Foyle Film Festival launched

The festival programme continues until Sunday November 20 with a number of other film and documentary premieres, including Driving with Selvi, the story of a former child bride, who escapes her violent marriage and becomes South India’s first female taxi driver and The Innocents, a compelling French drama about a young doctor becoming the sole hope for an isolated convent.

From Academy Award® winning director Roger Ross Williams, Life, Animated is the inspirational story of Owen Suskind, a young man who was unable to speak as a child until he and his family discovered a unique way to communicate by immersing themselves in the world of classic Disney animated films.

Once again, Foyle Film Festival will delight families with an exclusive preview screening of Disney’s latest animation, Moana, from the team that brought us The Little Mermaid, Aladdin and The Princess & the Frog. Other family events include Rock Dog 3D in Brunswick Moviebowl and Paddington and teddy bears’ picnic in Nerve Centre.

As part of the BFI and Film Hub NI Black Star Season, the festival celebrates the careers of Forest Whitaker and Muhammad Ali with a number of screenings and special events. On Thursday, November 17 Clint Eastwood’s Oscar®-winning Bird starring Whitaker as pioneering bop saxophonist Charlie Parker will screen in Nerve Centre. Music from the film, performed by the Joseph Leighton Jazz Trio will follow the screening.

‘Knockout! A Weekend with Ali’ will look back at the boxer’s most iconic fights, in and out of ring, his historic visit to Ireland 44 years ago and how his career, still to this day, inspires the local boxing fraternity. Renowned Derry boxer Charlie Nash will lead a panel reflecting on the contribution that Ali made to sports, politics and culture at a special event in on Saturday November 19. The discussion will be followed by the chance to enjoy a screening of the Oscar®-winning film, When We Were Kings.

The festival closes on Sunday, November 20 with The Eagle Huntress, a spellbinding documentary that follows Aisholpan, a 13-year-old nomadic girl in Mongolia, bucking centuries of tradition with her quest to become modern-day Mongolia’s first female eagle hunter. The film is narrated and executive produced by Daisy Ridley (Star Wars).

Bernie McLaughlin, Foyle Film Festival Director and Programmer, said: “I’m delighted to present this year’s programme which features over 50 feature films, documentaries, short films and animations from across the world.”

For programme and booking information visit www.foylefilmfestival.org or call the festival box office on 028 7126 0562.