Irish Film Festival, Boston has announced its line-up for the 15th annual Irish film festival. The film festival takes place March 19th to 22nd, 2015 in Somerville, MA.
This year the festival will host thirty films and will screen entirely at the historic Somerville Theater, Davis Square. It will also host Q&A’s with 12 visiting Irish filmmakers and of course the prerequisite after-parties.
Director Niall Heery will be in town for the screening of his black comedy ‘Gold’ this year’s Best Feature and festival opener starring James Nesbitt, Maisie Williams and David Wilmot, while the Oscar nominated short film ‘Boogaloo and Graham’ will get Best short this year and also screen on opening night.
Friday (20th March) night sees the US Premiere of this year’s Director’s Choice Award Winner ‘One Million Dubliners’. Voted Best Irish film in 2014 by the Irish Times - the film about the Glasnevin Cemetery reveals how the business of death is often humorous and always affecting. Both Director Aoife Kelleher and Producer Rachel Lysaght will be present for the screening. Paul Murphy’s ‘The Weather Report’ is this year’s Director’s Choice Short film and will play prior to ‘One Million Dubliners with director Paul Murphy also travelling to Boston for the screening.
Saturday (21st March) sees the Special Jury Prize award going to ‘An Bronntanas’ - Ireland’s entry to the foreign film category of the Oscars 2015. Directed by Tom Collins and produced by Ciarán Ó Cofaigh (ROSG) and Tom Collins (De Facto Films) and written by Tom Collins, Eoin McNamee, Paul Walker, ‘An Bronntanas is a contemporary thriller set against the back drop of the Connemara Coastline, in the West of Ireland, and the dramatic lives of a local lifeboat crew. The story is told in Irish, English and Polish.
Throughout the weekend there are also a number of contemporary features, short films and documentaries to see, including the ‘The Guarantee’ which follows how the Irish government decided to guarantee the entire domestic banking system back in 2008. It makes it’s US premiere at the festival along with the stellar documentaries ‘Blood Fruit’ and ‘Mairead Farrell: An Unfinished Conversation’. The romantic comedy feature film ‘Standby’ is also screening on Saturday evening.
In addition, there are also two short film programs along with a free children’ s program on Saturday and Sunday afternoon. To close off the weekend, the documentary ‘Dolores Keane: A Storm in the Heart’ will screen. This documentary by Scratch Films for RTÉ Arts pieces together in words, archive and classic song, the extraordinary story of one of Ireland’s best-loved cultural icons. A Session at The Burren in Davis Square will close out the weekend.
Speaking about this year’s edition, Festival Director Dawn Morrissey said: ‘We are very fortunate to yet again have such a great selection of films and talented film-makers in our midst in Boston. Stay tuned for some surprise guests, you never know who may turn up on the weekend!’
The Festival – founded in 1999 – has previously played hosts to esteemed Irish guests including Jim Sheridan, Gabriel Byrne, Brendan Gleeson, Domhnall Gleeson, Terry George, Colm Meaney, Fionnula Flannagan, John Boorman, Aidan Quinn and Stephen Rea.
The 2015 edition will take place from Thursday, March 19th until Sunday, March 22nd.
For more information, please visit www.irishfilmfestival.com.
