the family group which has sold more than 30 million albums throughout the world, will be guest of honour when the Festival is launched in Belfast today.
Although best known for her pop/Celtic rock fusion music, Andrea is also an accomplished actress and lists among her credits a role in Alan Parker’s hugely successful Irish film, ‘The Commitments’, and a brief singing appearance opposite Madonna in the same director’s film, ‘Evita’.
Andrea’s latest role is in the short film ‘The Bridge’ which is showing in competition at the Festival.
‘The Bridge’ is one of around 300 films which will be screened at this year’s Seagate Foyle Film Festival which runs from November 11-20.
The enduring appeal of the Festival is the range of its programme which blends Irish, European, international and contemporary films. But the Festival is about much more than screening the work of established film-makers.
This year sees the debut of the Stella Artois Film Awards which will see film makers from Europe, Asia, America and Africa pitching their short films and animations against each other in competition. The contest is sure to throw up an eclectic mix of subjects, style, language and performances and, who knows, could see someone emerge as the next big household name in the industry.
Low budget film makers who shoot in digital format will also be given an opportunity to showcase their talents in an ‘out of competition’ section.
An essential part of the Festival is its educational programme, both for primary and secondary schools and for anyone interested in the industry and how the magic of the silver screen is created.
A number of market related seminars will target people already working in the film, television, music and creative industries and those considering a career in the sector. Máire Killoran and Caoimh Ní Laighin of the Irish Language Broadcast Fund at the NIFTC, and Eilish Kent, Development Executive of Drama at RTE will take part in presentations and seminars alongside Peter Johnston, Head of Programming for BBC NI and an information panel facilitated by a production team at the Irish Film Board.
CCEA’s Moving Image Arts Class 2004 will present the best short films made last year at screening events in QFT, Belfast and the Nerve Centre in Derry. Students from 12 schools across the province made more than 120 short films and to showcase the talents of such budding talent next year?s Seagate Foyle Film Festival will introduce a Young Film Maker Competition.
With such a varied and innovative programme, the Festival organisers are keen to spread their message to even larger audiences and this year more venues than ever have been brought into the programme. As well as numerous venues throughout Derry City, the Festival will reach out to Letterkenny Arts Centre and Century Cinemas and the whole programme will be launched in Derry, Belfast and Dublin.
(CD/SP)