The Irish Film Institute will host two special events over the coming weeks; film screenings commemorating the political life of Tony Gregory (1947-2009) taking place on 15th April 6.30pm and the celebration of Bram Stoker's novel ‘Dracula’ with the programme - ‘Dracula on Screen,’ showing several film adaptations of the novel taking place from the 17-19 of April.
The life and work of well known Dublin politician and activist Tony Gregory will be celebrated with a screening of two documentaries preserved by the Irish Film Archive – ‘Alive, Alive-O – A Requiem for Dublin’ (2001), and ‘Looking On’ (1982), both made by documentary filmmaker Sé Merry Doyle from Loopline Films.
Gregory, who passed away in January, had a distinctive and distinguished political career as an Independent TD for Dublin Central and was widely admired for his activism and advocacy of the most vulnerable and impoverished in Irish society.
Sé Merry Doyle will introduce the screenings which both give two unique insights into moments of social struggle and change in Dublin City. ‘Alive, Alive O’ is a look at Dublin street traders, north and south of the city, a group for whom Gregory notably spent time in jail. At the time the film was made, the trader’s extraordinary culture was increasingly overshadowed by the scourge of heroin and the closure of market places like the historic Iveagh Markets.
‘Looking On’ is a about the festival of the same name that was held in the north inner city of Dublin against the backdrop of urban depopulation and neglect in 1982, and features Gregory decrying social vandalism amidst the rubble of half-demolished houses.
As part of Dublin City Council’s celebration of Irish writer Bram Stoker's novel ‘Dracula’ for its annual One City One Book festival, the IFI will host ‘Bram Stoker's Dracula on Screen’. Bram Stoker was born in Dublin, Ireland, in 1847, and gained acclaim for the most influential of literary vampire stories - ‘Dracula’.
On the weekend of 17-19 of April films in the vampire thread to screen include the recent ‘Twilight’, the 1931 adaptation of ‘Dracula’ by Tod Browning and ‘Coutess Dracula’ (1971) directed by Peter Sasdy. There will also be a talk by Kim Newman one of the UK's best-known critics of the horror genre on the topic of ‘Dracula as a Screen Character’.
For more information about the programmes or for tickets contact the IFI Box Office by telephone 01 679 3477 or online at www.ifi.ie
