The film festival, which started in 2010, ran a highly-successful in-cinema festival last September despite COVID-19 restrictions, and is currently planning to hold a hybrid festival this year, provisionally from 17-25 September. Over the past few years, it has also organised the screening of one or more Irish films in March.

The British & Irish Film Festival Luxembourg has teamed up with the Irish Film Institute International which has launched a new online screening platform for use of Irish film festivals around the world, many of which hold their festivals each March. This not only provides audiences with the opportunity to watch a couple of contemporary Irish films in the comfort of their own home, but it will also enable the BIFFL organisers to evaluate how best to use the platform for the main festival in September, particularly in conjunction with cinema screenings.

The new online screening platform, developed with Culture Ireland, adopts Geo-blocking, i.e. only people logging on from computers within a certain country/ies can access the online screenings. Normally for us, this would be restricted to Luxembourg; however, these two screenings are also open to people living, and access the Internet, from the border countries (see below for specific details per film).

The IFI International streaming service is a new initiative from the Irish Film Institute (IFI), supported by Culture Ireland. As Ireland’s national cultural institution for film, the IFI provides audiences with access to the finest independent cinema, preserves and promotes Ireland’s moving image heritage through the IFI Irish Film Archive, and provides opportunities for audiences of all ages to learn and critically engage with film. This new service is a welcome addition to the IFI’s long-running IFI International initiative, a programme which works closely with cultural festivals to bring the best of new and classic Irish cinema to venues around the world.

The two films being screened next month are as follows:

- The Winter Lake; (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9778348) (Ireland, Canada), directed by Phil Sheerin and starring Emma Mackey (Sex Education (tv series)), Anson Boon (1917; Sulphur and White), Charlie Murphy (Peaky Blinders (tv series)) and Michael McElhatton (Game of Thrones; Justice League; The Last Right). Drama/thriller, 92 mins.

Synopsis: When Holly’s dark secret is accidentally uncovered by her new emotionally unstable neighbour Tom, they are pulled into a violent confrontation with her father, who will do anything to keep the secret hidden. Shot in Sligo. Geo-blocked for Luxembourg, Germany, Belgium and France.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dP7YpJeKDFA


- Wildfire; (https://www.imdb.com/title/tt9180460) (Ireland, UK), directed by Cathy Brady and starring Nika McGuigan (Philomena; The Secret Scripture; Mammal; Malicious Intent; Traders), Nora-Jane Noone (Brooklyn; The Magdalene Sisters; Brand New-U) and Kate Dickie (Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi; Balance, Not Symmetry). Drama, 85 mins.

Synopsis: Inseparable sisters raised in a small town on the Irish border, Lauren and Kelly’s lives were shattered with the mysterious death of their mother. Left to pick up the pieces after her sister abruptly disappeared, Lauren is suddenly confronted with the family’s dark and traumatic past when Kelly returns home after being reported missing for a whole year. The intense sisterhood reignited, Kelly’s desire to unearth their history is not welcomed by all in the small town, as rumours and malice spread like wildfire, threatening to push them over the edge. Shot in Donegal. Geo-blocked for Luxembourg and Belgium.

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dSuf36TKyrk


The films can be viewed any time during the St Patrick's week, i.e. from Monday 15 March (09:00) to Monday 22 March (18:00) inclusive.

Tickets are €9/film screening. Each ticket allows the viewer to have more than one person viewing the screening online, unlike in-cinema screenings when a ticket is just for one person. Advance tickets go on sale on Wednesday 3 March at 10:00 at https://www.ifiinternational.ie/page/biffl/ (click on ''Create Account'' and follow the instructions on screen).

How it works: Once someone purchases a ticket for a film(s), it is added to their Library. The film(s) become available to watch from Monday 15 March @ 09:00. From the time of purchase or the time the film becomes available to watch, whichever is later, the film will stay in their Library (if unwatched) for 72 hours. Once they start watching, they will have 48 hours to finish watching the film.




The British & Irish Film Festival Luxembourg, www.bifilmseason.lu

Media Contact: Geoff Thompson, Geoff@bifilmseason.lu, tel: 661-250007 (m)

G-Media sarl, 9 rue du Moulin, L-8380 Kleinbettingen, www.gmedia.lu