Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival, Dublin’s premier film event, has announced that legendary actor Ralph Fiennes will be the recipient of a Volta award at this year’s festival, which opened on Wednesday and runs until March 3rd.
The Volta Award is the festival’s most prestigious award and is given to individuals who have made a significant contribution to the world of film. Ralph Fiennes will be presented with the Volta by Irish actor John Kavanagh (who Fiennes directed in The Invisible Woman) after a screening of The White Crow at Cineworld (Mar 1st, 8.40pm) . The film tells the story of ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev’s defection to the West and which Fiennes both directed and stars in. Alongside Carlos Acosta’s Yuli (Feb 24th, Cineworld) it is one of two ballet themed films at this year’s festival. Fiennes will be joined by writer of The White Crow, the BAFTA winning Sir David Hare for a Q&A with arts journalist Helen Meany. Sir David Hare was awarded the Volta Award in 2016, he is best known for his acclaimed screenplays of The Hours and The Reader.
Actor, producer and director Fiennes first achieved success at the Royal National Theatre. He is known for roles in Schindler’s List and The English Patient, both of which he was nominated for an Academy Award. Previous recipients of a Volta include Al Pacino, Julie Andrews, Kenneth Branagh, Angela Lansbury and Danny DeVito.
Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival also announced today that sailors Jo Gooding and Angela Heath will attend the premiere of Maiden (Feb 25th, Light House). This critically acclaimed sailing documentary centres on the first ever all-female crew to enter the Whitbread Round the World Race in 1989. At its core is a fascinating subject, Tracy Edwards, a young cook on charter boats who gets to skipper the team as they attempt to break new ground and make history. At great personal sacrifice, Edwards and her team set out to defy convention and sexism and smash a glass ceiling. Jo and Angela, who sails out of Dun Laoghaire, were members of the inspirational 1989 crew.
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Virgin Media DIFF season tickets and gift vouchers are also available. For more information visit www.diff.ie