Now going into its 9th year, the Underground Cinema Film Festival has once again created a new programme showcasing adventurous independent filmmaking, in which boundaries are explored, pushed and often broken. The creative means employed in these films will take audiences on a wild ride towards the future of cinematic storytelling. This year’s festival runs Saturday, August 31st to Sunday, September 2nd.
Hosted in the Royal Marine Hotel in the seaside town of Dun Laoghaire in County Dublin, the festival transforms Dun Laoghaire, the home town of the National Film School in to a hub of creativity and film appreciation. Over the past nine years the festival has screened just over 1,000 films from 40 countries from all over the world.
The Underground Cinema Film Festival is sponsored by Spearhead Gin, and funded by Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council.
Tickets can be purchased online at www.ucff.ie or front of house in the Royal Marine Hotel
Follow and tag on Facebook and Twitter. Festival Hashtag: #undergroundcinema18
Selected Highlights
50th Anniversary Screening of Hell in the Pacific – Hell in the Pacific chronicles the mini-war raged between a fallen American pilot and a marooned Japanese Navy Captain on a lump of rock in the middle of the ocean. Over the course of the film, both combatants trade places being the cat and the mouse. The World War II microcosm inevitably fading away as each man chooses human connection over his country’s conflict.
According to John Boorman’s biography, Adventures of a Suburban Boy, Marvin was greatly disturbed by the ceremony, and it sent the Marine deep into the bottle that night. This was simply the beginning of a tumultuous and cantankerous shoot. The Underground Cinema Film Festival are honoured to have John Boorman along to the festival and to speak about his time on this notoriously difficult shoot.
Mini Con – A Mini Con will be held on Sunday September 2nd in Laurels Bar in the Royal Hotel from 12pm to 6pm. There will be a selection of vendors there with some incredible film merchandise and comics. And best of all it’s free admission. The 501st Ireland Garrison and Rebel Legion will be there in full costume on the day with a recruitment drive. The Garrison will be there for photo opportunities and to answer any questions on how to go about getting your own Star Wars costume and becoming a member of the 501st Ireland Garrison and the Rebel Legion.
Mini Con Attendees Include: The National Wax Museum, Dublin City Comics, Big Bang Comics, Dublin Games Festival, Alberich Designs, Retro Ralph, 8 Bit Creations, My Cat Lillith Print, Edzdoodles, The Warchest and many more film and memorabilia stands
Irish Premiere of Heroes of the Empire – Heroes of the Empire is a documentary about the UK garrison of the 501st Legion Star Wars costuming group. The legion has garrisons, squads and outposts worldwide, including Ireland and is the only costuming group with the approval of Lucasfilm/Disney. “Heroes of the Empire” showcases the UK garrison, highlighting what they do, how they came about and the many great causes that they support. It also shows the ordinary people who do extraordinary things that bring smiles and joy to so many. There will be members of the UK garrison at the screening joined by their brothers and sisters from the Ireland Garrison to celebrate this wonderful and insightful film.
Sunday, September 2nd will see the Awards being handed out for Best Short Film, Best International Short Film, Best Student Film, Best Documentary, Best Actor Award, Best Actress Award, Best Director Award, and the Special Achievement Award.
Schedule
Friday August 31st
10.30am – Short Film Program 1
1pm – Short Film Program 2
3.30pm – Short Film Program 3
5pm – White Drugs and Other Vices (World Premiere)
7pm – Hell in the Pacific (Official Opening Film with Introduction and Q&A by John Boorman)
Saturday September 1st
4pm – On The Ball (World Premiere)
5.30pm – Short Film Program 4
8pm – Short Film Program 5
Sunday September 2nd
10am – Student Short Film Program 6
12pm – Comic Con
1pm – Short Film Program 7
3.30pm – Short Film Program 8
7pm Heroes of the Empire (Closing Film)
9pm Awards Ceremony