Critically acclaimed Conclave and Blue Road: The Edna O’Brien Story announced
Festival takes place Thursday 7th to Sunday 17th November; Gala Tickets on sale now
4th October, Cork City. Cork International Film Festival (CIFF) has announced that its 69th edition will take place across Cork city and county from Thursday 7th to Sunday 17th November. The Festival has also announced its Opening and Irish Galas; Conclave on Thursday, 7th November and Blue Road: The Edna O’Brien Story on Sunday, 10th November, respectively. Tickets for both are on sale now from the CIFF Website: https://corkfilmfest.org/
The critically acclaimed and heart-stopping thriller Conclave follows Cardinal Lawrence (a quietly commanding Ralph Fiennes) who must lead the Conclave, one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events, to select the new leader of the Catholic world, in the wake of the death of the Pope. Cast members include Irish actor Brían F. O’Byrne, who will be in attendance. Courtesy of Black Bear.
Sinéad O’Shea’s Blue Road: The Edna O’Brien Story is a portrait of a bastion of the Irish Literary landscape, with narration from Jessie Buckley and contributions from Edna’s family, friends and collaborators. Featuring an insightful and affecting interview with Edna from just before her passing earlier this year, the film richly honours her legacy, as well as her profound passion and dedication to art. Courtesy of Break Out Pictures.
The 69th edition of the Cork International Film Festival will screen the best in Irish and global film across Cork city and county and will announce the full programme on Tuesday 15th October which reflects the breadth of films in this year’s selection and offers audiences a world-class Festival experience. Cork audiences will have the chance to see the latest and best in home-grown and international cinema first, at multiple venues, including the Everyman, and Triskel, and a welcome return to The ARC Cinema, Cork.
CIFF Director & CEO Fiona Clark spoke about this year’s Festival: “Conclave is a star-studded adaptation of Robert Harris’ bestselling novel of the same name, a compelling political drama and visually cinematic treat, so fitting for our Opening Gala at the Everyman on 7th November. We are also thrilled to premiere as our Irish Gala, Sinéad O’Shea’s Blue Road: The Edna O’Brien Story on Sunday 10th November, a thoughtful documentary that is a testament to the literary force that was Edna O’Brien. These films are indicative of the exciting range of premieres that CIFF boasts, and the wealth of Irish and international filmmaking talent that our 69th year will be showcasing.”
“Additionally, we’re delighted to welcome our new Director of Programming Aurélie Godet, who brings her talent from Berlinale and Locarno now to Cork! We are excited for audiences to experience Aurélie’s auspicious first Cork International Film Festival programme.”
CIFF seeks out and supports up-and-coming Irish and international talent to showcase to audiences and industry. For 69 years, CIFF has celebrated excellence in filmmaking, championing new voices and established filmmakers through its prestigious, world-class awards, including three Oscar®-qualifying prizes and its Best New Irish Feature Award, proudly supported by the Irish Examiner.
The 69th Cork International Film Festival will run from Thursday 7th to Sunday 17th November, 2024. For more information and to stay up to date with the latest news and programme announcements, visit https://corkfilmfest.org/.
About Cork International Film Festival
Cork International Film Festival is Ireland’s first and largest Film Festival and celebrates its 69th anniversary edition in November 2024. The Festival is proudly supported by Principal Funder the Arts Council, Industry Partner Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, and Cork City Council, Creative Europe MEDIA, Coimisiún na Meán, Future Planet, and Murphy’s. Media Partners are RTÉ Supporting the Arts and Irish Examiner. Cork International Film Festival is a member of the Cultural Cinema Partnership which includes the Irish Film Institute, Galway Film Fleadh, Dublin International Film Festival and access>CINEMA.
ABOUT OPENING AND IRISH GALAS
The Opening Gala will take place at the Everyman Theatre at 7pm on Thursday 7th November. This is an exciting opportunity for audiences to be the first to see Conclave, a critically acclaimed film ahead of its cinema release, with cast member, Brían F. O’Byrne, in attendance.
The Irish Gala, showcasing Blue Road: The Edna O’Brien Story, takes place also in the Everyman Theatre, on Sunday 10th November at 5pm, with the director present.
OPENING GALA
CONCLAVE
Edward Berger | United Kingdom, United States | 2024 | 120 mins
The Pope has died and Cardinal Lawrence (a quietly commanding Ralph Fiennes) must lead the Conclave, one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events, to select the new leader of the Catholic world. Surrounded by high-ranking cardinals, the hallowed hallways of the Vatican become the locked-down stage where this timely and tense papal thriller – that rivals anything a political election could conceive – plays out.
Adapted by Peter Straughan (‘Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy’) from Robert Harris’ best-selling novel and directed by recent Oscar® winner Edward Berger (All Quiet on the Western Front), the stellar cast, including Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Isabella Rossellini and Ireland’s Brían F. O’Byrne (in attendance), delivers a heart-stopping thriller where deep secrets and factions are revealed that could shake the very foundation of the Roman Catholic Church. The ever-unwinding drama, amplified by stunningly sumptuous cinematography and a towering score maintains its surprise and intrigue right up to the finale. Courtesy Black Bear.
THU 7 | EVERYMAN | 19:00
IRISH GALA
BLUE ROAD: THE EDNA O’BRIEN STORY
Sinéad O’Shea | Ireland | 2024 | 100 min
With the release of her revolutionary 1960 novel ‘The Country Girls’, Edna O’Brien sealed her fate as both a revered novelist and a feminist icon. Blue Road explores her life as a literary sensation and social radical.
Sinead O’Shea’s thoughtful documentary weaves effectively O’Brien’s professional and personal triumphs and difficulties, in a portrait of an iconoclast who stood in resistance to the Irish conservative doctrine of the mid-20th century.
Featuring an insightful and affecting interview with Edna from just before her passing, the film richly honours her legacy, as well as her profound passion and dedication to art.
Director Sinéad O’Shea will attend the Irish premiere Gala screening. Courtesy Break Out Pictures.
SUN 10 | EVERYMAN | 17:00
Cork International Film Festival – Discover film, reimagine the world
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