The 23rd annual Chicago Irish Film Festival (CIFF) returns to offer the best features, shorts and documentary films from The Land of Storytelling.
This year’s festival is a Hybrid Event with in-person events at Theater on the Lake, The Logan Theatre and Society for Arts from March 3-6, as well as an online format with digital passes available for at-home screenings March 7-13.
“At first the festival was nuanced, more of the classic Irish narrative, small village pubs, Irish history and a few edgy films as Irish production really began to take off in the mid 1990’s said Jude Blackburn, CIFF’s Executive Director Emeritus, “as years went on, the films are more focused on modern social issues in Ireland, which have become super interactive culturally and politically. This year we have two Chicago born filmmakers, one with a world premier! Many wonderful women directors and producers, lots of first-time filmmakers and of course two contemporary films in the Irish language.”
Blackburn launched the festival in 1999 with a desire to provide small indie theaters in Chicago content beyond major blockbuster films. Since then, the festival has screened more than 1,450 films from Ireland and Irish directors around the world. Blackburn recognized that Ireland had a huge, unexplored film community, and thought an Irish film festival would speak to Chicago’s historic Irish population, which led to the theme of the festival. Social issues are explored through features, shorts and documentary films throughout the hybrid festival.
CIFF will premiere the first contemporary Irish language mystery thriller during this year’s festival, Doineann (STORM), a film directed by Damian McCann. Doineann is a tense Irish language film which follows the pursuits of a husband searching for his missing family through the help of a retired policewoman. The film will be screened during the opening night reception on March 3 at Theater on the Lake. The Irish Consulate will deliver a special presentation on Irish language films during the opening reception and will present festival awards.
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“This is the first year we’ve screened a feature film on opening night in quite a while, and it also happens to be in the Irish language, which is beyond exciting,” said Blackburn.
Other in-person festival highlights include a surfing documentary about Ireland’s Surfing Seas, Keep It a Secret, a biblical black comedy Redemption of a Rogue and the Midwest premiere and closer of the festival Róise & Frank, a film that asks can a newfound dog really be the reincarnation of a hurling loving husband. CIFF has also revived the Irish classic Blarney to screen in-person on March 6, the 1938 comedy classic starring beloved Irish actors Jimmy O’Dea and Noel Purcell has recently been restored by the Irish Film Institute.
This year’s festival includes a robust hybrid experience for at-home screenings and premieres. CIFF’s online offering plays host to the world premier of Aliquippa, PA, a documentary exploring the hopes and dreams filling small towns across the country as they struggle to survive. Another hybrid standout includes The Blue Shroud, an intriguing documentary which ties together the 1937 bombing of Guernica, Spain, Pablo Picasso’s response, Blue Shroud, and Colin Powell’s case for invading Iraq to the UN in 2001. The hybrid festival will also show The Maltese Connection, filled with motorcycle getaways, romantic missteps and clowns making life difficult for a British agent tracking down an Irish bond thief.
Passes for this year’s festival are available through Elevent. All-access in-person and virtual all-access passes are available for $225, all-access in-person for $150 and virtual all-access for $100. Tickets for the opening screening of Doineann, are available for $75, which includes a buffet, drinks and festival opening festivities. For more information on how to fest for this year’s CIFF, visit chicagoirishfilmfestival.com.
Presenting sponsors of this year’s festival include the Government of Ireland’s Emigrant Support Program and Gage Hospitality. Cultural sponsors include: Culture Ireland, Consulate General of Ireland, Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, Northern Ireland Screen, Irish Fellowship Club of Chicago, Irish Film Institute and Ireland Network Chicago.
Festival sponsors include: Chicago Galway Sister Cities, Compass Dooley Real Estate, Dolder Walsh Inc., Emerald Loop, Farm Bar, Fresh Wave, Gaelic Park Chicago, Invest Northern Ireland, J Sheehan Real Estate, McEntee Law Group, Ornua, The Concord Group, The Dearborn and Sterling Engineering to name a few.
Theater on the Lake
2401 N. Lake Shore Drive, Chicago
The Logan Theatre
2646 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago
Society for Arts
1112 N. Milwaukee Ave., Chicago
The following is a list of the festival line-up:
Doineann | Opening Night Film
Tomás (Peter Coonan) is a successful television producer specializing in investigative journalism that over the years has made many enemies …
Rósie and Frank | Closing Film
It’s been two years since Róise lost her husband Frank. Isolated in grief she has cut herself off from family …
Aliquippa PA
The story of how the community of one small American city has survived economic devastation. How Maria Rubino and her …
Bicycle Thieves: Pumped UP
Mags (Roxanna Nic Liam) is a hot-headed pizza delivery cyclist who reckons herself to be entirely self-sufficient, but is barely …
Blarney
The 1938 comedy classic features much-loved Irish actor Jimmy O’Dea as a hapless cough-medicine salesman working along the Irish Border. He runs into trouble …
Gateway
Mike, a low level drug dealer, is haunted by a recent death. Unable to shake his waking nightmare Mike’s business …
Hillwalkers
For five city friends, a day out hiking for charity in the Irish countryside of Glenkill takes a turn for …
Keep It A Secret
In 1972, every international sporting event in Ireland was cancelled, except for one. Teams from around the world were terrified …
Once Upon A Time In Ireland
Set in 1922 Civil War Ireland a band of Republican IRA idealists are under siege in a tidal cave carved …
Redemption Of A Rogue
A bible, black comedy about a prodigal son returning to his hometown to seek salvation for his sins. Jimmy is …
Short Docs A : Stories to Remember
From the founding of the Irish Georgian Society by Mariga and Desmond Guinness in 1958 to a David vs Goliath …
Short Docs B : Living Life
Five fascinating films that look at life’s ever changing situations with honesty and perspective as people navigate Direct Provisions, Covid-19, …
Shorts 1 : Documentaries
These true stories recount memories of another time to dreams of happier ones to come, lives lived to the fullest …
Shorts 2 : Twists and Turns
Life has a habit of going one way when we were planning on going the other and the results can …
Shorts 3 : Family Time
Finding the wee folk, a lost pig, what’s inside a mysterious gift or a chance to read the “prayers of …
Shorts 4 : Speak Up
Faced with situations that seem insurmountable these stories are filled with people that have decided to say what they want …
Shorts A : Family First
As the saying goes “you can pick your friends, but not your family” but that doesn’t stop a few of …
Shorts B : Let’s Talk About It!
What did you say? A selection of films that have a lot to say about communicating with others and self-respect …
Shorts C : Change of Plans
What happens when your entire world is turned totally upside down? What will you do? Who can you trust? Can …
Shorts D : Reflections
The past seemed so clear, the future quite murky, as decisions are pondered and ultimately made, but at what cost …
Shorts E : Tiny Lessons, Mighty Voices
Whether it’s a new record, a new home or a new marketing plan these kids know what they want and …
Shorts: Dublin Animation A
The Chicago Irish Film Festival delighted to be partnering with Dublin Animation Film Festival for a special program of family …
Shorts: Dublin Animation B
The Chicago Irish Film Festival delighted to be partnering with Dublin Animation Film Festival for a special program of thought …
The Blue Shroud
This intriguing documentary is based on three historical events: the 1937 bombing of Guernica during the Spanish Civil War (the …
The Maltese Connection
When female British agent Aureille is sent to Ireland to investigate the robbery of bearer bonds by Rory Baker, a …
The Quay Co-Op
The Quay Co-op tells the story of a well-known building on Sullivan’s Quay in Cork whose interiors have charted the …
Where the Merrows Roam
An entirely dialogue-free, experimental feature film following two separate stories across six distinct chapters. A nonlinear collage of reminiscences tracing …
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