Limited Tickets on Sale for ‘Calvary’ Irish Premiere and Selected Galas at Jameson Dublin International Film Festival

Calvary, a darkly comic thriller that reunites writer-director John Michael McDonagh and actor Brendan Gleeson will have its Irish premiere as the opening gala for the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival 2014.  The gala will take place at Dublin’s Savoy Cinema on Thursday, 13^th February 2014.  A limited number of tickets for the opening gala screening of Calvary are currently on sale, selling fast.   

Announcing details of the event, Festival Director Gráinne Humphreys said the opening gala will be a celebration of “the best Irish cinema”.  The gala will welcome John Michael McDonagh, Brendan Gleeson, Kelly Reilly and other members of the star-studded cast, including some of Ireland’s best-known actors. 

In Calvary, Brendan Gleeson stars as Father James, a priest who has a week to put his affairs in order after being told he is marked for murder during a confession.  Set against the stunning beauty of Ireland’s West Coast, the film also stars Kelly Reilly (‘Sherlock Holmes’), Domhnall Gleeson (About Time), Chris O’Dowd (Bridesmaids), Dylan Moran (‘Black Books’) and Aidan Gillen (‘Game of Thrones’). 

Festival season tickets, gift vouchers and tickets for selected JDIFF galas at the Savoy Cinema are on sale now from www.jdiff.com. 

In addition to unveiling the opening film today, Gráinne Humphreys announced details of the four films that will screen in the hugely popular weekend morning slots at the Savoy Cinema during the festival.  These are:

• ·         No Limbs, No Limits – An intimate family portrait of young Corkwoman Joanne O’Riordan, who was born with no arms and legs as a result of the extremely rare ‘Total Amelia’ syndrome.  The film – which was directed by O’Riordan’s brother, Steven – will screen at 11am on Saturday, 15^th February. 
• ·         Tracks – A beautifully composed and magnificently performed story about a young woman’s nine-month trek across the Australian desert.  It will screen at 11am on Sunday, 16^th February. 
• ·         Borgman– An unsettling, blackly comic fable from veteran Dutch director Alex van Warmerdam, which will screen at 11am on Saturday, 22^nd February. 
• ·         Twenty Feet from Stardom– A moving and joyous behind-the-scenes documentary about the singers who provide backing vocals to the stars.  It will screen at 11am on Sunday, 23^rd February.   

Festival Director Gráinne Humphreys noted that: “2014 is going to be a vintage year for Irish cinema with an incredible line-up of new features and documentaries from emerging and established names.  As the 2014 opening night presentation, we’re honoured to have the Irish premiere of John Michael McDonagh’s spectacular Calvary, a remarkable example of the strength of the Irish film industry at the moment.”

The twelfth Jameson Dublin International Film Festival will take place from 13^th to 23^rd February 2014.  The festival has firmly established Dublin as the city of ‘Film in February’ and has become a key annual event in Dublin’s cultural life, growing a respected international reputation and attracting a range of film heavyweights to Ireland over the years.  Over 130 films will screen at the 2014 festival. 

Gráinne Humphreys continued, “As usual, we’ll be welcoming some of the best-known names in film to Dublin during festival season and we’ll be running a range of ancillary events to complement the programme of film screenings.  Further details of our programme will be announced early in the new year.” 

The funders and sponsors of the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival include: Jameson Irish Whiskey, The Arts Council / An Chomhairle Ealaíon, Bord Scannán na hÉireann / the Irish Film Board, American Airlines, Toyota, Cineworld, The Merrion Hotel, The Irish Times, RTÉ, Windmill Lane, Wells Cargo, Entertainment.ie, Film Base and The Church.