Clones Film Festival returns for its 21st outing from 26th - 29th October 2023 in specially restored cinema venues in Clones, county Monaghan.
Clones Film Festival celebrates 21 years this October Bank Holiday weekend, with highlights from the weekend’s programme including a special screening of I Could Read the Sky, a screening of Nosferatu accompanied by a new live score, a digitally remastered version of Stop Making Sense, and more.
I Could Read the Sky
On Friday 27th October in the Courthouse at 7.30pm, Clone Film Festival will celebrate the reissue this year of the 1997 novel I Could Read the Sky. Following a special screening of the 1999 film based on the book, starring Dermot Healy, Maria Doyle Kennedy and Stephen Rea, author Tim O’Grady and Unbound publisher John Mitchinson will be in conversation. There will be readings from the book and signed copies available from the author on the night. Early booking for this special event is advised.
Nosferatu
On Saturday 28 October at 9pm the festival returns to St. Joseph’s Temperance Hall for a screening of F.W. Murnau’s Nosferatu. The film will be accompanied by a live score composed by Dark Mountain Radio. The core members of this group were behind the screening of Man of Aran at CFF in 2021.
More Programme Highlights
Some other highlights over the weekend include the screening of the 40th anniversary, digitally remastered version of Stop Making Sense on Friday at 10.30pm in the Courthouse.
At 2pm on Saturday there will be a unique virtual reality experience in Clones Art Studios. A Cushla, My Own Native Land directed by Kim Doherty will be shown using VR headsets.
Over the weekend several Irish documentaries will be screened. On Saturday at 4:30pm in the Courthouse, there will be a screening of Tuilte directed by Deaglán Ó Mocháin. Pray for our Sinners, directed by Sinead O’Shea, will screen on Saturday at 6:45pm in the Courthouse as well, and Town of Strangers directed by Treasa O’Brien will screen on Sunday at 12:45pm in Clones Art Studios.
Short Film Competitions
CFF will present a selection of some of the best Irish and international short live action, documentary and animation films in our competition screenings. The judges this year are Brona Keenan (landscape architect and anthropologist from partner Vardø Film Festival), Elaine Gallagher (writer, director, producer and organiser of Meath Film Festival), and Emma O’Sullivan (founding member of the Clifden Film Society in Galway). The winners in each category will be awarded with a Francie award at the closing ceremony on Sunday night. Admission to the short film screenings on Sunday afternoon is free.
Full programme details as well as online tickets are now available here.
