The 3rd Los Angeles Irish Film Festival Opened with Music and Wit

by Ron Gilbert

I have attended this festival from the beginning and it has
grown in leaps and bounds. Last night was the best one yet. Even though we are
in the heart of Hollywood at the
Linwood Dunn Theatre, if feels like Ireland,
The beautiful and gracious festival director and founder, Lisa McLaughlin fills
the atmosphere with her smile and charms us all. .Even in these difficult times
sponsors like the Irish Film Board, ELMA, The American Cinematheque and friends
came aboard to celebrate Irish cinema.
Jan and Deborah (who also did the floral arrangements) from Kean Kolar
Communications& gave us an evening to remember. ELMA director.Pascal
Ladreyt shared his love for Ireland
as he reminisced about his 6 years working in Cork
for the French Government.

In true Irish tradition, we started out with some libations
and then were presented on screen with the silent film from 1914 “Ireland a Nation” which was followed by
another short “William Rogers in Dublin” (1924) Then we jumped to present day Ireland
with the hilarious action-comedy “Perrier’s
Bounty” directed by Ian Fitzgibbon. My Irish Lass friend Erin could not
stop laughing. Jim Broadbent steals the film as the sleep deprived dad and the
versatile Brendan Gleeson, talented Cillian Murphy and narrator, Gabriel Byrne along
with the cast of characters. were superb and took us on a jolly Irish jaunt. All
the lads in the film were supposed to be at the screening last night but the good
news is that they were all working on a new film. This came out on DVD this
weekend so watch it.

This year The Steve
Brennan Tribute Award is for Oscar nominated actor, Richard Harris, with a
screening of the Oscar nominated film The
Field with his son Jared Harris along with director Jim Sheridan
attending.on Sunday night October 3rd at the Aero theatre in Santa
Monica. According to my sources, Harris was originally
offered the role of Father Chris Doran but chose to play the lead character,
Bull, which garnered him a well deserved Oscar nomination.

The Los Angeles Irish Film festival October 1st -3rd
at Aero Theater on Santa Monica

http://www.lairishfilm.com/