Ottawa is home to many fantastic festivals, highlighting everything from poutine to animation, but did you know we have our very own Irish Film Festival?! This fabulous celebration of Ireland and its people invites Ottawans to Arts Court Theatre from April 12th to 14th to glimpse six stand-out Irish films, covering everything from documentaries to historical dramas. We spoke with the Festival’s Executive Director, Patrick Murray, to learn more.
In 2014, Murray was starting a new phase in his life and became interested in establishing a film festival in Ottawa. “I looked at what was already here and then looked towards my own Irish heritage and decided to pursue a festival that showed contemporary Irish films,” says Murray. “For a country with a population of around five million people, Ireland manages to punch way above its weight for films. It was an easy choice.”
This is the 9th edition of the Irish Film Festival Ottawa. It would have been the 10th, but COVID took a year. “What makes this year different from the others is that we are back to six films and while we won’t have in-person guests there will be films accompanied by live Zoom Q&As between the audience and filmmakers,” explains Murray. “We also kept the cost of tickets low so that we can present an affordable festival that offers great value for attendees.”
The films are mostly curated from Irish films from other major festivals such as TIFF, Sundance, and the Galway Film Fleadh. This year, you can see:
Photo provided.
“This is an inclusive film festival that is organized for all of Ottawa’s cinema patrons. We try to program a diverse festival that is appealing to a broad audience both within and outside the Irish community,” says Patrick. “What folks can take away from Irish culture when they come to the festival is great films and a wonderful social and hospitable atmosphere with an opening night that includes a post-screening party.”
We can’t wait to explore more of Ireland’s culture through these six films!
View the films and trailers at IFFO’s website, where you can also purchase tickets.
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