A BUMPER line-up of Irish film screenings have been planned in honour of St Patrick’s Day 2023.
The Irish Film London (IFL) organisation is back with its annual St Patrick’s Film Festival – and its 2023 offering is full of great Irish drama, documentary and short films.
Hosted in association with the Mayor of London and Greater London Authority, the Festival takes place at cinemas across London from Friday, March 17 to Sunday, March 19, and online via their Irish Film From Home site.
Screenings will take place at Hammersmith’s Riverside Studios, as well as the Kiln Cinema in Kilburn, The Garden Cinema in Holborn, the PictureHouse Central on Shaftsbury Avenue and at the London Irish Centre in Camden.
The IFL team will also be present at the Mayot of London’s St Patrick’s Festival in Trafalgar Square on Sunday, March 12, they have confirmed.
IFL’s Festival Director Gerry Maguire said of their plans: “St Patrick’s Day is a time of year when everyone can celebrate the best of being Irish.
“With this year’s film programme, Irish Film London is playing a part in Ireland’s continued success on the big screen, by introducing London audiences to some of the best new Irish films.
“We look forward to seeing everyone in cinemas, as well as on Trafalgar Square for the Mayor’s wonderful annual get together.”
Here’s what IFL have on offer next month…
FEATURE FILM PROGRAMME
Festivities begin on St Patrick’s Day, Friday, March 17, with the feature length drama Lakelands, screening at Riverside Studios in Hammersmith.
Lakelands follows Cian, a young Gaelic footballer struggling to come to terms with a career-ending injury after an attack on a night out.
The film features a cast of emerging Irish stars including Éanna Hardwicke (Vivarium, Normal People) and Danielle Galligan (Netflix’s Shadow and Bone) and is the directorial debut from Robert Higgins and Patrick McGivney.
The programme continues at The Kiln Cinema in Kilburn with Aisling Trí Néallaibh (Clouded Reveries), a documentary by director Ciara Nic Chormaic that follows beloved Irish writer and poet Doireann Ní Ghríofa.
Presented in both the English and Irish language, Clouded Reveries is an intimate exploration of Ní Ghríofa’s world and creative process.
The festival continues on Saturday, March 18 with a short film programme hosted at the Garden Cinema in trendy Covent Garden.
This handpicked selection of thought provoking and original films is selected from open submissions and represents some of the best new Irish filmmaking talent.
Look out for hard hitting dramas like Forever Hold Your Peace by director Jason Branigan or domestic violence parable Whale by Lorna Fitzsimmons, as well as beautiful animation The Small Makings of a Storm from National Film School IADT student Avery Angle.
Saturday evening sees IFL present a preview screening of a new release from BFI Distribution and indie powerhouse A24, God’s Creatures.
Directed by Saela Davis and Anna Rose Holmer, it stars BAFTA winner Paul Mescal alongside the esteemed Emily Watson, with Aisling Franciosi and Toni O’Rourke.
Set in a windswept fishing village on the coast of Ireland, the film follows a mother who is torn between protecting her beloved son and her own sense of right and wrong. An actor Q&A will follow the screening at Picturehouse Central in London’s West End, with Emily Watson confirmed to attend.
On Sunday, March 19, IFL offers another chance to see the BAFTA and Oscar nominated An Cailín Ciúin (The Quiet Girl) at the London Irish Centre.
Having won 24 awards, and been nominated for a further 29, this film has made waves since its first appearance at Berlin Film Festival in Feb 2022. Set in 1981, the story follows Caít, a young girl sent to live with relatives for the summer, and who undergoes an emotional transformation during that time. Audiences can catch the film at London Irish Centre at 3pm.
ONLINE PROGRAMME
Irish Film London’s celebrations will also take place online via the popular Irish Film From Home platform.
The online programme means those not able to attend in person call still join in the fun from the comfort of their own home.
Featuring a selection of short films taken from open submissions, this year’s online content is as strong as ever.
Also featured is the RTÉ documentary Clodagh, telling the story of the eponymous designer.
Named among the Top 100 Designers in the World by Architectural Digest and already inducted into the Interior Design Hall of Fame, Clodagh, as she’s simply known, is at the top of her game.
This is the story of an extraordinary Irish woman and artistic trailblazer who continues to inspire modern designers worldwide.
Click here to learn more.
SHORT FILMS AT TRAFALGAR SQUARE
Before the cinema programme begins, IFL will take part in the Mayor of London’s St Patrick’s Day festivities at Trafalgar Square on Sunday, March 12.
Irish Film London are providing a programme of six family-friendly shorts which will play on the big screen at Trafalgar Square throughout the day, giving audiences a chance to see Irish films for free, and offering Irish filmmakers a screening opportunity in front of the circa 50,000 people who will attend the events across the day.
Tickets for all film showings are available via the Irish Film London website or from partner venues Riverside Studios, Picturehouse Central, The Kiln and London Irish Centre.
