Athy Film Festival returns
Animator Seamus Malone with some of his little friends
THE Athy Film Festival returns this month for its second annual jamboree of cinephilia.
The Festival will run from Friday 16 January until Sunday, 18 January.
This year there are seven films on show from all over the world, including a recent Oscar winner, as well as such classics as ‘Singin’ in the Rain’ and The 3rd Man’.
“The main, main thing this year is we’re getting Seamus Malone to open the Festival for us,” said Festival Director Claudia Reeve.
“He’s from Barrowhouse, but that’s practically Athy!” she laughed.
“He’s an animator who works with Ardman Studios, who have been responsible for Shaun the Sheep, and the Wallace and Gromit series.
“As well as our seven main movies, we will also have a session of shorts [films], and we’re still in the same venue in Athy Community College.
“It’ll be the usual mix of comedy, drama and musicals,” said Claudia.
Tickets are €7 per film, or you can purchase a weekend pass for €40 – “which is transferrable!” Claudia stressed.
This year films start at 1pm and will finish around 9pm.
“The shorts we have are by students from Dundalk Institute of Technology, and there is a family movie called ‘Flushed Away’ which Seamus was involved in.
“Generously, he will be doing a Q&A after this showing.
“All the other films are 15+, but include ‘No Otherland’ the Palestinian/Israeli collaborative documentary which won the Oscar last year which will feature on the Sunday.
“Along with that we have movies from Japan, India, France and of course the US.
“All the details of the Programme are available on the Athy Festival Instagram and Facebook.
“Tickets are available by calling this number 089-6544427.
“Finally, we would like to thank Kildare County Council for the arts grant it awarded us, and also Access Cinema who provide all the films for us,” concluded Claudia.
