The programme for the first-ever Irish-Film-Berlin festival has been announced. This brand-new showcase of Irish screen creativity is taking place on 26, 27 and 28 May at Berlin´s arthouse cinema, ACUD-Kino and is curated by OFFline Film.
The three-day event will bring a group of Irish filmmakers to Berlin to showcase and discuss their films which will include full-length features, live-action and animation shorts.
The Opening Film on Friday 28 April will be the German premiere of, We Ourselves, which tells the story of seven Irish students who worked together for a summer in a factory in Germany before going their separate ways.
Written and directed by Paul Mercier, this intimate drama about identity, love and loss is told from the perspective of people who value their friendships and their Irishness but who ultimately feel isolated and in exile and stars Irish actors Aidan Gillen, Seána Kerslake, Gavin Drea and others.
On Saturday 28 May, it’s ‘Made in Midlands’, specially curated by OFFline, which will feature hand-picked award-winning films distilled from FilmOffaly bursary films, Screen Ireland-funded shorts, and OFFline Animation Residency shorts as well as independent productions.
OFFline – based in Birr, Co. Offaly (in the Irish Midlands) has been bringing cultural cinema to Irish audiences since 2010. Speaking ahead of Irish-Film-Berlin, OFFLinel Director, Gary Hoctor said:
“We are delighted to reintroduce an Irish film festival to Berlin following in the footsteps of the long-running Shebeen Flick Irish film festival which ended in 2018. Our ‘Made in Midlands’ programme is made up of short films, features, live-action and animation, either made by Offaly filmmakers or made in the Midlands. The opportunity to give a new and wider platform to these films was one we were pleased to embrace.”
“A return visit by Berlin filmmakers to Ireland is anticipated for October, with a special programme of German films to be shown at OFFline Film Festival 2023 in Birr.”
On Sunday 29 May, there will be a twist to this year’s programme with the Closing Film remaining under wraps for now.
Irish-Film-Berlin is the initiative of Denis Madden, director of European Tech Hub Network, based in Birr and Berlin. A supporter of stronger Irish-German cultural and business relationships, Denis is keen to bring regional Irish film talent to his Berlin base and vice versa.
“With the huge focus on and success of the Irish film industry this year, and no regular screenings of Irish films in Berlin, it feels like the perfect time to re-establish a showcase festival. Irish and German filmmakers will get to meet their counterparts and the seeds of future collaborations will hopefully be sown. Showcase events and an established platform are also incredibly important for the Irish diaspora and ongoing promotion of Ireland and Irish culture in Germany.”
“While our first event will have a “Made In Midlands” programme focus, plans for future events will reflect the wider Irish film catalogue and we will hold events in other German cities. An additional objective this year is also to build a sustainable festival team of film lovers and filmmakers to support film events and industry connections in future years. In a nutshell, though, this year will bring great festival films from Birr to Berlin, and later Berlin films to Birr.”
Irish Film Berlin is a collaboration between European Tech Hub and OFFline Film Festival and is kindly supported by the Irish Embassy Berlin and other private sponsors.
For more information; visit www.irishfilmberlin.ie
www.instagram.com/irishfilmberlin
