The second day of the Galway Film Fleadh features many exciting premieres including Past Lives, with director Celine Song in attendance of her debut feature’s Irish premiere.
Celine Song is in Galway! Past Lives is a love story that follows Nora and Hae Sung, two deeply connected childhood friends, who are separated after Nora’s family emigrates from South Korea. Two decades later, they are reunited in New York for one fateful week as they confront destiny, love, and the choices that make a life, in this heartrending modern romance. This film premiered at Sundance Film Festival in 2023, and has received five star reviews, described by The Hollywood Reporter as “one of the year’s best films”. The film screens today, Wednesday 12th, at 18:15 in Pálás Screen 1.
Winner of the SXSW 2023 Audience Award for the 24 Beats Per Second screening section, Louder Than You Think is an up-close cinematic walkabout through the life of Gary Young, the original (and highly unlikely) drummer of indie rock band Pavement. His booze and drugs-fuelled antics (on-stage handstands, gifting vegetables to fans) and haphazard production methods (helping launch the lo-fi aesthetic) were both a driving force of the band’s early rise and the cause of his eventual crash landing. Leaving a wake of joy and/or destruction at every turn, Gary teeters the thin line between free-form self-expression and chaotic self-destruction. 30 years on with scoliosis, blood clots, and a shrivelled liver, Gary is still drumming with no regrets. The film screens at 22:00 in Town Hall Theatre.
Winner of ‘Best UK Feature’ awards at both Manchester Film Festival and London Independent Film Festival, Jane Gull’s second feature Love Without Walls follows Sophie and Paul, two passionate souls chasing their dreams in London. Paul is a talented musician, and Sophie is a trainee photographer and dedicated roadie. But when they fall behind on rent, they face the harsh realities of life on the streets. Despite their struggles, their shared love for music gives them the strength to carry on. Their story is a powerful testament to the transformative power of music and the human spirit. The screening (starting at 19:00 in Town Hall Theatre) will be followed by a post show discussion with lead actor Niall McNamee, director Jane Gull and producer Karen Newman.
All three films will be followed by a post-show discussion.
Check out the full programme here.