The 64th Cork International Film Festival took place from the 7th – 17th of November 2019. The festival was sponsored by the Arts Council of Ireland, a national agency to help fund, develop and promote the arts in Ireland. Last year’s CFF brought an amazing assembly of filmmaking talent from all over the globe.
The opening gala of the festival began with Ordinary Love, a minutely-observed drama following the progress of a long-married couple (portrayed by Oscar nominees Liam Neeson and Lesley Manville) after a cancer diagnosis. Shot and located in Northern Ireland and produced by British production companies, this film was humorous, relatable and touching to start the festival.
Visual artists from Ireland expanded their ideas into focus through the medium of film. Berlin-based Irish artist Doireann O’Malley, brought her film series, Prototype(s) I, II, III, to the film festival which focused on the psychoanalytical female-to-male transitions and “the intra-actions of bodies, objects and drives.” Visual artist Brid Murphy’s film series Blue, I, II, III, explored the anxieties surrounding self-identity and masculine and feminine boundaries through video portraiture, sound and installation. Irish filmmaker Maximilian Le Cain and Cork-based artist Vicky Langan developed an experimental film, Personal Growth, about a mysterious home video that could’ve been filmed over the past sixty years – filmed all through the lens of a Super 8mm camera.
Documentaries allow exploration into the past, focusing on the important milestones of our time and/or historical figures that we’ve lost but not forgotten. Oscar-winning director Alex Gibney’s Citizen K, examines the strange case of the Russian billionaire, Mikhail Khodorkovsky, and his anti-Putin movement. Irish filmmaker Alan Gilsenan’s 2009 film The Yellow Bittern, views the last surviving member of the Irish band The Clancy Brothers and Tommy Makeem, Liam Clancy, followed by a Q&A event of Gilsenan after its screening (@uccfilmstudies). Feras Fayyad’s Oscar-nominated The Cave perfectly balanced the hospital and the Syrian Civil War horrors with the personal lives of Dr Amani Ballour and her personnel who care for humanity rather than a person’s religion.
Nowadays, war is inevitable. Anti-Semitism has sadly risen sharply all over the world, including Europe. Films in the history genre remind us of the traumatic experience that humanity went through. Because if we forget the past, we are bound to repeat the same tragedy. The Czech director Václav Marhoul’s The Painted Bird tells the story of a young Jewish boy seeking refuge in a hostile WWII Europe. American director Terrence Malick’s recent film, A Hidden Life, explores the life of an Austrian farmer’s potential execution for refusing to fight with the Nazis. New Zealand director Taika Waititi’s Nazi satire Jojo Rabbit, follows the story of a young boy in Hitler’s army who discovers a Jewish girl hiding in his attic. Which ultimately led to being nominated for six Academy Awards and winning the Best Adapted Screenplay category (Pulver 2020).
Aside from hate, love conquers all in and outside of film. No matter what gender a person is, love is love. The future of the LGBT community on film shows its true beautiful colours, and the festival offers a great selection of films that came from Europe. The Swedish-Georgian film, And Then We Danced is a coming-of-age set in a strong nationhood Tbilisi, where a male dancer creates a romantic relationship with another male dancer. However, the film sparked backlash and protests in Georgia due to the common homophobic nature in their nation. Feminist auteur Céline Sciamma’s Portrait of a Lady on Fire (French: Portrait de la jeune fille en feu) is a period drama set in the 18th century where a female painter, whose commissioned to paint a young woman, inadvertently falls in love with her subject (@CorkFilmFest). Sciamma’s film even went on to win Best Screenwriting and the European University Film Award categories at the 32nd European Film Awards (Lattanzio 2019).
Instead of focusing on the heart, films that tackle the subject of dysfunctionalities of the mind to raise awareness and initiate discussion around issues that affect us outside of the movie theatre. CFF’s ‘Illuminate’ is a series of films that centre around the subject of mental health and wellbeing. Each is presented in association with the HSE Cork Mental Health Service, First Fortnight and supported ESB Energy for Generations Fund. The films include Atom Egoyan’s 1997 film The Sweet Hereafter; a documentary on San Antonio’s mental health unit, Bernie & Joe; and feature film System Crasher (German: Systemsprenger) about a nine-year-old juvenile delinquent.
The subgenre of psychological thriller/horror mainly focuses on the characters and their psyches rather than the action and plot. The festival included Robert Egger’s Oscar-nominated The Lighthouse; Irish co-produced, horror-comedy, Comes to Daddy; Asghar Farhadi’s latest thriller, Everybody Knows; Malgorzata Szumowska’s The Other Lamb (which was the final film shown at the ‘Closing Gala’); and the 1920 German classic Der Golem. Not only did Der Golem premiere at the festival, but a series of classics also shared the spotlight. Including musicals like Singin’ in the Rain (1952) and The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (1964). Strained relationship films like Bonnie and Clyde (1967) and Eyes Wide Shut(1999). And Mike Newell’s Irish fable Into The West (1992) (Murphy 2019).
To conclude, in the awards section, the Academy Award qualifying category of The Irish Prix Short Award crowned actor-director Tristan Heanue’s Ciúne (Silence). About a couple struggling to come to terms with their child’s mental health problems but being unable to address it because of the generational gap. A heartbreaking and extremely beautiful short to take the main prize.
The CFF is something I look forward to every year. It continues to improve year after year. The perfect showcase for inspiring young filmmakers. If you haven’t went, make an effort and attend.
Works Cited
Beta-Film GmbH. “The Umbrellas of Cherbourg Poster,” IMDb, m.mediaamazon.com/images/M/MV5BYzU0ZjM1OTYtYzkwMS00N2RhLTlmNGUtNDIwM2I1MzVlNTdlXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzAyNTgyNjU@._V1_SY1000_CR0,0,697,1000_AL_.jpg. Accessed 29 Mar. 2020.
@CorkFilmFest. “Comissioned with painting a wedding portrait…‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’ is an immaculate love story.’ Twitter. 14 Nov. 2019, 1:29 p.m., twitter.com/CorkFilmFest/status/1194970489132847109.
Crossing The Line Films. “The Yellow Bittern Poster,” Culch.Ie, i1.wp.com/lh4.ggpht.com/_5V7vNjVKdVI/SqUKeu4EdKI/AAAAAAABhFw/ar1W6tS586c/s800/TYB-QUAD.jpg?resize=590%2C442. Accessed 29 Mar. 2020.
Fox Searchlight. “Jojo Rabbit Poster,” IMDb, m.mediaamazon.com/images/M/MV5BZjU0Yzk2MzEtMjAzYy00MzY0LTg2YmItM2RkNzdkY2ZhN2JkXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNDg4NjY5OTQ@._V1_.jpg. Accessed 29 Mar. 2020.
Heanue, Tristan, and Michal Baran. “Ciúnas (Silence) Poster,” IMDb, m.mediaamazon.com/images/M/MV5BOWQ5N2EyMDgtZWMxNy00ZjZmLWE4YzEtOWM1MmIzMWQ0ZWM5XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjkxMTMzMTY@._V1_SY1000_CR0,0,666,1000_AL_.jpg. Accessed 29 Mar. 2020.
“Illuminate & Intinn Film and Mental Health Programmes 2020.” Cork Film Festival, corkfilmfest.org/the-65th-cork-film-festival-2020/illuminate-intinn-film-and-mental-health-programmes-2020/.
Kineo / Weydemann Bros. “System Crasher Poster,” IMDb, m.mediaamazon.com/images/M/MV5BNDVmYWM4ZDItODliOC00NDVkLThmYmItNTU4N2NlYTY4NTIyXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyMjIxMDAyNzY@._V1_.jpg. Accessed 29 Mar. 2020.
Lattanzio, Ryan. “European Film Awards 2019: Antonio Banderas, ‘The Favourite,’ ‘Portrait of a Lady on Fire’ Triumph.” IndieWire, 7 Dec. 2019, indiewire.com/2019/12/european-film-awards-2019-winners-1202195299/. Accessed 26 Mar. 2020.
Lilies Films. “Portrait of a Lady on Fire Poster,” IMDb, m.mediaamazon.com/images/M/MV5BNjgwNjkwOWYtYmM3My00NzI1LTk5OGItYWY0OTMyZTY4OTg2XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyODk4OTc3MTY@._V1_.jpg. Accessed 29 Mar. 2020.
Miramax. “Into the West Poster,” The Movie Database, image.tmdb.org/t/p/original/2penaUnqg1Vme6qfTUBFiQKlE6s.jpg. Accessed 29 Mar. 2020.
Murphy, Niall. “Cork Film Festival Unveils Bumper Programme for 64th Festival.” Scannain, 17 Oct. 2019, scannain.com/irish/festival/cork-film-festival-2019-lineup/. Accessed 26 Mar. 2020.
Music Box Films. “And Then We Danced Poster,” IMDb, m.mediaamazon.com/images/M/MV5BMDJhYzE2MTUtYzBhZC00ZWRhLTkwNDctN2YxNGU3NzM2ZTE4XkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNDU0NjMyNTQ@._V1_.jpg. Accessed 29 Mar. 2020.
Pulver, Andrew. “Taika Waititi Wins Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar for Jojo Rabbit.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 10 Feb. 2020, theguardian.com/film/2020/feb/10/taika-waititi-best-adapted-screenplay-oscar-jojo-rabbit.Accessed 14 Mar. 2020.
“The 64th Cork Film Festival 2019.” Cork Film Festival, corkfilmfest.org/archive/the-64th-cork-film-festival-2019/. Accessed 26 Mar. 2020.
“The 64th Cork Film Festival Award Winners.” Cork Film Festival, 20 Nov. 2019, corkfilmfest.org/the-64th-cork-film-festival-award-winners/. Accessed 26 Mar. 2020.
The Cork Film Festival. “64th CFF Banner,” Scannain.com, 16 Oct. 2019, scannain.com/media/CFF_Website_Banner-2019-1.jpg. Accessed 29 Mar. 2020.
@uccfilmstudies. “Don’t forget-brilliant…followed by interview w/ Carrie Crowley.” Twitter. 13 Nov. 2019, 9:03 AM., twitter.com/uccfilmstudies/status/1194541299485102080
Warner Bros. “Bonnie and Clyde,” IMDb, m.mediaamazon.com/images/M/MV5BOTViZmMwOGEtYzc4Yy00ZGQ1LWFkZDQtMDljNGZlMjAxMjhiXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNzM0MTUwNTY@._V1_.jpg. Accessed 29 Mar. 2020.
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