Opening Night Huge Success

The opening night of the 10th annual Kerry Film Festival was a huge success with bumper crowds coming out to enjoy THE RACE.

Niamh McGirr the young star of the film received a standing ovation from the crowd who were won over by her lovely personality.

The film went down a treat and the audience went home having thoroughly enjoyed the evening.

The Race Announced as Opening Night Film

Film Festivals are special places where dreams come true on the big screen and this is often as true for the filmmakers as it is for the audience. The Opening Night film at the Kerry Film Festival is a movie where dreams come true and it's suitable for all! Starring Colm Meaney and new comer, Niamh McGirr, THE RACE is an Irish Film that's both inspirational and, ultimately, uplifting.

"The opening night film this year is a little bit special," said Jason O' Mahony, Director of the Kerry Film Festival. "It's a wonderful Irish film, which reminded me a little of Billy Elliott; except the star of THE RACE is a girl! Niamh McGirr puts in a wonderful performance as the brave and plucky Mary, who has a dream and is determined to see it through."

The actress, Niamh McGirr, will be on hand at the film which screens in Siamsa Tire on Saturday, October 31st. The film screening takes place at 8:00 pm but attendees are encouraged to arrive a little early for a wine reception which begins at 7:30 pm. Tickets are available from the Siamsa box office on 066 712 3055 and cost 10euro, including wine reception.

The film centers around eleven-year-old Mary, played by Niamh McGirr, who lives with her estranged parents on a struggling farm in rural Antrim. With her exasperated mother and proud, stubborn father, played by Colm Meaney, constantly at each other's throats over lack of funds and the future of the farm, life at home is far from ideal.

But Mary has plans; big plans. Ever since she can remember, she has dreamed of becoming a racing driver, so when a rich local farmer sets up a go-cart race down in the valley, she can't resist the chance to enter. But with opposition from home, general scorn from the community and the fact that she is a girl trying to make it in a boy's world, the road to success is never going to be easy.

But Mary doesn't give in. With perseverance, determination and a little help from her loyal friend, Tom, she sets about building a go-cart until, eventually, her spirit and dedication win over the most unlikely hearts. The Race is an inspirational drama in the best tradition of Billy Elliot - a film guaranteed to warm the heart.

The film maintains a wonderful balance between young Mary's dream to be a racing car driver and the realism of the difficult financial times in which it is set. Because the story is relatively straightforward the brilliance comes from the performances and the subtle touches throughout the film. The movie is charming and entertaining in equal measure and will be a treat for all, young and old alike. And with the star of the film attending and a wine reception, the night is sure to delight!

Guest Lecture with Tomm Moore

Room S110, Monday, November 2nd, 2:00 pm
Guest Lecture by Tomm Moore, Director and Animator

Come join Tomm Moore and The Kerry Film Festival in a discussion about Animation and Film. Lecture to take place in the North Campus of the Institute of Technology, Tralee on Monday, November 2nd at 2:00 pm in Room S110, ground floor of the North Campus Technology & Business Building.

Rebecca Miller to pick up Maureen O' Hara Award

Robin Wright Penn, Rebecca Miller and Keanu Reeves

The Kerry Film Festival, which is celebrating ten years of bringing film to Kerry, today announced that Rebecca Miller is to receive an award at the Kerry Film Festival, which runs from October 31st to November 7th.

The award is named in honour of one of the most glamorous leading ladies of Hollywood's golden era, Maureen O' Hara.

"It's an honour to have Rebecca Miller pick up the Award." said Maureen O'Hara. "Rebecca is a wonderful director and it is magnificent to see such a strong character having success in film. One more example of the incredible talent present in today's Ireland. I am absolutely delighted that Rebecca will accept this award and I wish her the very best in her career, in film, and most importantly, in life with her husband and young family."

Rebecca Miller worked as a painter and an actress before becoming a writer and director. She is the author of the short story collection, Personal Velocity (2001), and the novel, The Private Lives of Pippa Lee. For the film version of PERSONAL VELOCITY (2002), she won several awards, including the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival. She has also written and directed the award-winning films ANGELA (1995), THE BALLAD OF JACK AND ROSE (2005), which starred her husband Daniel Day Lewis, and again premiered at the 2005 Sundance Film Festival and this year's THE PRIVATE LIVES OF PIPPA LEE (2009).

The Private Lives of Pippa Lee was her first novel and has been published in 30 countries. The film version was released earlier this year, playing at the prestigious Toronto Film Festival, and had a cast that includes Robin Wright Penn, Keanu Reeves, Julianne Moore, Alan Arkin and Winona Ryder.

Rebecca Miller lives in Ireland and New York with her family.

While Maureen O' Hara was undoubtedly one of Hollywood's best loved actresses, she was much more than just a pretty face. When Maureen became an American citizen on January 25, 1946 she retained her Irish citizenship, which was the first time in history that the United States government recognized an Irish citizen as Irish and it led to a change in process for all Irish immigrants. Maureen was also the first female CEO of an American airline company. Whether in the movies, in politics or in business Maureen demonstrated a quality for leadership and a bravery that was extraordinary and Rebecca Miller displays many of the same characteristics.

Maureen currently lives in County Cork and to honour her Kerry Film Festival is screening the John Ford classic THE QUIET MAN.

The Maureen O' Hara Award acknowledges women that have demonstrated outstanding leadership in their respective fields and Rebecca Miller is a most worthy recipient. The award giving will take place at the Kerry Film Festival Awards Ceremony at Fels Point Hotel in Tralee on Saturday, November 7th at 4:00 pm.

The Award Ceremony is the culmination of a week of films at Kerry Film Festival. The Awards ceremony will also feature the screening of award winning short films as adjudicated by Kerry Film Festival's panel of judges Jeremy Irons, Michael Fassbender, Simon Brown and James Christopher.

Jeremy Irons to Adjudicate at Kerry Film Festival

The Kerry Film Festival, which is celebrating ten years of bringing film to the people of Kerry, today announced the adjudicators for the 2009 Kerry Film Festival, which runs from October 31st to November 7th.

The adjudicators that will judge this year's Kerry Film Festival short film competitions are:
Jeremy Irons, Michael Fassbender, Simon Brown and James Christopher.

"The Kerry Film Festival is delighted to announce its line up of adjudicators," said Jason O' Mahony, Director, Kerry Film Festival. "From Jeremy Irons, an Oscar winning actor and one of the finest actors of all time; to Michael Fassbender, who set the film world alight with his unflinching portrayal of Bobby Sands in Steve McQueen's HUNGER, a role which, for my money at least, should have seen him win an Oscar; to James Christopher, one of the most respected film critics in the world and Chief Critic on The Times in the UK for many years; to Simon Brown, a fantastic Irish animator, who was lead animator on the recent Ice Age films and also worked with James Cameron on the upcoming AVATAR, every member of the adjudication panel is at the very forefront of their chosen profession and we're absolutely thrilled that they have decided to help adjudicate the 2009 Kerry Film Festival."

"This will be the tenth year of the Kerry Film Festival and both the quantity and quality of the films has risen year on year," continued O' Mahony. "And we felt it was important to have an adjudication panel of the very highest standing to adjudicate the short films. We're hugely grateful to all the adjudicators for giving so selflessly of their time and for agreeing to adjudicate at this year's Kerry Film Festival."

The adjudicators have the unenviable task of selecting the best films from this year's selection. Close to five hundred films were submitted to the 2009 Kerry Film Festival, up significantly on the total number of films submitted last year and more than double the number of films submitted in previous years.

For a brief Bio on the Adjudicators please see below:

Jeremy Irons
Jeremy Irons is one of today's most respected actors and has been honored for his work on stage, screen and television. He won an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for his chilling portrayal of Claus von Bulow in REVERSAL OF FORTUNE and won an Emmy, a Golden Globe and a Screen Actors Guild Award for his performance in ELIZABETH I.

From roles in THE MISSION and David Cronenberg's DEAD RINGERS to roles in David Lynch's INLAND EMPIRE, Ridley Scott's KINGDOM OF HEAVEN and THE MERCHANT OF VENICE with Al Pacino, Irons has displayed a talent and acting range that has seldom, if ever, been matched.

Michael Fassbender
Michael Fassbender exploded on the Film world with his unflinching portrayal of Bobby Sands in Steve McQueen's Cannes Film Festival Camera D'or winning HUNGER. He is one of the hottest young actors on the planet with acclaimed directors lining up to work with him. Last seen in Quentin Tarantino's INGLORIOUS BASTERDS, Michael, who grew up in Killarney, is a most welcome addition to the Kerry Film Festival Adjudication Panel.

Simon Brown
Simon Brown grew up in the countryside of Co. Clare, Ireland where he read books about the space-time continuum and practiced painting. It was an ideal background for his work as a visual effects artist which has led him around the world to London, California, New York and New Zealand. He's worked on many films including MATRIX REVOLUTIONS, STAR WARS - REVENGE OF THE SITH, ICE AGE - THE MELTDOWN and the upcoming AVATAR. Simon has just been accepted into the prestigious American Film Institute Conservatory for their directing program where he will further develop his craft.

James Christopher
James Christopher is a distinguished author and critic who has contributed to numerous newspapers. He was deputy theatre editor of Time Out Magazine, theatre critic for the Sunday Express, and for many years chief film critic of The Times. He has been the subject of several BBC documentaries. His book on Elizabeth Taylor: The Illustrated Biography is a much-loved staple. He lives in Essex but has spent many happy weeks in Kerry, notably Camp on the Dingle peninsula.

New Courses in Galway Film Centre

New courses in Galway Film Centre include:

Advanced Camera Course - Hi-Def XDCAM and Digibeta
This course will introduce participants to these broadcast quality cameras, through a series of practical lighting exercises, based on documentary and magazine style shooting techniques. The transfer software of the XDCAM 700 (new required shooting format for RTE), which records onto card, will also be demonstrated. The course is suited to those who have experience of shooting on other formats.

About the tutor:
Ger has worked on features films such as King Arthur, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (camera assistant/operator). He also shot the award winning TV series In the Name of the Fada. Other work includes U2 Slane Concert DVD, Hands (RTE Documentary), The Rainbow Children, Calcutta (TG4 Documentary), Eddie (TG4 Documentary), St Isidores, Rome (TG4 documentary) and outside broadcast work.

Dates: 1 weekend, 10th & 11th October
Fee: 220 unwaged / 260 waged (includes membership to the Centre)
Tutor: Ger Conway
Class size: Strictly limited to 6
Contact: education@galwayfilmcentre.ie or 091-770748 for further information or to book.