Stranger Than Fiction documentary film festival
The Irish Film Institute today announced the programme for its seventh Stranger Than Fiction documentary film festival with 38 films on show, a major pitching event for industry experts, and numerous special guests.
Announcing the programme, festival director James Kelly said "2008 is another strong year for documentary film, and I'm delighted that for this, the 7th year of the festival, we can offer documentary lovers such a strong and diverse programme of Irish and International work”.
That strong programme includes the beautiful opening film sleep furiously, a glorious celebration of Welsh rural life, so fresh you can almost smell the country air. While Ireland debates what Europe means to us, Corridor#8 sheds a light on the absurdities of life on the other side of the continent. Jesus Camp and The Order of Myths explore darker elements of American life, while Kim Longinotto’s Hold Me Tight, Let Me Go is a heartbreaking film of hope and despair in England’s education system.
Kelly goes on to say, "At its best, documentary film can give us valuable insights into the lives of individuals, the lives of other communities, into our own lives and our future. This year a good deal of the programme fits into two broad strands which run though the festival; one strand explores the lives of a series of visionary individuals, another strand looks at communities facing change, and dealing with the challenges of change in very differing ways"
The Festival provides insights into the lives and thoughts of truly inspirational individuals, such as the films on Patti Smith, Annie Leibovitch, Gabriel Byrne, Lee Scratch Perry and Ireland’s godfather of documentary, George Morrison (Waiting for the Light).
Filmmakers will be very excited to hear that Nick Fraser (BBC, Storyville), Tue Steen Muller (EDN) and other select guests will be exploring ‘the pitch’ in a series of industry events.
Irish documentary thrives on with this year’s programme seeing significant new work from the experienced hands of Alan Gilsenan (I see a Darkness) and Pat Collins (Pilgrim, Gabriel Byrne – Stories from Home), alongside films from up and coming filmmakers such as Tanya Doyle (House) and Nino Tropiano (Chippers) whose film tells the stories of the Italian families who have provided fish, chips and the odd battered burger to Dublin’s hungry masses!
www.strangerthanfiction.ie
For further information, including press notes and images, please contact:
Ross Keane, Head of Marketing & Communications, IFI
Tel: (01) 612 9432
email: rkeane@irishfilm.ie
Full line up:
Thursday 25th September
Pitch Perfect! (industry event) 09.30
sleep furiously 20.30
Friday 26th September
Pitch Perfect! (industry event) 09.30
Route Irish 13.00
The Blue Tailor (An Táilliúir Gorm) 13.15
About Beauty 14.30
Forbidden Love 14.45
Greendale, Death of a School 16.00
The Order of Myths 17.30
Jesus Camp 19.00
Patti Smith: Dream of Life 20.45
Saturday 27th September
Please Vote for Me 11.00
The John O’Conor Beethoven Project (Working Title) 11.30
Chippers 12.00
Inishark, Death of an Island (Inis Airc, Bás Oileáin) 12.45
Note by Note: The Making of Steinway L1037 13.30
I see a Darkness 14.15
Gabriel Byrne – Stories from Home 15.15
Waiting for the Light 17.00
Tory Island (Oileán Thoraí) 19.00
The Upsetter – The Life & Music of Lee Scratch Perry 20.45
Sunday 28th September
Short Film Selection 12.00
House 12.00
A Bloody Canvas 14.00
Hold Me Tight, Let Me Go 15.45
Corridor#8 17.30
Football Undercover 19.00
Annie Leibovitz: Life Through a Lens 20.30
