For the 7th Annual Baton Rouge Irish Film Festival, hosted by Baton Rouge Irish Club, there will be some new direction headed to the 4-day event.
The Film Fest kicks off on Friday, July 31 with the “Wee Irish Film Night.” This night features 9 short films from Ireland, made by Irish producers or directors, that are shown at Manship Theatre in downtown Baton Rouge. At the end of event, audience members are able to vote on their favorite short film, and the director of the winning film, who is announced the following day, receives a trophy.
“The O’Kalem Award is a handmade, hand-blown, glass trophy that is made by a local artist,” BR Irish Club Business Manager, Patricia Comeaux, said.
The entrance fee for Friday is $8.50, plus fees, per person for the entire night, which is accompanied by local band, “Wild Irish Roots.”
A new addition to the Fest includes “The Hallow,” an Irish horror film directed by Corin Hardy that appeared in Sundance this past January and will be one of the first screenings in the States. Comeaux said the reason behind the screening is for a new film festival that hopes to take in Baton Rouge, featuring Irish horror.
“There’s talk of an Irish horror film festival next year and this is just kinda like a teaser for that, we’re not putting it on, it’s just something new,” Comeaux said, “evidently horror movies are big in Ireland.”
Saturday, Aug. 1, also known as “Festival Day,” will be the day for the full-length features. The day starts at 10 a.m., once again at Manship Theatre, with a screening of “A Love Divided,” part of another new annual tradition to honor Irish classics. This first film will be free, and then followed by four films costing $8.50 per person, per film, or $30 for a day pass. The remaining films include, “The Legend of Longwood,” “‘71,” “One Millions Dubliners,” and “Poison Pen.”
With Celtic Studios being the major sponsor of the festival, members of the studio begin to meet as early as September to decide which films will be chosen. From there on, the committee usually meets once a week for screenings in order to finalize their decisions. The films vary in genre with themes such as action, historic, comedy and documentary.
The same night offers an after-party hosted by Hotel Indigo, immediately following the final screening, acommpanied by the musical talents of “Wild Irish Roots” and Danny O’Flaherty.
“He’s very popular, he’s got a big following, so we’re hoping that they all come to the film festival. He’s been around for a long time. He’s from Ireland, but lives in Texas right now and he has done things for the Irish Club,” Comeaux said.
The third day of the festival, “Military Day”, follows on Sunday, Aug. 2, and begins at 2 p.m. at Celtic Media Centre. It’s a free event that features the film, “A Terrible Beauty,” a British war-time piece and short film, “The Weather Report.” Following the film is music from bagpiper, Wil Brian and a new exhibit, “Stories from 1916,” a project centered on the individual stories of those involved in Ireland’s 1916 Easter Rising.
The final day of the Irish Film Fest, on Monday, Aug. 3, is a night event that begins at 7 p.m. at Phil Brady’s Bar & Grill, a partner with the Fest since their start in 2009. Attendance to see “The Yank” and short film, “Boogaloo and Graham” is free, with a cash bar and $1 burgers available to end the celebration.
Tickets can be purchased through Manship Theatre and a full list of details surrounding the event and film summaries can be found at Baton Rouge Irish Club’s website at batonrougeirishfilmfestival.com.