With St. Patrick’s Day right around the corner, the timing seems perfect for a film series featuring the cinematic best from the land of Eire. March 8 and March 9 mark the Toronto Irish Film Festival at TIFF Bell Lightbox, a showcase of 19 films, including 14 making their Canadian debuts. Here are the best bets from the weekend’s event.
Pilgrim Hill – March 8
An emotional, intimate portrait of a middle-aged man living in rural Ireland, the stark and somber Pilgrim Hill kicks off the weekend in a dramatic, though not necessarily joyous fashion. Cinematically engrossing, the debut film from Gerard Barrett is atmospheric and eerie as it follows the past, present and future struggles of a man played effectively by Joe Mullins. Mullins and co-star Muiris Crowley will be in attendance.
Dollhouse – March 9
A fun, drunken night for a group of rebellious teens turns into something much darker and serious in this unnerving film by writer and director Kristen Sheridan (August Rush, In America). Featuring rising star Jack Reynor, who gave a brilliant performance in What Richard Did (shown at TIFF last year), this dramatic entry is entrancing and full of surprises — Sheridan even kept secrets upon secrets from her young cast throughout the pre-production and filming.
Jump – March 9
Another film about youthful curiosity and angst, Jump follows the deviant digressions of four twenty-somethings on New Year’s Eve as lives and fates collide. Amid a dark and dreary backdrop (it takes place in Ireland, after all), these relatable anti-heroes question authority and the meaning of life on a day heavy with purpose and self-awareness.
The Shorts Program – March 9
A varied collection of seven short films, including two beautifully animated ones (with the hint of green infusion, of course), these showcases generally offer the best bet to capture both the essence and diversity of a culture’s cinematic oeuvre and it looks to be no exception here. The Boy in the Bubble, narrated by Alan Rickman, was the 2012 Best Animated Film in Ireland, and tells the story of a romantic boy turned sour and dour after experiencing his first heartbreak. Also included is a battle of the sexes tale in the form of dueling surfers, a painful, non-fictional look at domestic abuse and familial struggle, and two stories of death, one where a woman reveals the past, and another where a woman tries to undo it.
Toronto Irish Film Festival, TIFF Bell Lightbox, March 8-9