To the Stars
Martha Stephens’ ‘To The Stars’ is a touching, aesthetically striking coming-of-age tale infused with righteous feminist purpose.
Growing up in small-town Oklahoma in the early 1960s is tough for reclusive teen Iris (Kara Hayward). Her mother (Jordan Spiro) is a demanding alcoholic, while her father (Shea Whigham) is timid and evasive. She suffers from an embarrassing bladder condition and faces daily bullying at school. When hip new girl in town Maggie (Liana Liberto) recognises untapped potential in Iris, the pair of outsiders bond. Yet Maggie holds secrets that will have alarming consequences for the community if exposed.
Meet director Martha Stephens at a post-screening Q&A.
20:00 | 10 November | Triskel
‘Irish Shorts 2: Daughters’
In ‘Irish Shorts Programme 2‘ we explore eight stories of daughters who are resourceful, tenacious, loyal, independent, absent, departed, misunderstood…
We will see the struggle to cope with gender identity and death, a couple who embark on a journey in the midst of a family crisis, a teenager with a chestnut for a head, a nine-year-old-girl trying to evoke a sign from the Virgin Mary and a young female patient in 1970’s Ireland who has escaped a psychiatric hospital and rings home from a telephone box… but her parents are waiting for the call.
13:00 | 10 November | The Everyman Theatre
‘And Then We Danced’
‘And Then We Danced’, Sweden’s entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 92nd Academy Awards, is a vibrant and luminous drama by Levan Akin in which a Georgian dancer finds his voice amongst a conservative culture.
Merab (a thrilling performance from first-time actor Levan Gelbakhiani) lives with his mother, grandmother and wayward elder brother in a cramped apartment in Tbilisi. Having trained at the National Georgian Ensemble from a young age, he is drilled in discipline and restraint, characteristics needed to fulfil his dancing ambitions. When Irakli (Bachi Valishvili) joins the troupe, it provokes a rivalry that stirs repressed emotions in Merab.
Melding traditional and contemporary Georgian culture with stunning cinematography, Levan Akin’s sensuous, vibrant drama boldly probes notions of nationalism, machismo and desire.
17:30 | 10 November | The Everyman Theatre
‘Sweetness in The Belly’
A powerful adaptation of Camilla Gibb’s bestseller, ‘Sweetness in the Belly’ is a sincere, brilliantly constructed period drama with emotional depth.
Having grown up under the guardianship of a celebrated Sufi master after being abandoned by her wayward hippie parents, Lilly (Dakota Fanning) finds herself in Ethiopia and in love during the final years of Haile Selassie’s reign. As revolutionary fervour erupts in violence, she ships to England, where her status as a white woman sees her favoured before black refugees, though her devout Muslim faith means she is still regarded an outsider. She contributes to building a growing community of migrants while searching for her lost love. We are delighted to present the Irish premiere of this hotly-anticipated new Irish feature, supported by Screen Ireland.
17:45 | 10 November | The Everyman Theatre
Second Chance Screening: 15:45 | 11 November | The Gate Cinema
‘Away’
‘Away’ is the magical tale of a boy who hangs from a tree, with his parachute caught in the branches, and a large, strange beast is making its way slowly towards him. Assisted just by a few found items, and a small yellow bird who befriends him, the boy starts his journey to safety. This family feature is a real treat for the senses – director Gints Zilbalodis’ crafted every single element of this stunning animated fable, single-handedly. A Beautiful and mesmerising tour de force.
13:00 | 10 November | The Everyman Theatre
