Free screening of award-winning film coincides with Laois Bealtaine Festival
Cathy Fennelly was one of the nationwide team who teamed up with the Irish Film Institute to chose the movie for Bealtaine which is Photo: Stan Henderson
FOR over 20 years, Access Cinema has partnered with the Irish Film Institute to organise a May film tour where screenings nationwide coincide with the Bealtaine Festival. And Cathy Fennelly, who lives in Ballyfin, was part of the group which selected this year’s choice, .
The Italian movie was directed by Giuseppe Tornatore, released in 1988 and stars Philippe Noiret, Salvatore Cascio, Marco Leonardi and Jacques Perrin. Carrying a PG cert with a running time of 123 minutes, won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, five BAFTAs, the Grand Prize of the jury at the Cannes Film Festival and many more.
Tornatore's loving homage to the cinema tells the story of Salvatore, a successful film director returning home for the funeral of Alfredo, his old friend who was the projectionist at the local cinema throughout his childhood. Soon, memories of his first love affair with the beautiful Elena and all the highs and lows that shaped his life come flooding back, as Salvatore reconnects with the community he left 30 years earlier.
Speaking to the , Cathy Fennelly said: “I grew up in California and my father was an English college lecturer. My mother read an awful lot. Books were a big part of our lives growing up. Old movies were a huge part of my life, too, especially with my father, because he lived a lot longer. I would be going back and forth visiting and it was a great way to spend time together. I have always been a fan of movies and theatre.
“The Dunamaise sent out emails to people who are regular attendees to see if anyone was interested in joining the film selection group for Bealtaine. It seemed very interesting to me, so I signed up. Other arts centres did the same thing and our group was formed with people from around the country. Our meetings were facilitated by Access Cinema, which is supported by the Arts Foundation.
“We had several meetings where we were coming up with possible movies to screen for Bealtaine that wouldn’t be part of the general realm, so we all agreed to pick .
Dunamaise director Michelle de Forge said: “The Dunamaise Arts Centre is delighted to present this particular film, which was selected by Cathy Fennelly working with Access Cinema and the Irish Film Institute. We collaborated together on this film tour. is being shown here for our audiences and at lots of arts centres across the country to celebrate Bealtaine.
“Because of that, it is being presented free of charge and we encourage everyone to come along and have a really delicious taste of Italian cinema here at the Dunamaise Arts Centre.” Michelle also said that school classes with children aged 12 or older are welcome to attend the screening.
The event takes place on Wednesday 21 May at 11am and all are welcome to attend the screening.
Bookings can be made on www.dunamaise.ie or by phoning the box office on 057 8663355.
