The CraicFest is known for its music and its films, but this year the latter are paying particular homage to the former.
“This is unprecedented,” said CraicFest’s founder-director Terence Mulligan. “This is the first time we’ve had an opening and closing night that have strong musical components.
“Actually, we couldn’t ask for a better opening and closing.”
Mulligan was referring to “Love Yourself Today,” a documentary profiling singer-songwriter Damien Dempsey, on Thursday, March 3, and the screening two nights later of “Breaking Out,” which features “Once” star Glen Hansard in a film about a fellow-musician and close friend.
“In my opinion these are the pillars of Irish music in the last 15 or 20 years,” Mulligan said. “To have those two musicians in the film fest means we’re in a lucky spot right now.
“What we love about ‘Love Yourself Today’ is that it uses the power of music to heal. There’s a universality about it, the healing process of music,” he said.
“It’s a powerful doc that deals with powerful and real-life issues. It’s has an Irishness to it, through Damo, but it also has the universality with the music
“We’re psyched that the director Ross Killeen is coming over,” he added, referring to the post-screening Q & A and party.
On Saturday evening, March 5, the CraicFest 24 will showcase the story of Fergus O’Farrell, who was the voice of Interference, one of the most influential Irish bands of the 1990s, and well-known for his song “Gold,” which featured in the soundtrack of “Once,” the winner of an Oscar and multiple Tony awards.
Diagnosed at age 8 with muscular dystrophy, a fatal degenerative disease, O’Farrell kept singing and writing music throughout his life.
“This is a huge ego of a soul trapped in a very limited physical body,” one voiceover says in “Breaking Out,” which was filmed over a period of 10 years.
“Fergus was a special guy. I'm sorry I didn’t get to meet him,” Mulligan said.
Glen Hansard and Fergus O’Farrell in “Breaking Out.”
“I’ve been chasing this film for over two years,” he added about the winner of the Best Irish Documentary award at the 2019 Galway Film Fleadh, and the George Morrison Feature Documentary Award at the 2021 Irish Film & Television Academy Awards.
Hansard says of O'Farrell in the film, “All of my life I’ve looked up to him, I’ve revered him, his band, his songs and his voice.”
In “Breaking Out,” Hansard performs a duet with O’Farrell as the gift of the latter’s voice was failing.
“Glen was really close to Fergus,” Mulligan said. “Glen is brilliant in it.”
The documentary has gotten universal praise from the critics: “A love letter to music & resilience” (Hot Press); “A privilege to watch” (Screen Daily); and “Engaging, moving & inspiring” (Lyric FM) among the many plaudits.
“You’re getting the first crack at this, no pun intended,” the CraicFest director said. “It was right for us to host this screening. I think CraicFest can do it justice. It’s a powerful story. I really love it. I glad we’re finally able to show it and I think people are really going to enjoy it.”
Mulligan is also looking forward to the guest appearance of Irish actor Moe Dunford at the 5 p.m. (Saturday, March 5) premiere screening of his latest film “Nightride.”
“Moe is an old friend of mine,” he said of the prolific star known for his roles in “Vikings” and “Dublin Murders.” “He’s an old friend of the festival. He’s coming over and we’re going to do a Q & A with him about the making of the film, about him growing up in Ireland and where his career is at now. It’s going to be a special afternoon.”
Other CraicFest 24 events are the New York premiere of “Keep It A Secret” - the story of the dawn of surfing in Ireland. Tickets for the Friday, March 4 screening include a Q&A with film director Sean Duggan, plus the after-party.
Moe Dunford in “Nightride.”
Saturday March 5 sees the return of the Kids Fleadh, with an eclectic lineup of short films, kicking off at Cinepolis at 12 noon. Later in the afternoon CraicFest will present the U.S. premiere of “Deadly Cuts,” a black comedy set in a working-class Dublin salon. It’s directed and written by Rachel Carey and starring Angeline Ball (from “The Commitments).
“We’re on the heels of Craic Fest25, and so we asked ‘what can we do to make this year special but also plan ahead to CraicFest 25? The answer to that was, in part, chasing films like ‘Breaking Out,’ like ‘Love Yourself Today.’
“You’re only as good as you’re last program,” Mulligan said. “CraicFest 24 is one of the strongest in a long time and that’s going to carry us into CraicFest 25.”
The screenings take place at Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas, 260 West 23rd St., New York, N.Y. For more details, go to thecraicfest.com.
