Disney film premier at Derry film festival

This year, Foyle Film Festival is celebrating its 35th year and a decade-long partnership with Brunswick Moviebowl. Opening the festival is the eagerly awaited NI Premiere of Strange World, the latest family spectacular from Walt Disney Animation Studios. Strange World follows the legendary family of explorers, the Clades, as they attempt to navigate an uncharted, treacherous land, alongside a motley crew including a mischievous blob, a three-legged dog and a slew of ravenous creatures.

The closing night gala is equally as impressive with the NI Premiere of Searchlight Pictures’ Empire of Light from Academy Award-winning director Sam Mendes. Starring Olivia Colman, Michael Ward and Colin Firth, it’s set in an English seaside town in the early 1980s. Empire of Light is a powerful and poignant story about human connection and the magic of cinema.

Highlights include films from Derry writer and director Colm Herron with I Know You, Belfast directing/producing duo Gavin Kelly and Lisa Service for The Search, IFTA-nominated director Mia Mullarkey’s Safe as Houses, and Derry Girls actor Louisa Harland in Noah directed by Emma Louise Williamson. 2022 also marks a Foyle Film Festival debut for director Sinead O’Loughlin whose short film Lamb is enjoying a successful festival run so far with appearances at Galway Film Fleadh, Tribeca and Rhode Island film festivals.

Festival favourites Cinematic Breakfasts and Dementia Friendly Screens return with some all-time classics — and this year will see the first collaboration with Foyle Foodbank — offering a series of Foodbank Screens supporting the local community. The public are encouraged to donate much-needed items to the foodbank instead of the usual ticket fee.

In collaboration with Bloody Sunday Trust, Foyle Film Festival also presents a screening of Sean Murray’s short film, My Name is Joseph followed by a screening of Ken Fero’s feature documentary Ultraviolence, all commemorating the 50th anniversary of Bloody Sunday.Christopher Morrison, Festival Programmer said: "As has come to be a slate of the festival, we once more present a programme with a diverse mixture of international cinema, documentaries, special screenings and industry events, Irish and local film in addition to Cinematic Breakfast, Dementia Friendly and Foodbank screenings. We are also proud once more to present our Oscar affiliated Light in Motion Short Film Competition with packages screened in the Irish, International and Animated categories. We look forward to welcoming the audiences back once again and engaging with cinema together."

Caoimhin McClafferty, Brunswick Moviebowl said: "As Foyle Film Festival and Brunswick Moviebowl celebrate ten years of partnership beginning in 2012 and culminating so far in this year’s 2022 edition, we are proud to celebrate the festival highlights and titles from these ten years such as Disney previews of Frozen, Moana, Big Hero 6 and The Good Dinosaur in addition to guest screenings with Richard E. Grant, Ray Winstone and Danny Boyle and look forward to celebrating many more in 2022 and beyond."

Films will be screened at both Nerve Centre and Brunswick Moviebowl with prices ranging from £4 to £7. See full programme of events via foylefilmfestival.org.