As the summer draws to a close, there’s nothing better to cure the autumn or winter blues than watching a good movie in the company of other film enthusiasts.
With its recently announced autumn and winter programme, Fermanagh Film Club has you covered this new season, offering you the opportunity to watch Arthouse, foreign and films of quality not normally available on the commercial circuit, in the cinema-like setting of the Ardhowen Theatre in Enniskillen.
Starting a stellar line-up of films is ‘An Cailin Ciuin’, on September 14 at 8pm (Cert: 12A). The film follows nine-year-old Cáit (Catherine Clinch), who is sent by her dysfunctional family to spend the summer with an aunt and uncle she has never met before.
Through the tender care of her aunt Eibhlín (Carrie Crowley), Cáit finally feels loved and safe. Despite himself, her uncle Sean (Andrew Bennett) forges a bond and for the first time, Cáit experiences the warmth of a loving home.
The once quiet Cáit blossoms in their care, but in this house where there are meant to be no secrets, she discovers one ...
The film is directed by Colm Bairéad and is in both Irish and English, with English subtitles.
The programme continues with ‘Dear Comrades’ on September 28. With this film, veteran Russian director Andrei Konchalovsky, who many will remember because of his 1985 white-knuckle ride ‘Runaway Train’, delivers a riveting account of a little-known event in Soviet history.
‘The Worst Person in the World’, a wistful and subversive romantic drama about the quest for love and meaning, will be screened on Wednesday, October 12.
This will be followed on Wednesday, October 26 by a screening of ‘Róise & Frank’ as part of the NI Film Hub Touring Collective.
The film tells the story of a widow who has given up on life and becomes convinced that a stray dog is the reincarnation of her hurling-loving husband.
On Wednesday, November 9, the film club will show ‘The Good Boss’, a Spanish comedy directed by Fernando León de Aranoa.
Awaiting a visit by a committee that could give his company an award for excellence, the owner of an industrial scales manufacturing business tries to resolve any problems from his workers in enough time.
Wes Anderson’s ‘The French Dispatch’ will be shown later in the month, on Wednesday, November 16.
Set in a fictional French city, the writers of The French Dispatch, discuss articles for the next edition. Four stories compete: a travelogue, an article about a criminally insane painter, a tale of love during a student revolution, and a suspenseful tale of kidnapping and fine dining.
Bursting with slapstick, whimsy and visually arresting; Wes Anderson delivers another delight.
‘Compartment No. 6’, the winner of the Grand Prix at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, will be shown on Wednesday, December 14.
When Laura embarks on a long-distance train journey, she has to share her carriage with Ljoha, a foul-mouthed drunk travelling to his new job as a miner. Initially they despise each other, but they start to connect, with Ljoha revealing a kindness beneath the macho façade.
Compartment No. 6 is a warming, unexpected tale of adventure, self-discovery and human connection.
The final film of the season is ‘Benediction’, on Wednesday, December 20. Surviving the horrors of the First World War, and decorated for his bravery, Siegfried Sassoon became a vocal critic of the war.
One of the most celebrated poets of his era, his writing was inspired by his horrific experiences on the Western Front. His story is one of a conflicted man in a fractured world, searching for peace and self-acceptance.
A spokesperson for Fermanagh Film Club said: “Everyone is welcome, not just members, and we’re looking forward to welcoming new members too!”
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