COLIN Farrell and Michael Fassbender are among the Irish stars who will premiere new films at this year's BFI London Film Festival.
Belfast-set drama Philomena, director Steve McQueen's 12 Years A Slave, Saving Mr. Banks and the Coen Brothers’ LLyewn Davis are just a number of the film highlights announced at today's programme launch.
McQueen's third movie with Michael Fassbender will particularly entice movie-goers as it receives its European Premiere at the October 9-20 festival.
The film also co-stars Benedict Cumberbatch and Brad Pitt and is set in pre-Civil War United States where Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery.
The American Express Gala of Stephen Frears’ Philomena sees Steve Coogan and Judi Dench portray the true story of a young Irish mother who was encouraged by nuns to give her infant son for adoption in America.
Two-time IFTA winner Ruth McCabe also features as a fictitious Catholic nun called Mother Barbara.
Michael Fassbender, left, in a scene from 12 Years A SlaveOn either side of this film adaptation of the book The Lost Child of Philomena Lee, are two Tom Hanks’ films.
Captain Phillips opens the festival with Hanks in lead – a thriller based on the true story of the hijacking by Somali pirates of the U.S container ship Maersk Alabama.
On the closing end is Disney’s Saving Mr. Banks – it follows the untold story of how Mary Poppins was brought to the big screen – and stars Hanks as Walt Disney alongside Colin Farrell.
Other highlights include Joel and Ethan Coen's LLewyn Davis – a folk film set in Greenwich Village in the early 1960s - starring Oscar Isaac, Carey Mulligan and Justin Timberlake.
The guest list for the festival’s Gala screenings boasts a variety of film talent, including: Tom Hanks, Stephen Frears, Judi Dench, Steve Coogan, Steve McQueen, Joel and Ethan Coen, Carey Mulligan, Sandra Bullock and Ralph Feinnes.
The 57th BFI London Film Festival will run from 9-20 October 2013.
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