N.I.C.E. Festivalx Irish Film Festa
July 19 — 20 2024 h21:45Piazzale degli Uffizi, Florence
On Friday, July 19, and Saturday, July 20, join us at Apriti Cinema at Piazzale degli Uffizi for the first two films of N.I.C.E. x Irish Film Festa, a preview of the collaboration with the Roman festival that has been bringing the best of Irish cinema to Italy since 2007. This selection of films will arrive in Florence next fall as part of the 50 Giorni di Cinema.
How to reach the arena
The summer arena is located in the splendid setting of Piazzale degli Uffizi, right in the historic center. To promote sustainable mobility, we encourage you to reach us on foot or by bike.
The Piazzale is only a fifteen-minute walk from Santa Maria Novella station, offering a pleasant evening stroll through the streets of the city center.
For those who prefer to use public transportation, the nearest bus stop is “Galleria degli Uffizi,” served by line C1, or “Condotta,” served by line C2.
For the past three years, N.I.C.E. has brought new Italian cinema to Ireland. The great enthusiasm that the local audience has shown us made us want to return the favor. Therefore, we sought the support of the Irish Film Festa, a festival that has been bringing the best of Irish cinema to Rome for 15 years, under the expert artistic direction of Susanna Pellis. Now, I am excited to announce the first edition of N.I.C.E. x Irish Film Festa. Thanks to this valuable collaboration, cinema enthusiasts will have the opportunity to discover and appreciate a selection of high-quality Irish films, thus enriching the cultural offerings of our city. We are also particularly proud to count on the support of the Irish Film Institute for the realization of these screenings.
Viviana del Bianco — Artistic Director of N.I.C.E. Festival
PIAZZALE DEGLI UFFIZI, FLORENCE
Friday Jul 19
21:45 — A GREYHOUND OF A GIRL by Enzo D’Alò — 80”
Free admission with no reservation required
Saturday Jul 20
21:45 — THAT THY MAY FACE THE RISING SUN by Pat Collins — 107”
Free admission with no reservation required
Luxembourg / Italy / Ireland / UK / Latvia / Estonia / Germany, 2023 - Film Run: 80‘ - Animation
A Greyhound of a girl
by Enzo D’Alò
Mary is 11 years old and has an overwhelming passion for cooking: she wants to become a great chef. Her grandmother Emer, with whom she has a very special relationship, encourages her to achieve her dream. But every journey has its obstacles, even unforeseen ones, and facing them can become an adventure. Thus, Mary embarks on an exciting journey that transcends time, where four generations of women will have the opportunity to confront and deeply understand each other. A delicate story of growth, full of irony.
Enzo D’Alò (Naples, 1953) began working as a film and television director in the early 1980s and since then has created some of the most beloved animated films in Italy, receiving international acclaim. Among these are La Freccia Azzurra (1996), with a soundtrack composed by Paolo Conte; Lucky and Zorba (1998), based on the book by Chilean author Luis Sepúlveda; and the 2012 adaptation of Pinocchio.
Ireland / North Ireland, 2023 - Film Run: 107‘
That They May Face the Rising Sun
by Pat Collins
After many years in London, Joe and Kate Ruttledge have returned to the small rural lakeside hamlet where Joe grew up. Now, deeply embedded in life around the lake, the drama of a year in their lives and those of the memorable characters that move about them unfolds through the rhythm of work, ritual and the passing seasons. The film is adapted from John McGahern’s final novel.
Pat Collins (Cork) Film critic, festival director and then filmmaker, Pat Collins has directed more than 30 films. His first narrative film was Silence (2012), followed by Song of Granite (IrishFilmFesta 2018). After two more documentaries, Henry Glassie: Fieldwork (2019) and The Dance (2020), Collins directed That They May Face the Rising Sun, which had its Italian premiere at the Irish Film Festa last April and was later awarded best Irish film of the year by IFTA – Irish Film and Television Academy.