Next Goal Wins to Open Foyle Film Festival 2023
Short Summary:
Foyle Film Festival 2023, which runs from November 17 to 26, has announced its programme of films and events, featuring Irish and international talent. The festival will open with Next Goal Wins, directed by Taika Waititi, and close with Evil Does Not Exist, directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi. The festival will also celebrate the work of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, with a Q&A with Oscar®-winning editor Thelma Schoonmaker. Other highlights include advance previews of Poor Things, All of Us Strangers, The Holdovers, and Eileen, as well as documentaries, music, and industry events.The programme for Foyle Film Festival 2023, which takes place from November 17 to 26, has been revealed. The festival, led by Nerve Centre, will showcase a range of films and events, featuring Irish and international talent.
The festival will kick off with the Northern Ireland Premiere of Next Goal Wins, directed by Oscar® winner Taika Waititi. The film, courtesy of Searchlight Pictures, is a comedy about the American Samoa soccer team, who suffered a 31–0 FIFA loss in 2001. The film stars Michael Fassbender as the team’s coach.
The festival will end with the Northern Ireland premiere of Evil Does Not Exist, directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi, the director of the Oscar® and BAFTA-winning Drive My Car. The film is an eco-political thriller that won the Silver Lion at Venice Film Festival and Best Film at BFI London Film Festival.
The festival will also pay tribute to the visionary duo of Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger, with a series of their films, including 28 Days Later and Wings of Desire. The series, part of Cinema Unbound: The Creative Worlds of Powell + Pressburger, a UK-wide film season supported by National Lottery and BFI Film Audience Network, will also feature Raging Bull, edited by Oscar® winner Thelma Schoonmaker, who will join a Q&A after the screening.
Other highlights of the festival include advance previews of several films, such as Poor Things, starring Emma Stone and Mark Ruffalo, All of Us Strangers, starring Paul Mescal and Andrew Scott, The Holdovers, directed by Alexander Payne, and Eileen, starring Anne Hathaway and Thomasin McKenzie. The festival thanks the distributors who have allowed these previews to be part of the programme: Searchlight Pictures, Universal Pictures, Picturehouse Entertainment, BFI, Modern Films, and New Wave Films.
The festival will also feature documentaries, music, and industry events, showcasing the crossover between Irish and international productions and talent. Some of the films and events include Puffin Rock agus Cairde Nua, Tarrac, Stolen, An Irish Goodbye, Let The Canary Sing, Stop Making Sense, and Angelheaded Hipster. The festival will also host live music at the Festival Club, with Tessio and Polar Bolero.
Foyle Film Festival 2023 is funded by Department for Communities through Northern Ireland Screen and Derry City & Strabane District Council. Paul Hamlyn Foundation, Foras na Gaeilge and Film Hub NI. The venue partner is Brunswick Moviebowl. The awards sponsor is City of Derry Crystal. The industry and skills partner is Screenskills HETV, BFI Film Academy, National Lottery, Ulster University, and Ulster Screen Academy. The food partner is Sandwich Co. and Mekong.
