Ukraine's leading English-language newspaper since 1995

‘IRISHFEST’ SHORT FILMS FESTIVAL
Languages: Celtic, English


‘Original Irish’ short films in Celtic:

• Villains directed by Thomas Cosgrave
• The Secret Language directed by Brian Durnin
• The True Gaels directed by Macdara Vallety
• (Feileachan) Driving Lesson directed by Cecila McAllister
• The Helpless Creature directed by Peter Foott
• Fluent Dysphasia directed by Daniel O’Hara

‘Irish mirror’ documentary and animation films:

• Undressing My Mother directed by Ken Wardrop
• Uselles Dog directed by Ken Wardrop
• OUCH! directed by Ken Wardrop
• Scoring directed by Ken Wardrop
• Contagious directed by Ken Wardrop
• The Herd directed by Ken Wardrop
• Dublin 1 directed by Jason Tammemagi
• A Film From My Parish — Six Farms directed by Tony Donoghue
• Please Say Something directed by David O'Reilly
• Not There Yet directed by Jason Tammemagi
• Penguin Space Program directed by Jim Cullen
• Piligrim directed by Matthew Darragh
• Trolley Boy directed by Teemu Auersalo
• A Day in the Life of Richard directed by Declan de Barra
• Ding Ding Denny's O'Reilly History of Ireland directed by Cathal Gaffney

‘Irish Joke’ short comedies:

• The Carpenter and His Clumsy Wife directed by Peter Foott
• Oxygen directed by Peter Sheridan
• Boris directed by Stephen Burke
• The Family Tree directed by Peter Murphy and Rachael Moriarty
• Mr. Foley directed by D.A.D.D.Y.
• Kelvin Kind directed by Ian Power
• Maybe if you directed by Michael McGudden
• Separations Agency directed by Shane Martin
• Three Minute 4play directed by Johnny O’Reilly
• Dental Breakdown directed by Ian Power
• Teeth directed by Ruairi O’Brien and John Kennedy
• The End is Night directed by James Cotter
• A Clown’s Requiem directed by Jason Forde

Experimental Irish films:

• Butterfly Lights directed by Donal O’Ceilleachair
• The Faeries of Blackheath Woods directed by Ciaran Foy
• Fall directed by Patrick Jolley
• Frankie directed by Darren Thornton
• Hereafter directed by Peddy Jolley, Inger Lise Hansen and Rebecca Trost
• If I Should Fall Behind directed by Morgan Bushe
• Jericho directed by Liam Gavin
• Killing the Afternoon directed by Margaret Corkery
• Snakes directed by Paddy Jolley
• Silver Lining directed by Kealan O’Rourke

Sex’n’Irish program:

• Shaving the Baby directed by Frances Roe
• The White Dress directed by Vanessa Gildea
• New Boy directed by Steph Green
• Sunburn directed by Jennifer Keegan
• Runners directed by Rob Burke and Ronan Burke
• Colder directed by J.J. Harrington
• Last Night directed by Connor Morrissey
• Atlantic directed by Conor Ferguson
• The Basket Case directed by Owen O'Neill
• Questions directed by Mark Noonan
• The Garden of Ireland directed by Ciaran Deeney

OM SARA

Language: Swedish
Drama (2005)
Directed by Othman Karim
Starring Linda Zilliacus

Sara is in her early 20s and lives in Malmo, in the south of Sweden. Her father is dead, and Sara has to put her mother into a hospital. Her boyfriend Kalle is a celebrated soccer player and likes the high life fame brings. Sara, however, wants to study and work.

Despite clearly different life goals, they marry, only to split up later. The job is also in the way of her next big relationship. Failing to get a proper man in her life, Sara decides to have a baby, not necessarily being married. At this stage, she falls for a carpenter working on her old house. Is she getting desperate or love conquers it all?

The film was awarded at Moscow International Film Festival.


PRECIOUS

Language: English
Drama (2009)
Directed by Lee Daniels
Based on the novel ‘Push’ by American poet Sapphire
Starring: Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz, Sherri Shepherd, Gabourey Sidibe, Mo’Nique

Illiterate, obese and pregnant teenager Claireece Jones, who goes by the name Precious, lives in Harlem. Her father got her pregnant, and her mother used to assault her verbally and physically. Amid these misfortunes, she is invited to enroll in an alternative school.

Precious finds a way out of her traumatic routine imagining that she lives in another world where people love her. Inspired by her new teacher, she learns how to read and starts raising her children properly. But she’s about to face another challenge.

The film won two Oscars for Best Adapted Screenplay and Best Supporting Actress.


THE VANISHING POINT (CE QUE MES YEUX ONT VU)

Language: French
Fantasy Drama/Mystery/France(2007)
Directed by Laurent de Bartillat
Starring Sylvie Testud, Jean-Pierre Marielle, James Thierree and others

Coming out just a year after “The Da Vinci Code,” “The Vanishing Point” offered a European take on the mystery involving a famous artist and hidden messages in his paintings. Made by a French director with French actor, “The Vanishing Point” is a lot more humane and subtle than the “Code,” though there are plenty of logical holes here as well.

But if you refrain from analyzing the film much, you may still enjoy it.

A history student, Lucy (Testud) is trying to trace the identity of a female figure pictured from behind on a painting by French artist Antoine Watteau (1684-1721). At the same time she develops an awkward relationship with mute street mime Vincent (Thierree). Soon after, however, Vincent falls into a coma. But just before he does, he shows Lucie a picture of himself as a child in an institution for children with disabilities.

Coincidentally (or not?) the photograph provides Lucie with another lead to her Watteau mystery. On the picture she sees a work by another French artist, Gilles-Marie Oppenord, which, she believes, holds a key to Watteau’s life and career.


ZHOVTEN
26 Konstyantynivska, 205-5951,
www.zhovten-kino.kiev.ua

‘Irishfest’ short films festival
Sept. 3, 6 – 10 at 6:15, 8:00 p.m., Sept. 4-5 at 4:25 p.m., 5:55 p.m. and 7:40 p.m.
Om Sara
Sept. 3 – 10 at 1:10 p.m., 7:50 p.m.
Precious
Sept. 3 – 10 at 3:25 p.m., Sept. 4-5 at 11:30
The Vanishing Point
Sept. 3 – 10 at 6: 25, Sept. 3, 6-10 at 3:00 p.m., Sept. 4-5 at 1:10 p.m.