Centenary Sam goes to the movies

SAMUEL Beckett enthusiasts unnerved by the oddly jaunty tone taken by some of the posters advertising the great man's centenary celebrations can take grim solace in an excellent programme of Beckett films put together by the Irish Film Institute. The season, which opens at the IFI on next Friday before travelling to Cork, Galway, Sligo and Belfast, draws from the admirable 2001 Beckett on Film project, but also includes a fascinating array of older, less frequently screened material.

Such treasures include DA Pennebaker's documentary on the world premier of Rockaby; a 1961 TV production of Waiting for Godot starring Zero Mostel and Burgess Meredith; and Alan Gilsenan's Eh Joe, featuring Tom Hickey. On the opening night Hugh Linehan, editor of The Ticket, will host a panel discussion featuring, among others, Gilsenan and Anthony Minghella. Check the IFI's website for more precise information: www.ifi.ie

In other Sam news, John O'Donoghue, the Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, has announced the distribution of a copy of the Beckett on Film DVD boxed set to every secondary school. Immature teenagers should be aware the rude bits are few and far between.

African movies celebrated

Some years back, Dublin's Parnell Street became one of the first areas in the city to develop as a commercial and social hub for the new African communities. So it seems appropriate that the Cineworld complex on that busy thoroughfare should host the first Nollywood and African Film Festival. This exciting season, sponsored by AIB, will feature eight films from various corners of the continent, but will, inevitably, focus particularly closely on releases from Nollywood, as the furiously busy Nigerian film industry has been dubbed. Details of the bash, which runs from April 21st-23rd, can be found at www.nollywood.ie.

Cycle of life in winning short

Eoghan McQuinn, a 17-year-old Dubliner, was the big winner at last week's Fresh Film Festival in Ennis. The judges at the commendable event, which seeks to encourage young people to originate new work on film and video, named McQuinn young film-maker of the year for his short, The Cycle. Eoghan's picture, a study of the last days in the life of a cancer patient, received ecstatic notices from the organisers. "The film had the most moving ending the judges have seen in nine years of this competition," they raved. Second place went to Date with Destruction by Ciaran McGinn, while Brian O'Sullivan's Your Band Sucks took the bronze medal place. The Radharc Trust Documentary Award was presented to Sian Murray for The Fool's Card.

Still more winning shorts

Jellybaby, the darkly humorous short by Ronan and Rob Burke, continues to pick up gongs all over the world. It was announced last week that the picture had won the award for best short film at Cinegael, the Irish Film Festival in Montreal. The trophy can sit on the same mantelpiece as those for best short drama at the Celtic Film and Television Festival, Cornwall and best short film at the Chlotrudis Film Festival in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Okaladocaladedo: the movie

The most eagerly awaited movie adaptation of a TV show ever - oh be quiet, trekkies - has finally been granted a release date. Lucky punters at US screenings of Ice Age: The Meltdown were, before the dull main feature lurched into action, treated to the sight of Kent Brockman, Springfield's favourite newscaster, announcing that The Simpsons movie will be with them on July 27th, 2007.

"The movie has been so daunting and the contract between us has always been to wait until we all felt the script was right," James L Brooks, the show's producer, said. We don't use the word "hero" lightly, but Brooks is the greatest hero in American history.

The name's James, Sid James?

The news that Daniel Craig had been selected as the next James Bond sent Reel News, always obsessed with 007 casting, into a period of mourning. Imagine, then, our delight at discovering a story on the Guardian's website last Saturday which detailed the discovery of previously lost footage of Sid James, cackling Carry On lecher, testing for the role in the 1960s.

Hang on a minute. What date was Saturday again?