Festival Of Film Toasted In Dublin

It's to be a busy time for the movie world, with both the Dublin International Film Festival taking place (12-22nd) and the Irish Film & Television Awards being broadcast live on Saturday 14th February on RTÉ One (at 9.30pm).
The Jameson whiskey-backed event was toasted last month with acclaimed Hunger actor Liam Cunningham and Oscar-nominated actress Saoirse Ronan unveiling the impressive programme of events.
The festival features a stellar line up of guests including Co Antrim-born star, Liam Neeson, Colin Firth, Clive Owen, Co Londonderry's James Nesbitt, Neil Gaiman, Frederic Raphael, John Crowley, Armando Iannucci, Michel Houellebecq, and Artistic Director of Cannes Film Festival Thierry Fremaux.
Presenting over 130 features from 28 countries, the festival is due to attract audiences of over 40,000 with archive and premiere screenings, special guests, discussions and unique events, all over an action packed 11 days.
The Festival this year packs a bang with the closing weekend, with a screening of Genova with Colin Firth in attendance on Friday 20th; Neeson and Nesbitt with director Oliver Hirschbiegel attending the screening of Five Minutes of Heaven on Saturday 21st capped off with the Closing Gala on Sunday 22nd, the delightful Irish animated feature The Secret of Kells, which will be attended by Brendan Gleeson and animators Cartoon Saloon.
This will be the first ever screening of Five Minutes Of Heaven on this side of the Atlantic, telling the story of a 1975 UVF murder and how it haunted both the killer and the victim's family.
The director Oliver Hirschbiegel and scriptwriter Guy Hibbert have already been honoured in the World Cinema Category at the Independent Film Festival, just held in Utah.
See: Troubles Movie Wins Screen Accolade For NI
(BMcC/JM)