Cork Film Festival comes to a close amidst big increase in audiences
Some of the audience at the Everyman in Cork for a screening during Cork International Film Festival. Picture: Larry Cummins
Cork International Film Festival has reported that audiences were up 40% on last year’s event. The 2023 edition, which finished up on Sunday night, was forced into a longer festival because of refurbishment works at the Gate cinema, but the 18-day format seems to have been a hit with film-goers who attended such venues as the Everyman, Triskel and Cork Opera House.
On Sunday, three of the festival’s prize-winners were announced. The Gradam Spiorad Na Féile/Spirit of The Festival Award went to Animal, by Greek director Sofia Exarchou, about a group of female entertainers at a Greek island resort.
The winner of the Gradam Na Féile Do Scannáin Faisnéise/Award for Cinematic Documentary was announced as Knit’s Island, about a VR community who roleplay survivalist situations.
The Cork International Film Festival Youth Jury award went to Dreaming in Between (Nigekireta Yume) directed by Ninomiya Ryûtarô. It was chosen by the Festival’s Youth Jury comprising students from UCC, MTU and St John’s Central College, who said: “In the end, our winner might seem like an unconventional choice for the Youth Jury Award, seeing as it focuses on an older protagonist. However, we felt that the internal struggle of the protagonist is something that anybody of any age can relate to.” Paul Mercier’s Prospect House had been presented with the Best New Irish Feature prize last week, while the Feature and Short Audience Awards will be announced on Wednesday, November 29.
In total, the 2023 festival screened 110 features and documentaries, as well as more than 120 shorts. On Saturday, the festival reached beyond its Cork city base, with screenings in Blackpool, Bantry, Midleton, Mallow, and Youghal Among the most popular events through the festival were the gala screenings of such films such as One Night in Millstreet, Poor Things, and All of Us Strangers.
Boxer Steve Collins was among those in attendance at the world premiere of the documentary about his 1995 fight with Chris Eubank in Millstreet, while the latter two features had their Irish premieres in Cork, and both are expected to make a big impact internationally when they go on general release in January.
