WE PRESENT this special focus programme on Barbara Albert whom we have long admired, and who first came to notice through her short films. We present all of Barbara's work, beginning with her short films and culminating with the Irish Premiere of her recent acclaimed feature, Free Radicals. This is a special opportunity to see the development of a young film artist, and we warmly welcome Barbara to Cork.

Barbara Albert was born in Vienna in 1970, and is widely considered to be one of the most promising film directors in Europe. Having studied Directing and Scriptwriting at the Vienna Film School from 1991 to 1995, she went on to collect several international film prizes with her short films. Albert, also a writer and actor; co-founded the coop99 production company and quickly became a familiar name with festivals worldwide. She further captured the attention of critics with her acclaimed debut feature film Northern Skirts (1999), which won accolades at the Venice and Vienna film festivals. Her second feature film, Free Radicals, was nominated for the Fipresci award in London. She has written two other features; Auswege (directed by Nina Kusturica) and The Struggle (directed by Ruth Mader), which have both been released in the last two years.

Barbara Albert has established herself both as a leading light in the new Austrian cinema and as one of the most promising young filmmakers working in Europe today.- BFI