The 13th Belfast Film Festival has released its full schedule online, with enough variety to satisfy the appetite of the most ardent cinema enthusiast.
‘Cool Hand Luke’ - the prison escape classic featuring Paul Newman in one of his most iconic roles - will receive a special screening at Crumlin Road Gaol at 8pm on 13th April, following a tour of the prison and a compilation of scenes from such Hollywood prison-based movies as ‘The Blues Brothers’, ‘Stir Crazy’, ‘Jailhouse Rock’, ‘The Shawshank Redemption’, and ‘Escape from Alcatraz’.
Festival Director Michele Devlin spearheads a line-up embracing a broad range of categories entitled: New Cinema, Dialogue, Twisted Cornea, TV Eye, Talking Film, Industry Events, Documentary Panorama, Altered States and Shorts.
One of the opening films is ‘Made in Belfast’ - screening at 7pm on 11th April - the debut feature by director Paul Kennedy, which follows a novelist’s attempts to make things right with his family and friends whose secrets he betrayed in his writing.
The film’s strong ensemble includes Shauna MacDonald (The Descent), Stuart Graham (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), Lalor Roddy (Grabbers), Bronagh Gallagher (The Commitments).
Another major festival highlight is a screening of ‘La Traviata’ in St Anne’s Cathedral on 11th April at 8:30pm, in what is a rare opportunity to see what is widely considered to be the best opera film ever made on the big screen.
Adding to the sense of occasion, members of Northern Ireland Opera's Young Artists’ programme will perform pieces by composers inspired by Verdi before the screening, including ‘O Mio Babbino Caro’ from Puccinni's ‘Gianni Schicchi’.
‘Twin Peaks’ night - in homage to David Lynch’s cult TV series – is sure to attract a substantial fan following in the Black Box on 20th April.
A screening of ‘Twin Peaks’ prequel ‘Fire Walk With Me’ at 8:30pm kick-starts a night combining everything from Lynchian rock and roll to fancy dress and a twisted prom.
Also returning this year is the documentary film competition, launched by documentary legend Albert Maysles in 2006, and the short film competition, providing a platform for film-makers across Ireland.
Tickets and the full programme are available online now at www.belfastfilmfestival.org
