The seventh annual Clones Film Festival takes place this week from 22nd to 26th of October, and promises the usual mix of great cinema, celebrity guests, film competitions, and fabulous music:
This year's festival promises five days of excitement and entertainment by the bagful, both for the locals, and the wider community of film fans who flock to the town for the weekend.
The programme this year has a strong local flavour and presents, to a degree, a showcase for the manifold cinematic talents of the region.
The opening night screening, tonight at 8.00pm, is a short feature, by Scotshouse filmmaker Jackie Jarvis, on the life and times of Clones' own Sean Mc Quillan. Jarvis, whose touching tribute to her grandfather Pat Mc Caul was an extremely well received entry in last year's Scanbitz Challenge, has delighted the folk at Clones Film Festival by agreeing to open the event.
Music on the night will be provided by the incomparable Italian pianist Alberto Gariglio ....who will serenade the crowds for the evening.
LITERARY NIGHT
Thursday night is dedicated Literary Night at the restored Courthouse in Clones, with a chance to see Monaghan man Dara Mc Cluskey's Arts Lives documentary on Clones legend Pat McCabe, plus "Three Days in Summer", a beautiful meditation on the life and work of Leitrim writer John Mc Gahern. Also included is a collection of shorts entitled 'Nead an Dreolín' (The Wren's Nest) which are the poems of six Irish language poets set to film. The Literary Evening starts at 9.00pm.
The world exclusive preview of "The Last Confession of Alexander Pearce" is set to take place on Friday night at 8.00pm in the Lennard Arms Hotel. Ciaran McMenamin, the Fermanagh man who plays Alexander Pearce, will be attending on the night and answering questions from the audience.
Saturday sees the special screening of "Anton", which was written by and stars Anthony Fox from Cavan, as an idealistic man who becomes enmeshed in violent republican politics.
Set in 1970s Cavan as the conflagration in Northern Ireland is taking hold, Anton emerges as a character whose desire to do right brings terrible choices and consequences.
Patrick Clarke, Producer, and Rachel Rath, who stars in the film, will both take part in an "In Conversation" piece after the screening which will be followed by a solo set from Greg Pearle, performing what 'Dubliner' magazine have described as the "heartbreakingly beautiful" score from this amazing new movie.
Graham Cantwell, Director of 'Anton', will conduct a director's masterclass on Sunday the 26th of October at 1.30pm in the Lennard Arms Hotel. Given his extensive directing experience in documentary, music videos and film, this is a great opportunity to engage with a cutting edge Irish director in an intimate setting.
The masterclass must be booked in advance at the Lennard Arms, for a fee of just 10 Euros. Call 00353-47-51075 or e-mail HYPERLINK "mailto:geraldine@clonesfilmfestival.com" geraldine@clonesfilmfestival.com to reserve places.
THE 'FRANCIES' AWARDS CEREMONY
The "Francies" awards ceremony takes place on Sunday night, in the Lennard Arms, where the prizes for the New Short Drama, Short Documentary and of course the Scanbitz Challenge will take place. 10th Avenue DJs will provide late night musical entertainment, and a great closing hooley is anticipated! Booking is advisable for this event, as it is generally oversubscribed. Tickets 12 Euros again from the Lennard Arms.
CHILDREN'S FILM FESTIVAL
A noteworthy point in the programme are the schools and children's events. Special screenings are organised both for primary and secondary level students; the latter giving a chance for students to view and study foreign language films. There are also Saturday and Sunday morning's children's screenings in the Cinemobile starting at 11.00am and priced at ¤3 per child (minder goes free!).
'Wall-E', the Disney Pixar summer hit, will hit the screen on Saturday at 11.00, and 'The Fox and the Child', which is a beautifully touching feature on the developing relationship between a child and a young vixen, will be shown on Sunday at 11.00 in the Cinemobile.
In conjunction with Clones Library a Film Review Competition was organised to coincide with this year's festival, and the response was phenomenal.
