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See details of our current seasons below.
Between Heaven and Hell: The Films of Ingmar Bergman
The Films of David Lean
Despite the Australian film industry’s pioneering work in the early days of cinema, including The Story Of The Kelly Gang (1906), acknowledged by UNESCO as the world’s first full-length narrative feature film, it soon began a long period in the doldrums. It wasn’t until the 1970s that the industry was revitalised by government support that allowed low budget filmmaking to flourish. These budgets lent themselves to genre filmmaking in particular, and this new wave of filmmakers focused on Australian stories and culture to create the ‘Ozploitation’ style. Over the’70s and ‘80s, films as diverse as Picnic At Hanging Rock (Peter Weir, 1975, recently screened at the IFI), Mad Max (George Miller, 1979), and Crocodile Dundee (Peter Faiman, 1986) drew international attention and facilitated a trade in talent between this now burgeoning industry and that of Hollywood, who utilised the unique perspectives of Australian filmmakers and the country’s stunning terrain. Over the years, the body of work has been added to by an increasing number of women and particularly Indigenous Australian filmmakers, whose work frequently explores the dispossession of their people and their status and continuing struggles in contemporary Australian society. The selection of films in this season gives a brief overview of thirty years of vibrant and idiosyncratic filmmaking of which critic Roger Ebert said, “You can search in vain through the national cinema for characters who are ordinary or even boring; everyone is more colourful than life”. The IFI would like to thank Dr Enda Murray for his assistance. The season is presented by the National Film and Sound Archive of Australia in partnership with the Irish Film Institute. Season notes by Kevin Coyne. Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander audiences are advised that this season may contain the names, images and voices of people who have died. [embed]https://youtu.be/l342k4tjG9w[/embed] NOW BOOKING Book now for cinema screenings via IFI Box Office in-person or over the phone via 01 679 3477. BUNDLE INFO: 3 Film Pass* – €30.00 5 Film Pass* – €50.00 Full Season Pass* – €120.00 *Season membership fee of €5.00 is applicable to all bundles for Non-Members. This season is available for 25 & Under cardholder pricing. Sign-up is free for the 25 & Under card for those aged 16-25. See https://ifi.ie/25under for full details.
Few contemporary filmmakers have interrogated modern life with the unflinching precision, moral clarity, and formal rigour of Michael Haneke. Known for his stark visual style, chilling precision, and provocative storytelling, the Austrian director holds a mirror to the darker corners of modern society. The films in this season challenge the viewer to engage with Haneke’s cinematic world, a stark, sometimes brutal, yet intellectually rich landscape where emotional comfort is rare, and easy answers are refused. Although often described as cold, Haneke’s work betrays a deep concern for the state of human relationships, for the erosion of empathy in the face of media saturation, social conformity, and historical amnesia. His cinema resists traditional narrative satisfaction and instead implicates the audience in the moral dilemmas of his characters, often forcing us to question our complicity as spectators. From his early German-language works like Benny’s Video (1992), which explore the numbing effects of consumerism and media violence, to his internationally acclaimed masterpieces such as Funny Games (1997), Caché (2005), and The White Ribbon (2009), Haneke has relentlessly exposed the fragility of the veneer of civilisation. He narrowed his focus in Amour (2012), offering a devastating, yet tender portrait of love and decline in old age, earning him the Palme d’Or for the second time, and his only Academy Award (for Best Foreign Language Film). Whether you’re encountering Haneke’s work for the first time or revisiting it anew, expect to be unsettled. That’s precisely the point. Season Notes by David O’Mahony. [embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_NhReHt_Wh4[/embed] NOW BOOKING Book now for cinema screenings online, in-person via IFI Box Office, or over the phone via 01 679 3477. TICKET INFO: 3 Film Pass - €30.00 5 Film Pass - €50.00 9 Film Pass - €90.00 *Season membership fee of €5.00 is applicable to all bundles for Non-Members. These passes can only be booked in person or by calling the IFI Box Office on 01 679 3477.
Although their relationship did not have the vitriol of that of Joan Crawford and Bette Davis, a certain froideur seems to have existed between Marlene Dietrich and Greta Garbo, despite, or perhaps because of, the numerous similarities in their lives and careers. Following early success in European silent cinema, each was lured to Hollywood, the German Dietrich to Paramount while the Swedish Garbo signed with MGM. Although the studios may initially have planned to set the two up as rivals for audiences’ affections, instead they became icons, two of the most influential and imitated performers not just in classical Hollywood, but in the history of cinema, responsible for indelible imagery and enduring quotes. In some ways, their appeal and personae mirrored each other: while Dietrich openly defied gender norms and did not suppress her sexuality, Garbo retained a mystique that fuelled her allure; and while Garbo loathed the trappings of stardom and constantly strove to maintain her privacy, the outspoken and political Dietrich used her fame to entertain the troops during WWII. As their fortunes waxed and waned, Garbo stepped off the publicity treadmill while Dietrich found other avenues for her talents. Throughout their careers, and despite having so much in common, it was not unknown for the two to throw subtle barbs at each other and each always claimed, somewhat dubiously, to never have even met. Regardless, the two will remain inextricably linked as two of cinema’s most glamorous and era-defining stars with an enduring legacy both on- and off-screen. Season notes by Kevin Coyne. Supported by the Goethe-Institut Irland. [embed]https://youtu.be/MGJKKnFCJJw?si=j_2nNnuVWnXZ5Mb6[/embed] NOW BOOKING Book now for cinema screenings online, in-person via IFI Box Office, or over the phone via 01 679 3477. BUNDLE INFO: 3 Film Pass* – €30.00 6 Film Pass* – €60.00 12 Film Pass* – €120.00 *Season membership fee of €5.00 is applicable to all bundles for Non-Members. These passes can only be booked in person or by calling the IFI Box Office on 01 679 3477.
ARCHIVE AT LUNCHTIME: MASS APPEAL (PROGRAMME TWO) 13:00
CAL 13:20
LOLLIPOP 13:50, 20:30
THE BALLAD OF WALLIS ISLAND 15:50, 20:20
THE BIGGER PICTURE: BIG NIGHT 18.30
THE ENCAMPMENTS 20:55
THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME 13:30, 18:00
THE PIANO TEACHER 15:40
TORNADO 16:00, 18:15
The IFI is supported by The Arts Council
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