Inspired by traditional Arabic ensembles, Charlie Barber’s new score is equally dramatic. Performed by musicians playing from two towers flanking each side of the giant silver screen, this is a riveting blend of music and spectacle unlike anything else.

“[Barber] uses a vast range of instruments … to create an evocative soundscape that mirrors the exotic costumes and Salomé’s erotic allure.” (The Guardian)

“An amazing experience. Before coming I was rather uncertain that I would get anything out of it, but I was bowled over.” (Patron, Chris Nicholls, Milton Keynes)

The Pier which was filmed in New York and in various locations in West Cork including Goleen, Ballydehob, Dunmanus, Schull, Skibbereen, Castletownsend, Castlehaven, Tragumna and Bantry stars Karl Johnson, Gerard Hurley and Lili Taylor. After twenty years of no contact with his son, Larry McCarthy (Karl Johnson) pretends to be dying in order to trick his son, Jack (Gerard Hurley) into returning home to West Cork. When Jack arrives he is furious to find that his father is alive and kicking and, if anything even more furious, when he’s tricked into staying.

The Pier is a delicately paced story that pits father and son against one another in a battle that is as old as humanity. While the viewer longs for reconciliation, director Gerard Hurley is a masterful storyteller and it’s never quite apparent whether the two protagonists will figuratively bury the hatchet or literally bury a hatchet in one another.

The dates of screening are

Sunday, January 29th, IFI Dublin

Tuesday, February 2nd, Classic Listowel, Kerry

Friday, February 3rd, 4th, 5th, Skibbereen Town Hall, Co Cork

Friday, February 3rd – Feb 9th, Eye Cinema, Galway

Saturday, February 4th, 7th, 8th, 9th Park Cinema, Clonakilty, Co Cork

Sunday, February 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th, Cinemax Bantry, Co Cork

Sunday, February 5th,6th,7th,8th Qand A on 5th, Triskel Arts Centre, Cork

Monday, February 6th, 7th, Macroom Briary Gap, Cork

Tuesday, February 7th, Phoenix Cinema, Dingle, Kerry

Thursday, February 9th, Carrick On Shannon Multiplex

Wednesday, February 15th, 18th, The Model Sligo

Tickets for The Pier are available by contacting the venues directly. For more information see www.thepierfilm.com

Starring Lawrence Olivier and Marilyn Monroe

Starring Robert Donat, Madeline Carroll and Peggy Ashcroft

With over five hundred films submitted to the 2011 Kerry Film Festival the adjudicators and audience had the unenviable task of selecting the very best films from a superbly talented group of films and filmmakers.

Here are the results…..

The Best Animated Short Film as adjudicated by Norton Virgien

THE LIFE, DEATH AND SUFFER STORY- Directed by Anna Fitzsimmons

Special Mention goes to Birdboy directed by Pedro Rivero

The Best Documentary Short as adjudicated by Geoffrey Smith

SCENT OF STRAWBERRIES – Directed by Guy Natanel

The Best Student Short as adjudicated by Grainne Humphreys, Jameson Dublin International Film Festival

THE CENTRE OF THE UNIVERSE – Directed by Brian Dunsten

The Best Irish Narrative Short as adjudicated by Cillian Murphy

BULLDOG – Directed by Steve Earles

The Best Short Film / Director as adjudicated by Paul Greengrass

IT’S NATURAL TO BE AFRAID – Directed by Justin Doherty / Written by Neil Fox

The Audience Award

NEITZSCHE NO 5 – Directed by Shaun O’Connor

The hour long documentary, originally commissioned by the Seanchaí Literary & Cultural Centre, Listowel, was filmed by Minister Deenihan with the help of RTÉ documentary maker Maurice Healy.  The film explores the historical, cultural, social and economic lives of the communities which live along the River Feale and how the river has inspired a generation of writers and artists.  Featuring stunning aerial photography and archive footage the documentary traces the Feale’s journey as it rises in North Cork and flows through West Limerick and North Kerry.

For the Minister whose constituency, like the Feale, spans North Kerry and West Limerick, the making of the documentary was a long time in the planning. In his opening address Minister Deenihan stated “I am delighted that the Kerry Film Festival chose to feature the documentary on ‘The River Feale’ as its opening event.  Coming from the banks of the river it has always been an integral part of our lives here, in and around Finuge and Listowel. It is particularly pleasing to see the story of The Feale captured on film for posterity and great credit is due to those who contributed to its making. The Kerry Film Festival is truly a festival for all ages. This year alone, over 2000 children have received film appreciation workshops through the Kerry Film Festival outreach programme”

The Minister also added “I am particularly looking forward to the work of the award winning director and cinematographer from Listowel, PJ Dillon – films to be shown include “My Brothers” & “Rewind” that will be screened at the Classic Cinema in Listowel.”

“It’s fitting that we can give pride of place to this locally made film which documents such a well loved feature of the county,” said KFF Director Sarah Smyth. “I’m delighted that the Minister could be here to help us kick-off a week long celebration of film from around the globe, and I can’t think of a better way to do it than with a film made right here.”

Kerry Film Festival continues until November 5th.

A night of hot swing jazz with Dj Gary Baus. Jump, jive, romp and stomp to the best big band swing your mama never heard. Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Chick Webb, Benny Goodman, Artie Shaw, and many more. So come out and party like it’s 1939!

Tickets are €5 and will be available at the door.

Fionnula Flanagan is the 2011 recipient of the Maureen O’Hara Award for women who have excelled in the art of film

Kerry Film Festival is delighted to announce that the recipient of this years Maureen O’Hara Award for women who have excelled in the art of film, will be celebrated actress Fionnula Flanagan.

Described as one of the most varied actresses in film history Fionnula Flanagan has made an impact on the stage, in feature films, and on the small screen.  Most recently she appeared in The Guard with Brendan Gleeson and Dom Cheadle and is well known as the recurring character Eloise Hawking in ABC’s TV phenomenon Lost.

The intensity and variety of her work is evident in her remarkable filmography which includes feature films James Joyce’s Women, Ulysses, Waking Ned, A State of Emergency, Reflections, Final Verdict, the Academy Award winning In The Region of Ice and the critically acclaimed Some Mother’s Son, in which she starred with Helen Mirren.

‘I am delighted and very honoured to be invited to receive the Maureen O’Hara Award at the Kerry Film Festival 2011′ commented Flanagan. ‘It is fitting and generous of Maureen to lend her name to an award that acknowledges the work of actresses following in her footsteps, who are as passionate about film as she herself proved to be in her long and successful career as a true Hollywood film star. I am proud to be able to support the Kerry Film Festival since in these troubling economic times, not just for Ireland, but for the whole world, I believe it is important to keep the arts alive. It is the painters, the poets, the storytellers, the film makers who give us all a different way of looking at life, who remind us of our frailty, our longing, and our potential. However, of all the arts film is unique.  Through the lens of the camera we get to see the power contained in the mere raising of an eyebrow, the averting of the gaze, the smile suppressed, and we realize we are all members of the human family. Racially, culturally, politically, religiously, we are all different, and nuanced in our diversity. However, it is the intimate, indelible images captured by the film camera that offer us, seated together in the dark,  the sense memory and anticipation, deep in our DNA, of having our hearts broken. And that is how we know we are human. Perhaps it is the only proof we really have.

‘I will be thrilled to present Fionnula Flanagan with this year’s award at the Kerry Film Festival’, said Maureen O’Hara, ‘It’s a pleasure to honour such a remarkable actress who epitomises all that the award has come too represent over the last four years.’

Kerry Film Festival’s Maureen O’Hara Award, kindly sponsored by Killarney Crystal, acknowledges women who have excelled in film, being named in honour of O’Hara who is undoubtedly one of Hollywood’s best loved actresses.  Past recipients include Juliette Binoche, Rebecca Miller, and Brenda Fricker.

The award ceremony which takes place at Siamsa Tíre in Tralee at 2.00pm on November 5th, is the culmination of a week long celebration of film at the Kerry Film Festival with new Irish and international short film competitions, special feature screenings, workshops and events.  It will be hosted by radio and TV personality, Dave Fanning and will feature screenings of the winning short films as selected by this year’s illustrious adjudicators Paul Greengrass, Norton Virgien and Cillian Murphy.