LAUNCH: Mayor of Killarney, Cllr Michael Gleeson was on hand to launch the Kerry International Film Festival in Killarney House and Gardens on Friday night last. Photo: Michael G Kenny

By Michelle Crean

There’ll be a unique film festival atmosphere in Killarney next week as the Kerry International Film Festival is ready to take to local screens.

Taking place from October 17 to 20 there’ll be screenings in Killarney Cinema and St Mary’s Church, with industry events in Killarney House and the Plaza Hotel.

And for its 20^th anniversary, KIFF is debuting a brand-new look - having undergone an exciting rebrand by the festival’s creative partner Richard Dee Branding and Design.

Feature films, documentaries, animation, short film programmes and industry events, will all be part of the three-day event with the festival showcasing new work from Ireland and around the globe.

Some of the highlights include the Irish Premiere of ‘Rare Beasts’, the directing debut of actress Billie Piper.

KIFF will also feature the Irish premiere of ‘The Peanut Butter Falcon’, a touching film with a modern-day spin on Mark Twain’s ‘Adventures of Huckleberry Finn’. This heart-warming future-classic opens the festival on Thursday next at 6.30pm.

Closer to home KIFF will also present the world premiere of Terry McMahon's news film, ‘The Prize Fighter’, which promises to be a sell-out event as Gary ‘Spike’ O'Sullivan (the Irish professional boxer who has formerly held the WBO International and Irish middleweight titles), Paschal Collins (renowned coach and manager) and director Terry McMahon, will attend the screening and an extended Q&A afterwards on Friday night next, at 8.30pm.

The festival will also share the work from the many talented local filmmakers in ‘Kerry Focus’, including The Kerry Connections shorts programme on Friday, from 6.30pm.

On Saturday,’Kilimanjaro Mama’, the story of Kerry woman Louise Quill and her amazing work in her Tanzanian Orphanage will be screened, while Seanie Sugrue’s us screening of his laugh a minute feature film ‘Misty Buttons’ takes place on Sunday.

Festival Programmer, Eibh Collins, said that she’s delighted to present her first programme for the Kerry International Film Festival.

“It’s been an incredible effort from the dedicated team to get this selection of films ready for our wonderful audiences, and I can’t wait for them to see what we have put together for them. We have put together a programme that covers the diverse landscape of contemporary world cinema and are delighted to showcase it here in Killarney.”

To celebrate the festivals 20^th birthday there will be a host of free films screening in St Marys church daily of fan-favourites from 1999, the year of the first Kerry Film Festival and including 20^th anniversary screenings of classics like ‘10 Things I Hate About You’ and ‘The Matrix’. 

For details on these screenings and more, check out www.kerryfilmfestival.com.