From Friday 16 to Sunday 25 November, the best of local and international cinema will be brought to Derry, with 10 days packed with special screenings, premieres, industry workshops and guest speakers.
The festival will host over 15 Northern Ireland premieres, amongst them Three Identical Strangers, which will screen at Brunswick Moviebowl on Saturday 17 November. This film gives new meaning to the phrase ‘stranger than fiction’ as it recounts the tale of identical triplets, separated at birth and reunited 20 years later. In Lizzie, Chloe Sevigny sees her passion project come to life as she takes on the role of Lizzie Borden, the notorious axe murderer of New England gothic folklore.
The festival commemorates 100 years of suffrage by highlighting powerful and inspiring female characters in the programme. On Friday 16 November the festival’s Opening Night Gala Colette sees Keira Knightley give a miraculous performance as real life literary revolutionary Colette, who usurps both repressive gender norms and her domineering husband in order to re-establish creative ownership. Meanwhile, Heiresses tells the story of Chela and Chiquita, a middle aged Paraguayan couple who are forced to explore and re-establish their separate identities when Chiquita is imprisoned for fraud. Real life feminist pioneers Joan Jett and Yayoi Kusama are celebrated respectively in the documentaries Bad Reputation and Kusama: Infinity.
Two Irelands collide in The Lonely Battle of Thomas Reid which follows the eponymous Kildare farmer as he goes head to head with American corporation giant Intel, resisting their determined efforts to buy his farmland. Directed by Feargal Ward, this contemporary David and Goliath narrative posits important questions concerning the rights of the individual and society.
Following the announcement of his retirement from acting, the career of Robert Redford will be celebrated with special screenings of the film that launched his career, Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid, and the film that he has announced as his last, The Old Man And The Gun.
On Sunday 18 November, veteran journalist and author Ed Moloney will be a special guest at the screening of I, Dolours, the acclaimed feature documentary constructed around a lengthy interview between Moloney and the late IRA member Dolours Price. Ed will introduce the film and participate in a post-screening discussion. Academy® Award winning actress Vanessa Redgrave and filmmaker and activist Sue Clayton will also present their films at the festival this year.
The annual all-day industry conference, From Shorts to Features, is always a standout of the festival programme and this year promises to be no different. The event will host Mat Whitecross, director of award winning features such as The Road To Guantanamo, Sex&Drugs&Rock&Roll, and the acclaimed documentary Oasis:Supersonic. Bulldog Film Distribution, Snackbox films and BBC Screenwriting Sessions will also be in attendance providing an opportunity for filmmakers of every level to gain valuable insight into the industry.
The Oscar®-Affiliated and BAFTA recognised Light in Motion Competition will celebrate the very best of local and international movie making talent. The 2018 winners will be announced by Academy® Award winning actress Vanessa Redgrave at the Closing Night Gala on Sunday 25 November at Brunswick Moviebowl.
Festival favourites, the cinematic breakfasts, will return, providing the perfect way to kick off a weekend of leisurely movie watching. The audience will be provided with a complimentary coffee and croissant whilst watching screenings of classic movies, including Sabrina, It’s A Wonderful Life, and The Odd Couple.
Family favourites Finding Nemo and Coco will be shown as part of the special cinema screens, which provide a relaxed atmosphere specifically designed to accommodate those living with physical and mental challenges, including dementia.
Foyle Film Festival is funded by the Department for Communities through Northern Ireland Screen, Derry City and Strabane District Council and Tourism Northern Ireland. The Festival acknowledges the ongoing support of City of Derry Crystal, and venue partner Brunswick Moviebowl.
For bookings and more information, please visit www.foylefilmfestival.org