29th Galway Film Fleadh

#FilmFleadh: The 29th Galway Film Fleadh kicks off

The Galway Film Fleadh kicked off its 29th edition on Tuesday with a sold-out crowd for its opening film, Song of Granite, by director Pat Collins. At the opening night gala, Film Fleadh Chair Kate O’Toole urged audiences to take full advantage of the diversity of films and filmmakers available in the city during the film festival’s six days.  

The celebration of all things film continues Wednesday with the Judd Apatow-produced film, The Big Sick, a comedy romance starring Kumail Nanjiani (Silicon Valley, Portlandia). There’s also Spoor, a quirky murder mystery billed as a ‘Polish Fargo’ from acclaimed director Agnieszka Holland, and Tiger Girl, a German femme street fighter flick.

In the Name of Peace: John Hume in America
In the Name of Peace: John Hume in America

Highlights for Thursday include the documentary In the Name of Peace: John Hume in America, focusing on the Nobel Peace Prize winner and how he leveraged U.S. support for peace in Northern Ireland; A Ghost Story, a supernatural romance from director David Lowery (Ain’t Them Bodies Saints) reuniting stars Casey Affleck and Rooney Mara; and Inertia Variations, a candid portrait of English band The The, playing as part of the Fleadh’s music documentary programme.

The Farthest
The Farthest

Films to catch this weekend include the wondrous space exploration documentary The Farthest from director Emer Reynolds; Condemned to Remember, a powerful portrait of Irish Holocaust survivor Tomi Reichental, of vital viewing considering recent sectarian attacks globally and at home in Galway; God’s Own Country, described as a British Brokeback Mountain, but better; Limbo the latest film from rising star Irish director Gerard Barrett; and Richard the Stork, a fun family animation with an adventurous spin on the ugly duckling story.

Richard the Stork
Richard the Stork

Running alongside all of these film premieres are a number of events that will be of interest to film-goers: panels on short filmmaking and international documentary filmmaking on Friday, an open discussion with directors on Irish cinema on Sunday, Q+A’s with directors and actors and surprise guests throughout the week. 

The Galway Film Fleadh runs at the Town Hall Theatre and other venues throughout the city until Sunday, July 16th. For the full details on all of these screenings and events, visit www.galwayfilmfleadh.com or pick up a brochure from the Town Hall Theatre.