Home-grown flicks reeling in the gongs

Irish films continue to attract favourable attention overseas. Last week's British Independent Film Awards were dominated by Mike Leigh's Vera Drake, but John Crowley managed to secure a Best Début Director prize for his work on Intermission.

Meanwhile, it was announced that Inside I'm Dancing - mercifully retitled Rory O'Shea Was Here for the US market - has been selected for January's Sundance Film Festival.

However, the most baffling honour bestowed on an Irish film recently was the citation for (deep breath) "Special Recognition of Films that Reflect the Freedom of Expression" received by John Deery's Conspiracy of Silence, a moving look at the issue of suicide among the Catholic clergy, from the American National Board of Review. The award was shared with The Passion of the Christ and Fahrenheit 9/11. What strange bedfellows.

The Alexander invasion

The Irish Charity Première of Oliver Stone's Alexander will take place on the evening of Thursday, January 6th at Dublin's Savoy Cinema. All proceeds from the event will go to the Children's Cancer Fund at Our Lady's Hospital for Sick Children in Crumlin. Oh, but there are never any real stars at these things, I hear you moan. Think again. The première will be attended by Colin Farrell, Angelina Jolie, Val Kilmer, Mr Stone himself and a 17-strong Irish contingent led by Jonathan Rhys Meyers and John Kavanagh. Phew! The telephone number for ticket enquiries is 1890-507508.

Having a ball for charity

Booze-up alert! The 5th Reel Film Ball, a celebration of all things celluloid, will take place in Dublin's infamous (so the press release says) Lillie's Bordello this coming Sunday. Proceeds from the ball will go towards the Barretstown Gang Camp, set up by Paul Newman in 1994 to provide support for seriously ill children. To book by credit card, go to www.ionentertainment.ie/ball.htm.

Bond of a different colour?

A thousand apologies in advance, but today's story on the casting of the next James Bond - the 114th consecutive such bulletin by our reckoning - is actually quite a good one. Last week, Ladbrokes stopped taking bets on the identity of the new 007 after receiving six £500 punts on the distinguished black actor Colin Salmon. Ladbrokes suspected gamblers were making use of insider knowledge, but representatives of rival bookies William Hill dismissed the bets as a stunt to boost Salmon's profile. Considering the actor has appeared in the last three Bond films as M's chief of staff, he must be rated an outsider. Next week's story will focus on Ewan McGregor.

Raiders of a creeky idea

Having been cancelled and rescheduled more often than Baz Luhrmann's Alexander the Great, a fourth Indiana Jones flick is, as least as far as Harrison Ford is concerned, still a possibility. Asked recently whether the film would ever be made, Ford replied, "No doubt about it." What is the script like? "I hear George Lucas is happy with the way the new draft is turning out," he added. It is not recorded if the journalist slyly pointed out that Lucas was, presumably, equally happy with the horrid scripts for the recent Star Wars prequels.

Julie Delpy: Me! Me! Me!

Whilst trapped in an airport lounge last week, Reel News, after rubbing its eyes and pinching itself, confirmed that eight of the ten paperback novels being read by fellow passengers were by Dan Brown. We are therefore not surprised there has been such an unseemly squabble to climb aboard Ron Howard's upcoming movie adaptation of The Da Vinci Code, Brown's most popular book. Tom Hanks is in line to play the conspiracy-friendly hero, Robert Langdon, while Julie Delpy, normally a dignified sort of person, is fighting hard to secure the role of nervy cryptologist Sophie Neveu.

"The character is French, in her thirties and has a shade of red in her hair. I can become a redhead," she announced to the world and, more specifically, that bit of it which contains Mr Howard.

Sterred into action

Staff at Ster Century, Liffey Valley in Dublin are organising a Christmas Appeal for the Dublin Simon Community. From December 10th to January 4th they will collect non-perishable items such as toiletries, board games and books. Everyone who donates an item will receive a raffle ticket. The main prizes are a three-month VIP Ster Century pass, a Champagne dinner for two at the Arc Bar in Liffey Valley, and passes to the Spirit venue. Good for them.

dclarke@irish-times.ie