Irish Film Festa: Outdoor Screenings in English

A scene from “That They May Face the Rising Sun”

As a precursor to 50 Days of Cinema (50 Giorni di Cinema) taking place in Autumn, N.I.C.E. will collaborate for the first time with Rome based Irish Film Festa to host the showing of two Irish films in the Piazzale degli Uffizi on July 19 and 20.

Usually taking place at the Casa del Cinema in Rome, Irish Film Festa now arrives in Florence for a fleeting prelude to the main event in Rome and the 50 Giorni di Cinema in Florence. N.I.C.E (New Italian Cinema Events) is a non-profit founded by film industry professionals in 1991 and has been bringing Italian cinema to Ireland for the past three years. By teaming with Irish Film Festa, N.I.C.E endeavours to establish a symbiotic cinematic cultural exchange between Ireland and Italy.

Friday, July 19 will show Enzo D’Alò’s animation Mary and The Midnight Spirit (Mary e lo spirito di mezzanotte), an adaptation of the book by Irish author Roddy Doyle. The film, which was released in Italy in November 2023, is a touching story which weaves together the multiple generations of a young girl’s female ancestors all whilst exploring a passion for cooking. The path to becoming a great chef does not prove easy with obstacles along the way, but with each hurdle, Mary’s adventure continues to progress.

Director Enzo D’Alò, states that for him “Animation is the possibility of telling with techniques that I now master, stories with strong contents, in a poetic and metaphorical way. Animation is a process of identification and participation, a cathartic moment. for those who see transform some characters in those found in real life”.

The second film instalment at the Piazzale degli Uffizi is That They May Face the Rising Sun on July 20, directed by Pat Collins, the dramatic live-action film will be presented by Susanna Pellis the artistic director of Irish Film Festa. Released in 2023, That They May Face the Rising Sun won Best Irish Film of the Year, awarded by the Irish Film and Television Academy.

Also a book adaptation of John McGahern’s 2002 novel of the same name, the plot follows Joe and Kate returning to rural Ireland after having spent an extended period in London. Cycling through the four seasons of a year and their corresponding phases and rituals, the film details meetings with local characters and beautifully portrays the rural Irish landscape of the village of Leitrim on the Shannon River of North Western Ireland.

Susanna Pellis states she is pleased to be presenting this film in Florence as it is “a film of rare depth, directed by what can be considered the most Irish of directors, Pat Collins.

Both films begin at 9:45 pm and entry is free, however, seating is limited so it is recommended to arrive early.