Galway festival to screen six Gabriel Byrne films

Described by some as the man who introduced sex into RTE soaps, the film star Gabriel Byrne is due to be paid a special tribute at the Galway Film Fleadh next week.

This year's annual festival is screening six of his films, including The Usual Suspects, Into the West and Miller's Crossing. The actor and author will attend in person, and give a master-class for 25 emerging and established actors. Members of the public will also be given a chance to meet Mr Byrne when he gives a free interview at Galway's Town Hall Theatre on July 11th.

"The Family" is the theme of the six-day fleadh, which opens next Tuesday with the Irish premiere of Agnes Brown, directed by Anjelica Huston and based on Brendan O'Carroll's book, The Mammy. Continuing in this vein, the programme includes the French drama, More Than Yesterday, directed by Laurent Achard, concerning a dysfunctional family in a French rural village; the Australian film, Terra Nova, from Paul Middleditch, based on a young woman's attempt to escape from her domineering patriarchal home environment; and Irish director Damien McDonnell's first feature, East is East, which received a standing ovation at Cannes.

As part of its international programme, the fleadh will take a look at new films made in the digital format, and host a workshop on digital film-making. It will present a selection of new films from Asia, including the award-winning documentary, The Saltmen of Tibet; and screen the best in new Irish short filmmaking.

A series of debates, seminars and master-classes will include a debate on July 8th about training in film and television beyond 2000.

Senator George Mitchell, who is due to deliver a millennium lecture in NUI Galway next Thursday, will also give a talk on the Northern Ireland peace process as part of the film fleadh on July 9th.

The fleadh is also an occasion for business. The EU-backed Fleadh Fair gives Irish film-makers an opportunity to meet international producers, sales agents and distributors.

Among the many guests at the event will be the British director, Michael Winterbottom, who will present his new film, Wonderland, and also give a master-class in film direction.

The Galway Film Fleadh runs from July 6th to 11th, and can be contacted at Cluain Mhuire, Monivea Road, Galway, telephone (091) 751655 or e-mail:gafleadh@iol.ie