Irish Film Institute -IRISH PREMIERE OF ACCLAIMED BEAUTIFUL BOY TO HEADLINE IFI & FIRST FORTNIGHT FESTIVAL IN JANUARY

IRISH PREMIERE OF ACCLAIMED BEAUTIFUL BOY TO HEADLINE IFI & FIRST FORTNIGHT FESTIVAL IN JANUARY

In partnership with the First Fortnight Mental Health Festival 2019, the IFI is proud to present its biggest collaboration with the festival yet, with four screenings throughout the month of January. This year’s selection will include the Irish premiere of Felix van Groeningen’s acclaimed Beautiful Boy starring Steve Carell and Timothée Chalamet. IFI National will also bring screenings of the Dardennes brothers’ Oscar-nominated drama Two Days, One Night to venues across the country from Tuesday 8th.

Also scheduled to screen as part of the festival are Marie de Hert’s Labyrinthine, Gabrielle Brady’s Island of Hungry Ghosts, plus a selection of family friendly shorts around the theme of positive mental health.

Wednesday 9th will see the Irish premiere of Felix van Groeningen’s moving new film Beautiful Boy starring Oscar nominees Steve Carell, Timothée Chalament and Amy Ryan. Based on the bestselling autobiographies of David Sheff and his son, Nic, the film centres on a devastated father struggling to deal with his son’s debilitating addiction to methamphetamines. Van Groeningen elicits raw performances from Carell as a father who cannot shed crippling feelings of guilt and Chalamet as an uncomprehending addict blinded to how perilous his situation has become.

Marie de Hert’s Labyrintine, which will screen on Thursday 3rd, tells the story of Sven who, after suffering from bipolar and schizo-affective disorders for many years, aims to control them through art, imagination and innovation. This Belgian documentary is an ode to one man’s troubled past and hopeful future, while presenting a universal story about living and dealing with psychosis.

Director Gabrielle Brady will take part in a Q&A following the Tuesday 15th screening of Island of Hungry Ghosts. Set on the remote Christmas Island, an Australian territory south of Indonesia, the film focuses on trauma counsellor Poh Lin. Lin works with people trying to seek asylum in Australia who have been detained in a high security detention facility, deep within the island’s jungle. Called ‘lyrical and poetic’ by Screen International, the film juxtaposes the refugees’ desperate imprisonment with the mass migration of the red crabs for which the island is famous.

For the first time, IFI & First Fortnight will present a selection of specially curated family friendly shorts offering different stories of positive mental health through animations and live action films. Dealing with school, friendship, bereavement, starting out or learning how to be your best, these terrific films from different countries will leave younger visitors with a smile.

Finally, IFI National and First Fortnight will tour screenings of the Dardennes brothers’ acclaimed 2014 drama Two Days, One Night across the country from January 8th. Full details of the participating venues and booking are available from www.firstfortnight.ie.

Tickets for all other screenings are available here. For interview availability and high res images, please contact Aisling O’Halloran at the IFI Press Office on 01-6795744 or aohalloran@irishfilm.ie. For more information and to book tickets for the First Fortnight screenings, visit www.ifi.ie.

IFI is principally funded by the Arts Council.

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