As the Irish industry continues to grow, it’s important to encourage and embolden the next generation of Irish filmmakers, creatives and industry professionals. This month, Galway’s premiere film event presents its youth oriented offshoot, as Generation Fleadh, the youth branch of the Galway Film Fleadh offers up screenings and events to entice younger audiences.
From 23 – 26 October, Generation Fleadh presents a programme in Galway curated for audiences aged 12 – 24. Screening the best of new international films for young audiences, the festival offers afternoon and evening screenings with educational films in German, Spanish, French and the Irish language, alongside short film programmes curated by the GEN Council. With workshops, discussions, and more, GENERATION Fleadh is a vibrant platform for young film lovers to connect and celebrate film culture in Galway. This includes some local premieres that would be the envy of any festival.
GENERATION Fleadh is set to host the Irish premieres of feature films that have screened at international festivals such as Cannes, Sundance and Berlin. Notable screenings include the Irish premiere of Winners, which tells the story of a Syrian refugee navigating her new life in Berlin by joining her school’s football team. Director Soleen Yusef will attend for a post-show discussion. In the Irish Premiere of Layla director, Amrou Al-Kadhi, presents a struggling Arab drag queen who falls in love for the first time and finds themselves in a transformative relationship that tests who they really are.
Following international success at Cannes, Claude Barras presents his second feature, Sauvages, which tells a story about Indigenous rights and environmental issues set in Borneowhere Kéria and her cousin fight to save their ancestral forest home from destruction.
One of the most vibrant international youth films of the decade will close off the festival. Closing film of GENERATION Fleadh is a special retrospective screening of Ana Lily Amirpour’s cult classic A Girl Walks Home Alone At Night, the feminist vampire western set in the Iranian ghost town of Bad City that follows a lonely vampire who preys on the town’s most unsavoury inhabitants. This screening, timely for the Halloween season, will be followed by a panel discussion with Dr Mairead Casey of University of Galway and GENERATION Council Members.
Attendees can catch a wide range of films and events during this Fleadh. Three short film programmes featuring works curated by the GEN Council include World Shorts; Gearrscannáin and GENERATION Shorts. Workshops include, Scoring for the Screen, a music composition workshop, Say Hello to My Little Budget, which explores short film budgeting, The Cinematographer’s Toolkit, a masterclass delivered by DOP, David Qualter and a free stop-motion animation workshop, led by Foróige.
GENERATION Fleadh will take part in the Young Audience Film Day on November 3rd with the European Film Academy (EFA) with film criticism discussion, a screening of Charlotte Regan’s Scrapper which will include an online Q&A with the director, facilitated in real time with young audiences across Europe.
Tickets for GENERATION Fleadh can be booked via galwayfilmfleadh.com.