Knock-out festival film about a memorable fight night in Cork

THIS year’s Cork International Film Festival (CIFF) is chock full of big, eagerly anticipated international films, but there are plenty of local offerings to satisfy movie fans.

One Night In Millstreet is a local story, but one with global appeal, and is set to be a real treat for audiences.

The documentary charts the events leading up to the epic Steve Collins versus Chris Eubank fights, which took place in the Green Glens Arena in Millstreet on St Patrick’s weekend in 1995.

The documentary is made by Andrew Gallimore, a former news reporter who has been making documentaries for over 20 years and travelled by ferry from his native Wales to Cork to see the fight all those years ago.

“I was working as a news reporter then, and I went to the fight because I was writing a television series about boxing in the Celtic nations,” said Andrew. “I didn’t have an ending, and Steve Collins was branding himself as the Celtic Warrior. I thought the fight might be an ending to the series. As it happens, the fight didn’t make it into the series. In a sense, it took about 25 years to get the ending to that story.”

Gallimore says that as much as the documentary is about boxing, it is also about the build-up to it, the characters involved, and how this Cork-based fight became such an extraordinary international cultural moment.

“I managed to blag myself a press pass to the fight and took the ferry from Swansea to Cork. I remember having lunch in the city and asking the barman the best way to get to the arena and thinking it was in Cork city. He said the good news is that you are in the right county; the bad news is you better leave now if you want to make it on time. I had no idea it was so far away.

“Even though the fight was miles away, the centre of Cork was absolutely buzzing. It was easy enough to hitch a lift; it seemed like everybody was heading out to Millstreet; it was extraordinary.”

The filmmaker says although the fight was in the days before camera phones, the ’90s were an exciting time for home video recorders and he had access to extensive archival footage.

“The archive is huge. There was a guy who followed Chris Eubank around, and his footage is extraordinary. There was a burgeoning film industry around Millstreet; the amount of footage we have is incredible. Everything was recorded.”

The documentary includes interviews with Noel C Duggan, the owner of Millstreet, who opened up the arena to international attention by hosting the Eurovision there two years previously.

The CIFF festival director Fiona Clark is delighted that a documentary with such Cork appeal will have its premiere at the festival.

“We’re thrilled to have One Night In Millstreet on several counts. It’s the film’s world premiere, it’s our Irish Gala, and it’s also in competition for the new Best Irish Feature Award.

“You do not need to be interested in boxing to enjoy it. There is wonderful footage of Cork. It’s so compelling; watching it is an adrenaline rush, and it’s full of amazing characters.”

The festival will screen some of this year’s films, including One Night In Millstreet, outside the city.

“We are encouraging people wherever they are to come and participate and experience some of the films,” added Fiona. “We are partnering with Cinemax in Bantry, the Regal in Youghal, the Gate in Midleton and Mallow and the Reel Picture in Ballincollig and Blackpool.”

The festival places a big emphasis on short films and has a strand, Pure Cork, dedicated to local talent. Clark says: “It’s vital to support our filmmakers. We are the oldest film festival in Ireland; it’s our 68th edition.

“Ever since its inception, the festival has championed short film, which often is an entry route for filmmakers to establish their craft. Cork is a rich and fertile ground for creativity. The Pure Cork Shorts shows the diversity of filmmaking in the county, which grows each year. We are excited to be part of promoting and helping to develop the local industry.”

This year, the festival showcases the work of Flora Kerrigan, a filmmaker who made several documentaries in Cork in the ’60s.

“It’s wonderful to profile a filmmaker who has been slightly forgotten. The Irish Film Institute has restored and digitised her work, and it will be special to see this woman’s view of 1960s Cork.”

Souls and Shadows: Reminiscences on Ireland’s Revolution commemorates 1923 through a mix of live performances, music and contemporary newsreels, and Clark says the presentation style is unique.

“This collaboration with UCC presents what we know about Michael Collins and the other figures from that era in a more dynamic, exploratory way. It’s a unique combination of film and live performances. It is going to be something special.”

The festival also highlights Cork’s diversity through films like the short documentary Cork Jewish Culture Virtual Walk, followed by a discussion with director Ruti Lachs.

“It is part film, part Q&A, which shows Cork’s rich cultural history and diversity. The festival is very much rooted in Cork and reflects Cork’s personality, but it’s international, it is outward facing, and it’s really diverse and inclusive. I love that the marriage is uniquely local and international.”

CIFF runs from November 9-26. More information at corkfilmfest.org