Bird

Source: Atsushi Nishijima/Cornerstone

‘Bird’

France’s Dinard Festival of British & Irish Film has unveiled the line-up of its 34th edition, including two films starring Barry Keoghan, Andrea Arnold’s Cannes premiere Bird and Chris Andrews’ Toronto title Bring Them Down.

Bring Them Down, a rural Ireland-set revenge story that’s also partly in the Irish language and stars Poor Things’ Christopher Abbott, will play in the main festival competition, competing for the Golden Hitchcock award for best film, alongside Ariane Labed’s Cannes premiere and Ireland-set directorial debut September Says.

Another Irish-language title in the 53-strong line-up is Rich Peppiatt’s Sundance breakout hip-hop biopic Kneecap, playing in the ‘creative forces’ strand. While Irish titles have previously been included in the festival’s programme, this is the first year of the festival’s new moniker reflecting the Irish presence. It was previously known as Dinard Festival of British Film.

The first feature competition includes Lucy Cohen’s Glasgow premiere Edge Of Summer; Jethro Massey’s Venice Critic’s Week title Paul & Paulette Take A Bath; SXSW thriller 7 Keys from Joy Wilkinson; and Berlin title, Sasha Nathwani’s Last Swim.

Alice Lowe’s SXSW time-travelling comedy Timestalker will open the festival, while Matt Brown’s AFI Fest bow Freud’s Last Session, starring Anthony Hopkins, will close.

The festival, which celebrates UK and Irish cinema for French audiences in a coastal French setting, takes place from October 2-6.

The Convert, although an Australia-New Zealand co-production, will play in competition, owing to the subject matter being about British settlers in New Zealand in the early 19th century. 

The jury will be announced in due course. Dominique Green returns as artistic director.

Dinard 2024 line-up

Competition

Bring Them Down (UK-Ire-Belg)
Dir. Christopher Andrews

The Convert (Australia-NZ)
Dir. Lee Tamahori

Poison (Lux-Neth-Ger-UK)
Dir. Désirée Nosbusch

September Says (Ire-UK-Ger)
Dir. Ariane Labed

That They May Face The Rising Sun (Ire-UK)
Dir. Pat Collins

Unicorns (UK)
Dirs. Sally El Hosaini and James Krishna Floyd

First feature competition

7 Keys (UK)
Dir. Joy Wilkinson

Edge Of Summer (UK)
Dir. Lucy Cohen

Last Swim (UK)
Dir. Sasha Nathwani

Paul & Paulette Take A Bath (UK-Fr)
Dir. Jethro Massey

Opening night

Timestalker (UK)
Dir. Alice Lowe

Gala

Bird (UK-Fr)
Dir. Andrea Arnold

Closing night

Freud’s Last Session (US-UK)
Dir. Matt Brown

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