Kicking off on October 19th and running for two weeks, the inaugural 2023 British & Irish Film Festival will showcase cinematic icons in an incredible selection of highly anticipated films.
From One Life starring Sir Anthony Hopkins as British humanitarian Nicholas Winton who helped save hundreds of children from the Nazis on the eve of World War II, kicking things off on opening night to Sir Michael Caine's The Great Escaper which is the true story of a WWII vet who escapes from his care home to attend the 70th Anniversary of the D-Day Landings in France, the 2023 British & Irish Film Festival has it all.
To find films, screening times, and locations head to www.britishfilmfestival.co.nz
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In the land of saints and sinners
Ireland, 1970s. Eager to leave his dark past behind, Finbar Murphy (Liam Neeson) leads a quiet life in the remote coastal town of Glencolmcille, far from the violence that grips the rest of the country, when a menacing crew of insurgents arrive led by a ruthless woman named Doireann (Kerry Condon).
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Filled to the brim with British and Irish acting talent, In The Land of Saints and Sinners is a simmering cat and mouse thriller, with Liam Neeson giving one of his best performances in years.​
golda
Golda, a ticking-clock thriller sharing the intensely dramatic events, high-stake responsibilities, and controversial decisions that Meir – also known as the ‘Iron Lady of Israel’ – faced during the Yom Kippur War in 1973.
Although a little slow in places, Golda belongs entirely to Dame Helen Mirren. She completely immerse herself into the character, carrying and expressing the full emotional weight of her country's plight and its response. One of the year's best performances.
mad about the boy
Sir Noël Coward grew up in poverty and left school when he was only nine years old. He was queer in a very straight world. And yet against all odds, Sir Noël Coward became the most successful multi-talented artist of the Twentieth Century.
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Filled with a wealth of personal, amateur home videos coupled with interviews with Sir Noël himself, Mad About the Boy is a thoroughly entertaining and informative documentary in equal measure, digging into the life and contradictions of one of the world's greatest entertainers.
stewart
Jackie Stewart is the compelling documentary film on Formula 1 World Champion, team owner and legend of the sport, Sir Jackie Stewart.
Using immaculately restored and previously unseen archive footage, the film charts Sir Jackie’s life from his humble beginnings outside Glasgow, to the rush of excitement that heralded his first F1 World Championship title in 1969, and the darker years of the early 1970s when, despite opposition from those who believed that F1 should be ‘gladiatorial’, Stewart set out to improve racing safety.
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Not merely just a sports documentary with its pulse racing motorsport footage, Stewart delves into the humanity of the man himself, crafting a portrait of the legend that is both informative for fans of F1 and thoroughly engaging for those who aren't.
