Screening of STUDS Sells Out Siamsa Tire

The Samhlaiocht Kerry Film Festival, which is this year celebrating eighth years of bringing films to the people of Kerry, is celebrating a stellar opening to the festival with a sell out screening of Paul Mercier's film STUDS, which took place in Siamsa Tire Tralee at 7.30 pm on Saturday 27th of October.

The Festival was officially launched by Arts Council Member and well-know Kerry Filmmaker Philip King. Louis Mulcahy, the well known potter who is Chairperson of the Samhlaiocht Kerry Film Festival welcomed Philip and the assembled guests to Siamsa and regaled them with some of the highlights of this year's festival.

Philip held the crowd enthralled with his opening speech which was both humorous and poignant. Beginning with an anecdote of how his love of film was engendered in his youth when he used to dress as a cowboy to go to the Saturday morning Western. "But we had to leave our guns at the counter," he laughed before giving a moving and heartfelt speech about the importance of the Arts, and the link between imagination, film, business and culture. He also praised Samhlaiocht, which means 'Imagination' as Gaeilge, and the work it does, not only with the Kerry Film Festival but with its other festivals and events.

Paul Mercier the director of STUDS, which stars Brendan Gleeson and his son Domhnall, was then introduced and a lively Questions & Answers session followed. When asked what it was like to work with a star of the stature of Brendan Gleeson, Paul jokingly said, "It was wonderful, but having said that his son Domhnall, is standing in the room so I have to be careful about what I say!"

After the opening speeches the sell out crowd moved into the auditorium for the screening of the feature. The audience thoroughly enjoyed the feel good action comedy, a film that follows the cup run of an amateur football team and the magical effects of a mysterious new manager, played by Brendan Gleeson, at one point bursting into spontaneous applause when the beleaguered team scores its first goal!

The screening went down like a striker in a crowded penalty area before finishing, again to thunderous applause, at a little after 10.30.

The Kerry Film Festival also launched the 'Still Moving' exhibition on Saturday, October 27th. The exhibition, which is a selection of work by contemporary Irish artists Brian Fay, Andrew Folan, Tom Moore, Isabel Nolan and Niamh O' Malley, brings together a selection of work by artists who chose to cross the traditional media, digital media, film spectrum.

It is the first time such high-caliber, cutting-edge, contemporary artists have been brought to Kerry and the film audience appreciated the filmic narratives that exist in the works, some of which are on loan from the Arts Council Collection.

For more information and details on all exhibitions and screenings please contact Kerry Film Festival by logging onto www.kerryfilmfestival.com or calling 066 712 9934.

The Samhlaiocht Kerry Film Festival is made possible through the on going support of Samhlaiocht by The Arts Council, Kerry County Council, Failte Ireland and generous corporate sponsorship of Kerry Group.

Kerry Film Festival representatives attend Cannes and Venice Film Festivals in 2007

Representatives of the Kerry Film Festival attended both the Cannes Film Festival and the Venice Film Festival in 2007 promoting the Kerry Film Festival to international filmmakers, networking with other festival representatives, and helping to increase awareness of the Kerry Film Festival on the international circuit.

Kerry Film Festival understands the importance of the unique networking opportunities presented at these events and the efforts in 2007 have created new opportunities including festival twinning and filmmakers' seminar opportunities with European and American organisations and festivals.

The programme for the 2007 Kerry Film Festival includes a seminar presented in partnership with Chapman University, USA, resulting from meetings held at Cannes, and many of the films presented in our shorts competition were a result of the contacts made during that trip.

Links with our Italian festival partner were strengthened by visiting the Venice Film Festival, a trip which also allowed Kerry Film Festival staff to promote the event to a new network of film industry representative.

2008 will see international film represented in greater numbers with plans for twinning with the Krakow Film Festival in Poland, Huesca Film Festival in Spain, San Francisco Irish Film Festival and the Chicago Irish Film Festival in the USA, joining our existing film exchange partner Filmare in Italy to bring the best of international short films to the Irish audience and the best of Irish short film to a worldwide audience.

Our mission is to provide opportunity for international filmmakers and audience to attend the Kerry Film Festival and to appreciate the tradition of visual storytelling that prevails not only in County Kerry but amongst Irish Filmmakers.

Attendance at these festivals was made possible through the generous support of Culture Ireland and Fáilte Ireland.

Two Topical Documentaries take Centre Stage in Killarney Screenings

In the week that President George W. Bush announced that he's to meet the Dalai Lama, Tibet and the horrific human rights abuses that are being perpetrated by the Chinese regime on the Tibetans, is very much in the media.

The U.S. Congress has decided to award its Congressional Gold Medal to the exiled Tibetan Buddhist leader, who Beijing condemns as a vile separatist. The Gold Medal is the highest civilian honour that the U.S. congress can bestow on an individual and has been awarded to Sir Winston Churchill, Pope John Paul II, Mother Teresa and former South African president Nelson Mandela.

The American House of Representatives decided to give the award to the Dalai Lama, who is also winner of the 1989 Nobel Peace Prize, alluding to his "many enduring and outstanding contributions to peace, nonviolence, human rights, and religious understanding."

Despite fleeing his Himalayan homeland in 1959, the Dalai Lama is hugely popular in his homeland and world leaders are increasingly willing to meet the exiled leader and risk Beijing's anger. German leader Angela Merkel met with him last month and this will be the first time that a sitting U.S. President will appear alongside him in public.

Staying with the global theme of Tibet but bringing the focus back to Kerry - the 8th annual Kerry Film Festival which runs from October 27th to November 3rd is screening two films that focus on Tibet. Both films play in The Malton Hotel in Killarney - first up is TIBETANS. A LIFE IN EXILE which screens on Tuesday, October 30th at 8:00 pm and then on Wednesday, October 31st VAJRA SKY OVER TIBET also plays in The Malton at 8:00 pm.

'Tibetans. A Life in Exile' was directed by Robb Bradstock a potter originally from England who visited Ireland when he was 19, fell in love with the place and moved to Macroom soon after. Anyone who has traveled to Cork from Kerry has passed by his pottery. He is well known in the pottery world but this is his first foray into Film Making.

"In 1989, my wife, Meredith, and I made our first trip to the Indian Himalayas where we became involved in an unofficial mountain rescue that lasted several months," explained Robb, "and it was during this time that we had our first contact with the Dalai Lama and Tibetans living in exile."

Intrigued? He explains a little more about the 'unofficial' mountain rescue. "It's actually quite a story," says Robb. "An Irish man went missing and the Indian Government was of little or no use. I was good friends with a close friend of his and because Meredith and I were familiar with the area having spent a few months trekking there. We formed a party of about 150 to 200 people to help with the search. It was an amazingly bonding experience but ultimately tragic as we found the body after two months."

And just like Robb had fallen in love with Ireland, Northern India and Dharamsala and the Tibetans in exile that lived there captured a place in his heart.

They returned to India in 1991 and again in 1994 when Robb made a Radio Doc for RTE. Robb didn't return to the area again until 2003 when he was appalled at the changes and what he felt was the deterioration in life of the Tibetan Exiles.

"In those few years I could see the place had gotten much more commercial, there were more hotels, you would see monks with mobile phones," however, he's not unaware of the irony of his situation, he laughs, "and I suppose me going there to make films doesn't help either."

But make a film he did and it's an amazing piece of material, wonderfully capturing the essence of life in exile.

"I think the idea for the film grew organically," says Robb. "It started with the Radio Documentary but when I returned in 2003 I felt I just had to make the film."

Vajra Sky Over Tibet is a different kettle of fish. It's a cinematic pilgrimage to central Tibet, bearing witness to the indomitable faith of its Buddhist community and the imminent threat to its very survival.

Travelling through breathtaking Himalayan terrain, Vajra Sky journeys to legendary temples, monasteries and festivals, while revealing the almost criminal policy of Chinese authorities to destroy this ancient wisdom tradition from within.

Both films play in Killarney: Tibetans. A Life in Exile plays on Tuesday, October 30th at 8:00 pm while Vajra Sky Over Tibet plays at 8:00 pm on Wednesday, October 31st. Tickets are prices at 7 euro. Robb will be in attendance at the screening for a Questions and Answers session with the audience, while the editor of Vajra Sky, Donal O' Ceilleachair, who hails from Cork will be at the second screening. Donal will also give a Documentary Workshop as part of the festival. The workshop is free but places are strictly limited. For tickets and workshop details please log onto www.kerryfilmfestival.com or call 066 712 9934

The Samhlaiocht Kerry Film Festival is made possible through the on going support of Samhlaiocht by The Arts Council, Kerry County Council, Failte Ireland and generous corporate sponsorship of Kerry Group.

Kerry Film Festival, which is this year celebrating eighth years of bringing films to the people of Kerry, is delighted to announce its stellar line up of Tralee Screenings. Taking centre stage this year are two features that have a decidedly 'Sporty' theme. First up is Paul Mercier's action packed comedy STUDS which is the official opening night film and screens in Siamsa Tire on Saturday, October 27th at 8:30 pm. Then on Sunday night, October 28th, also playing in Siamsa Tire at the slightly earlier time of 8:00 pm is Maurice Healy's documentary THE GREEN AND THE GOLD, which reflects on the highs and lows of Kerry Football throughout the last hundred and twenty years.

STUDS, which stars Brendan Gleeson and his son, Domhnall, is a feel-good action comedy that follows the cup-run of an amateur football team and the magical effects of a mysterious new manager, played by Gleeson.

Playing on a wind swept rainy pitch with a hangover was never easy for the players of amateur Sunday league football club Emmet Rovers - especially when they're bottom of the league. With no manager, no ambition and, soon, no ground if the developers have their way, it's all a little too much for the ever-suffering captain Bubbles (Wilmot) who is on the verge of hanging up his boots. But just as the team is about to collapse into another dressing room fight, in walks larger-than-life Walter Keegan (Gleeson) who proposes to take over the team.

And with director Paul Mercier and Domhnall Gleeson in attendance it's bound to be a 'winner' of a screening!

There's only one thing Kerry is better known for than the Arts and that's football and in Siamsa on Sunday, October 28th, Kerry Film Festival launches THE GREEN AND THE GOLD an historical documentary of the Kingdom's favourite sons with footballers past and present on hand to speak about football.

THE GREEN AND THE GOLD, directed by Maurice Healy, is a wonderful documentary reflecting on the highs and lows of Kerry football from the arrival of the new game in the county in the 1880's, to the Kingdom's 34th All-Ireland title in 2006 via the triumph of football over bitter Civil War divisions bringing all sides together for the common cause of Kerry football. Other periods highlighted include the Down/Kerry encounters of the early 1960s, the famed Kerry/Dublin sagas of the 70's, the county's four-in-a-row between 1978 and 1981 and the 1982 'gift-taken-away', when Offaly deprived Kerry of that elusive five-in-a-row.

Contributors include: Eugene McGee, Tony Hanahoe, Eoghan Corry, Dara O Cinneide, Micheal O Muircheartaigh, Mick O' Dwyer, Paida O Se, Pat Spillane

In addition to the feature presentations, Kerry Film Festival also delights in bringing the best and brightest young film makers from around the globe to Kerry. With a slew of screenings and workshops in The Old Presbytery and screenings galore in The Imperial Hotel, Kerry Film Festival promises to delight all film fans.

Tickets for STUDS and THE GREEN & THE GOLD cost 7 euro and are on sale now. Tickets may be purchased from the Siamsa Tire box office on 066 712 3055. Tickets for all Short Film Programmes cost 5 euro and may be purchased directly from Kerry Film Festival on 066 712 9934. For information and details on all screenings please contact Kerry Film Festival by logging onto www.kerryfilmfestival.com or calling 066 712 9934.

The 8th annual Samhlaiocht Kerry Film Festival has a jam packed calendar of wonderful events, a mix of popular old venues and screenings that offer something for everyone!

The Samhlaiocht Kerry Film Festival promises, as ever, a wealth of the best Irish and International Short Films. It's offering a 500 euro prize in each of four categories - Best Irish Narrative Short, Best International Narrative Short, Best Documentary Short and Best Animated Short, with the Animated Short category being sponsored by Cork Film Centre, while also offering a top cash prize of 5,000 euro for the Best Director!

And to adjudicate the shorts the Festival has lined up a stellar panel of Judges - Gabriel Byrne, the Irish actor and Oscar nominated Producer will judge the Best Director prize; Trevor Groth, Sundance Film Festival, will judge International Shorts; Eric Simonson, an Oscar Winning Documentary Director will adjudicate the Doc prize; David Flynn, the only Hollywood based Irish agent and producer of the recent Liam Neeson and Pierce Brosnan film, Seraphim Falls, will judge the Irish Shorts; while Max Le Cain from Cork Film Centre will pick the best Animated Short.

The list of short films on offer range from the hilarious to the very serious, the Irish short TEETH, is an example of the former while FOWL is a perfect example of the latter. Over 300 short films were submitted to this year's competition, nearly doubling the entries received last year, and these have been pared down through a rigorous screening process to just over 60 short films that appear in 8 separate programmes that screen through out Kerry.

TEETH recently scooped the Best Irish Short Film prize at the Galway Film Fleadh and is based on a story one of the two directors, Ruairi O' Brien, heard from his actor father, Niall O' Brien, who stars in the film with Niall Tobin. It's a wonderful example of how powerfully funny the short film format can be in the hands of a talented director. It plays as part of the IRISH NARRATIVE SHORTS 2 on October 30th.

FOWL, on the other hand, is a short documentary that examines modern mans' dependence on horrifically cruel methods of food production. Reminiscent of SUPERSIZE ME, it focuses on Chicken production and compares the traditional and modern methods of food production while wondering about the effects of globalisation on our food supply system. It plays as part of the IRISH DOCUMENTARY SHORTS program on November 1st.

In addition to the strong Irish contingent KFF brings the best and brightest International short films to Kerry for the festival with films from right across the globe. The selected shorts offer a selection of films starring big names tired of the confines of features such as CLUB SODA, directed by Paul Carafotes and starring and produced by James Gandolfini of Soprano's fame, while ON A TUESDAY is a seamless short film and proves beyond a doubt that some of the best work being done on film can be found in independent shorts. Both films play as part of KFF's INTERNATIONAL NARRATIVE SHORTS 1 program.

In addition to Kerry Film Festival's Short Screenings it has significantly expanded its Feature Screenings - Siamsa Tire in Tralee screens the Opening Night Film, the Irish Feature, STUDS on Saturday October 27th, with director Paul Mercier in attendance. The KFF Irish Language Program sees the most influential Irish Language Film of the past thirty years, POITIN, and the best Irish Language Film of the year, CRE NA CILLE, play in Dingle on October 29th in a tantalising double header. POITIN was directed by Bob Quinn while his son Robert took the helm for CRE NA CILLE. Between the films, the filmmakers will be introduced and interviewed by Kerry's Dara O Cinneide. Listowel plays host to the terrible two-some of Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez for DEATH PROOF and PLANET TERROR and also screens the Sundance Award Winning Documentary, IN THE SHADOW OF THE MOON, while Killarney sees local film makers screen premiers of their Feature films. TIBETANS. A LIFE IN EXILE will screen on Tuesday, October 30th while continuing the Tibetan theme the highly acclaimed film VAJRA SKY OVER TIBET will screen on Wednesday, October 31st. Newcomer Kevin Murphy, a native of Killarney, will be in attendance when his directorial debut screens on Thursday, November 1st. All Killarney screenings take place at 8:00 pm in The Malton Hotel.

Kerry Film Festival has a veritable feast for music lovers lined up with the ever popular Gortbrack Farm musical documentary returning with a screening of BE HERE TO LOVE ME, a wonderful doc about Townes Van Zandt - a musician about whom Steve Earle offered to "stand on Bob Dylan's coffee table in my cowboy boots" to declare him the world's greatest songwriter!

The KFF workshop programme has also been expanded with a Directing Master-Class by Director Paul Mercier, a Documentary Master-Class from film maker Donal O Ceilleachair and Cork Film Centre's Gunther Berkus lined up to teach a Master Class in Cinema 4D.

The Samhlaiocht Kerry Film Festival Education Programme kicks off on Monday, November 5th, with four screenings in Siamsa Tire - WARCHILD, a German Language Film, STRICTLY BALLROOM, the Baz Luhrman film, COMME UN IMAGE, a French Language Film and FIS screenings - five films made by five different primary schools from all around Kerry. The education programme moves to Killarney on November 6th with screenings of THE BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA and THE WIND THAT SHAKES THE BARLEY while Wednesday November 7th sees the programme move back to Tralee with screenings of INSIDE I'M DANCING and THE TRUMAN SHOW before a final screening of COMME UN IMAGE in Listowel.

There's only one thing Kerry is better known for than the Arts and that's football and in Siamsa on Sunday, October 28th we launch THE GREEN AND GOLD an historical documentary of the Kingdom's favourite sons with footballers past and present on hand to speak about football.

The Samhlaiocht Kerry Film Festival is made possible through the on-going support of Samhlaiocht by The Arts Council, Kerry County Council, Failte Ireland and generous corporate sponsorship of Kerry Group.