27 countries to be represented at this year's Indie Cork festival

Twenty-seven countries will be represented at this year’s IndieCork film festival, to complement a record number of entries from Cork city and county.

This year’s event takes place at the Arc Cinema, in Cork city, from October 6 to 13, with a host of award-winning documentaries, new feature films, and Ireland’s largest representation of short films.

Some 30 of the films are by filmmakers with Cork connections.

The opening-night film, on October 6, is Juliette In Spring, a French comedy-drama directed by Blandine Lenoir.

The festival also has a wide reach, with an impressive six programmes of international short films in competition, from countries such as Haiti, Kosovo, Palestine, Austria, The Philippines, and Indonesia.

Visiting filmmakers include Frédéric Pelle, from France, Franc Dumij, from Croatia, and John McDonald, from Seattle, who will fly in for the screening of his multi-award-winning film. It tells the true story of a man who has chosen to wander across the US with his three mules in tow.

Music documentaries include We Come Alive, which follows the Irish band The Stunning.

The festival has been boosted by the return of Irish web-hosting company Blacknight Solutions as sponsors and includes a new award for the ‘Blacknight Best Irish Short Film.’

IndieCork also presents a music-and-sound programme, and partners with the Contemporary Music Centre and Screen Guild Composers of Ireland, with events taking place at The Pavilion and Civic Trust House.

In addition, there are talks, workshops, and networking events, in partnership with National Talent Academies and Culture Ireland.

Mick Hannigan, the co-director of IndieCork, said: “It’s a really exciting programme and we’re welcoming international guests from France, US, Italy, Croatia, Portugal, and Scotland.

These include filmmakers, but also festival directors and programmers, invited to IndieCork to view the latest Irish film talent.

Mr Hannigan said: “Curating the programme each year is a huge privilege and it’s great to, once again, work with the team at the beautiful Arc Cinema, and our great sponsors Blacknight Solutions. It simply would not happen without their support.”

See Downtown for more.