This Friday night sees the launch of the fifth annual Mid Ulster Film Festival which will feature a diverse programme, run over three days, to suit all cinematic tastes and preferences.

The location is once again the picturesque An Creagán Visitor Centre, halfway

between Omagh and Cookstown, and showcasing over the weekend will be a wide selection of features,

documentaries, shorts,

animation, workshops and seminars.

The festival kicks off with an Opening Gala on Friday night begining at 7.30pm. Hosted by Kevin McAleer it includes performances from musicians, Alberto Gariglio an Italian pianist, Keith

McDermott a jazz guitarist from Omagh, while

performing artists from the Phillipines and a Chinese

Lion Dance are just part of the opening ceremony. The opening film will be the beautiful La Vie En Rose, about the tragic, life of French singer icon, Edith

Piaf.

The film festival is organised on a voluntary basis by Roisin Nevin, Mary Mullin, Geoffrey Sproule and Hugh Mullin, with the help of a loyal band of volunteers. They have been inundated with submissions this year and believe that this year's line-up is the best yet.

The audience at the Mid Ulster Film Festival appreciate the opportunity to watch great films that might not otherwise be shown in Ireland, never mind Tyrone or An Creagán, and celebrates this opportunity with the filmmakers that attend from all over the world.

This year the festival once again boasts an eclectic programme, ranging from socially conscious documentaries, such as 'Woman' and 'The Journey,' to the colourful comedy of 'Un Hombre Tranquilo' (A Quiet Man), to the beautifully created animation of 'Charred and Feathered', mix this with over 50 short films, foreign-language films, workshops and seminars and you have a superb weekend celebration of film.

All this in tranquil surroundings of An Creagán – in one centralised venue, with an intimate atmosphere, that encourages easy networking, be it at the bar, in the restaurant, in the on-site cottages or the free camping that is encouraged at the festival.

The screening highlights this year include:

* The European premiere of 'Woman' (Syria), directed by Ziad Hamzeh, which has just won The Golden Palm Award, the highest honour given to the Best Film In All Categories at The Beverly Hills Film Festival, Hollywood.

* The Irish Premiere of 'She Should Have Gone to The Moon' (UK), directed by Ulrike Kubatta.

* La Vie En Rose – directed by Olivier Dahan

* Days of Glory – directed by Rachid Bouchareb

Other notable screenings include She Should Have Gone to The Moon, completed in October 2007, which presents a uniquely personal chapter in the history of the space race. It tells the astonishing story of the pilot and pioneer, Jerri Truhill, who was trained in 1961, as part of NASA's top secret Mercury 13 programme, to become one of the first lady astronauts. The documentary is a lyrical journey propelled by the childhood aspirations, shattered dreams and a lifelong battle against female stereotypes and male prejudice. It is a film about Jerri Truhill's ambition to conquer the unknown and the filmmaker's fascination with a woman, who dared to break down all barriers in aviation.

In a somewhat similar vein, 'Woman', finished in November 2007, is a feature-length documentary based on the writings, lectures, and life of Nobel Prize nominee, activist Bouthaina Shaaban as she fearlessly ignites awareness while advancing the cause of rights for Arab women – from securing formal acknowledgements throughout the Arab world that women should be afforded basic human rights, to waging an international battle defending the integrity of the real Arab female, all accomplished with the firm hand of diplomacy and the power of her pen.

Ultimately, we come to know her as an inspiring leader who is dedicated to uniting the spirit of humanity into one family on earth. It is Bouthaina's humility and tolerance that elevates people's hopes, fed by the fire of her passion and her quest for a better tomorrow – for everyone. Her enlightened path empowers the souls of those without a voice, invoking the strengths of the courageous, and shedding light onto those whose hearts remain in darkness.

ATTENDING FESTIVAL

The World War II film, Days of Glory, along with winning two top honours at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival, sparked a political firestorm that resulted in France's decision to raise pensions for over 80,000 veterans. This political achievement speaks to the pure power and impact of this moving epic, which will inspire you to remember those who courageously sacrificed their lives.

It tells the tale of a group of African soldiers who join the French in their fight against the Nazis. Although they passionately battle to defend the motherland, a place they've never been, they face inequality and daily humiliation within the French army.

Don 'The Dragon' Wilson, flying in from Hollywood, at the invitation of friend of the festival, Dr Dannio Alchino, Shaolin Martial Arts Centre in Omagh. Don will introduce this special screening of his latest film 'The Last Sentinel', at the festival. He will also give a seminar on Saturday evening, the May 3 at 7.30pm.

Don has established himself as a hardworking Hollywood action star, having starred in 29 films since his film career began in 1989. Don thoroughly dominated kickboxing as the undisputed world champion. His impressive career record consists of 71 wins and he was also the first Kung-Fu practitioner to become a world kickboxing champion.

Other features to be premiered at The Mid Ulster Film Festival are Road to Empire, an edge-of-your-seat thriller, which reminds us that sometimes our supposed protectors can be the most dangerous in our lives. Fraternally, an Argentinean comedy, involving a kidnapping, which sparks an increasingly violent quarrel, caused by old brotherly hatred and culminates in a dramatic ending.

The festival also boasts the European premiere of 'The Pine Falcon', where filmmaker Sandy Crichton is looking for advice on how to film this most charismatic of birds, approaches an accomplished photographer of the New Zealand Falcon – George Chance, who is now suffering from ill health and going blind. In return for George's help, the filmmaker promises to realise George's dream, by adding movement to his photographs.

Also premiered at the festival will be Sea Fever, a documentary that gives an insight into the surf culture that has developed in Ireland over the past 40 years. With dramatic footage from Ireland's giant wave Aill na Searrach at the 700 feet Cliffs of Moher and close up interviews with the surfers that brave these 40 – 50 foot waves.

The highlight of the entertainment at the festival has to be the Table Quiz, on Saturday, May 3, hosted by Corkonian Brian O'Sullivan. Contestants will test their knowledge of film. This event has always been taken very seriously and it's been rumoured that already, certain people are swotting up on film trivia, vying for the top accolade, 'The MUFFY Award', which is bestowed upon the winning team along with lots of other prizes. This is definitely an event for the serious film BUFF!

There will be lots of other entertainment on offer at the festival ranging from a martial arts display to a 'trapeze performance'.

Workshops at the festival are always extremely popular, none more so than Barry Devlin's 'Scriptwriting Workshop'. Barry needs no introduction; he's the founder member and frontman of Horslips and has directed U2 music videos, numerous dramas and documentaries for Channel 4 and BBC. His workshops are extremely inspirational and have always been a 'sell out' at previous festivals, so anyone interested should make sure and book early.

A new workshop to the festival this year is 'Filmmaking for Beginners.' This came about as a result of continuous requests from adults to provide them with a short, fun workshop in which one would learn all the basics of how to produce a film. Expert filmmaker, Stephen Mullan will guide participants through the process of devising, producing, filming and editing a short drama. The workshops will culminate in the film being premiered on the final night of the Mid Ulster Film Festival, as a support to the closing film.

* Why not check out the website for more details about the festival www.midulsterfilmfestival.com