Bealtaine Film Tour

Every year during Bealtaine, the hugely popular film tour takes place. This year’s main feature film ‘Julie & Julia’ will be screened in venues around the country, courtesy of access>CINEMA and the Irish Film Institute, with support from Seven Seas, and will be launched at the IFI on 4 May.

access>CINEMA will also be touring a series of Bealtaine short films and the classic film ‘Show Boat’, while the IFI will host a special screening of the short films as well as two film events in conjunction with CoisCéim Broadreach and Temple Bar Cultural Trust’s craft workshop programme.

 ‘Julie & Julia’ (2009), directed by Nora Ephron, starring Meryl Streep, Stanley Tucci and Amy Adams will be launched on 4 May at 11.00am at the IFI. In addition, 5 top Irish food bloggers will contribute recipes reflecting this year’s Bealtaine theme and these will be posted on the access>CINEMA website during May. The New Yorker had this to say about this food-focused film:

‘Show Boat’ (1951) starring Kathryn Grayson, Ava Gardner and Howard Keel which features such well-know tunes as Ol’ Man River, tells the story of Magnolia, the daughter of a riverboat captain who falls in love with a charming gambler, but their fairytale romance is threatened when his luck turns sour.

The short films included in the Bealtaine film programme are as follows.

Deep End Dance (2010)
Writer/Choreographer: David Bolger
Mother and son, above and under water, the dance of their lives.

Ray (2010)
A documentary style drama showing things aren’t always what they appear to be!

Stone Age (2009)
Brendan Crowe has been cutting, carving and shaping stone since he was “the nipper” at the age of fourteen. Filmed just weeks before his retirement, he looks back without regret on a life of hard work which was altered ultimately by globalisation and our modern obsession with the immediate and the disposable.

Sweet Spot (2009)
Choreographer/Concept: Fearghus Ó Conchúir
A dance film, made as part of a triple bill of dance works called Triptik involving the Macushla Dance Club.

Teeth (2007)
A short "last laugh" tale of two old friends, their teeth and a series of events that leaves them lost for words.

Undressing My Mother (2005)
A poignant short documentary that explores a woman's unique take on her overweight and aging body.

Maeve Cooke of access>CINEMA says, “The Bealtaine Film tour represents an easy, accessible and attractive way for people to engage in Bealtaine. We have seen the tour go from strength to strength in recent years and, with the continued support of Seven Seas, access>CINEMA is delighted to offer venues nationally an even greater choice for participation in 2011 with the inclusion of a classic film and the short film programme as well as the usual main feature.”

Alicia McGivern of the IFI says, “Bealtaine is a wonderful opportunity for people to engage with all aspects of the arts. For us at IFI, we see it as providing an opportunity to collaborate with other organisations to create exciting events around film that explore the Bealtaine theme.”

On 18 May at 2.30pm at the IFI there will be a screening of Everlasting Moments, in collaboration with Temple Bar Cultural Trust’s craft workshop programme for Bealtaine.  This beautiful film from Sweden is about a young woman who wins a camera in a lottery.

And on 27th May at 10.30am there will be a special film and dance event, also at the IFI, with a screening of the Charlie Chaplin classic Modern Times  - in which Chaplin, as the Little Tramp, is driven to distraction by assembly line tasks - followed by a dance performance by Silent Idols. The latter is a dance homage to films of the silent era – including Modern Times – and is a partnership project between CoisCéim Broadreach and Dublin City Council Arts, Sports and Leisure and Community Development Sections.  Silent Idols will be performed by The Performance Group, drawn from people aged 50+ who have participated in dance classes throughout Dublin since February.

LINKS

Stone Age http://www.areaman.tv/stoneage.php.

Sweetspot http://vimeo.com/10777296

Deep End Dance http://www.coisceim.com/SwimmingWithMyMother.html

Undressing My Mother http://pov.imv.au.dk/Issue_23/section_2/artc2A.html

Ray http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y3oNtC3jWow

Teeth http://www.divamedia.ie/

Julia and Julia Screening Listings:

01-May, Cork, Crosshaven Film Club, Crosshaven, Co Cork, 021 483 1829, 8pm

03-May, Cavan, Ramor Theatre, Virgina, Co Cavan, 049 854 7074, 8pm (Food@7pm)

4 and 6 May, Dublin, Irish Film Institute, 6 Eustace Street, Dublin 2, 01 612 9407, 11am

04-May, Tipperary, Cloughjordan Cineclub, Cloughjordan, Co. Tipperary, 087 268 9419, 8pm

04-May, Tipperary, Fethard Youth Club, Fethard, CO. Tipperary, 052 613 1000, 2pm

05-May, Cork, Cork Cine Club, Half Moon Theatre,Cork Oprea House Cork, , 6.30pm

05-May, Wexford, The Picture House Film Club, Wexford  Arts Centre, Co Wexford, 053 912 3764, 2-3pm

10-May, Wicklow, Courthouse Arts Centre, Tinahely, Co.Wicklow, 0402 38529, 80pm

11-May, Tipperary, Excel Arts and Cultural Centre, Tipperary Town, Co. Tipperary, 062 805 20, 3pm

12 and 13 May, Cork, The Caha Centre, Ardigole, Beara, Co.Cork, 027 609 09 , 3-4pm (timing tbc)

12-May, Monaghan, Iontas Theatre, Castleblayney, Co Monaghan, 042 975 3400,

12-May, Kerry, Kenmare Film Society, Carnegie Arts Centre, Kenmare, Co Kerry , 064 664 8701, 8pm

13-May, Mayo, Ballina Arts Centre, Ballina, Co.Mayo, 096 735 93, 2pm

14-May, Dublin, Light House Cinema , Smithfield Market, Dublin 7, 01 879 7601, 3pm

16-May, Mayo, Linenhall Arts Centre, Castlebar, Co. Mayo, 094 902 3733, 2.30pm

17-May, Dublin, Charleville  Mall Library, North Strand, Dublin 1, 01 874 9619 , 10.30am

17-May, Louth, Droichead  Arts Centre, Drogheda, Co.Louth, 041 983 3946, 2pm

18-May, Kildare, Riverbank Arts Centre, Newbridge, Co.Kildare, 045 448 327, 8pm

18-May, Tipperary, South Tipperary Arts Office, County Museum, Clonmel, Co. Tipperary , 052 613 4565, 3pm

19-May, Offaly, Birr Theatre & Arts Centre, Birr, Co. Offaly, 057 912 2911, 8pm

19-May, Tipperary, Nenagh Arts Centre, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary , 067 349 00, 11am

23-May, Wicklow, Mermaid Arts Centre, Bray, Co. Wicklow, 01 272 4030, 3pm

23-May, Dublin, The Seamus Ennis Cultural Centre, Naul, Co Dublin, 01 802 0898, 8pm  

24-May, Limerick, Belltable Arts Centre, Limerick, Co. Limerick, 061 319 866,

24-May, Kerry, St John's Arts Centre, Listowel, Co.Kerry, 068 225 66, 8pm

24-May, Westmeath, Tuarard Arts Centre, Moate, Co. Westmeath, 090 648 2042, 7.30pm

25-May, Donegal , Abbey Centre, Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal, 071 985 1375, 3pm

26-May, Wicklow, Conary Film Club, Avoca, Co. Wicklow, 087 233 4714,

26-May, Dublin, Pearse Street Library, 138 to 144  Pearse Street, Dublin 2, 01 674 4888, 3pm

29-May, Carlow, The George Bernard Shaw Theatre, Visual, Carlow, 059 917 2400, 2.30pm

Short Film Screenings:

03-May, Wexford, The Picture House Film Club, Wexford Arts Centre, Co Wexford, 053 912 3764, 1-2pm

07-May, Tipperary , Cloughjordan Cineclub, Cloughhordan, Co. Tipperary, 087 258 9419, 2.30-4pm

10-May, Louth, Droichead Arts Centre, Droghrea, Co Louth, 041 983 3946, 1.30pm

16-May, Mayo, Linenhall Arts Centre, Castlebar, Co Mayo, 094 902 3733, 1.10pm

Show Boat Screenings:

10-May, Dublin, Perse Street Library, 138 to 144 Pearse Street, Dublin 2, 01 674 4888, 3pm

18-May, Dublin , Dolphin's Barn Library, Parnell Road, Dublin 12, 01 454 0681, 6pm

20-May, Offaly, Birr Theatre & Arts Centre, Birr, Co Offaly, 057 912 2911, 8pm