N.I.C.E. Festivalx Irish Film Festa
July 19/20 2024 h21:45Piazzale degli Uffizi, Florence—December 11 starting from h19Cinema La Compagnia, 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.
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On December 11, La Compagnia officially closes the 2024 festival season with an evening dedicated to Irish cinema. The program includes two films from N.I.C.E. X IRISH FILM FESTA, the result of the collaboration with the Roman festival that since 2007 has brought the best of Irish cinema to Italy as part of the 50 Giorni di Cinema.
How to reach the Cinema
Cinema La Compagnia is located in the historic center of Florence. We encourage our audience to reach it by public transportation: the nearest bus stops are at Via De’ Pucci (lines 14, 23 and C1) and at Via Cavour (C1). Or in Piazza San Marco (4 min walk) stops most of the ATAF lines to and from the historic center. Those arriving in Florence by train can easily walk to the cinema in less than 15 minutes. You can check routes and schedules on the website: https://www.at-bus.it/it or on the official “at bus” app available on Google Play and Apple Store. We look forward to seeing you there!
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
CINEMA LA COMPAGNIA, FLORENCE
Wednesday DEC 11
19:00 — NORTH CIRCULAR by Luke McManus — 85′
At the director presence
Free admission with no reservation required
21:00 — LIES WE TELL by Lisa Mulcahy — 89′
Free admission with no reservation required
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
IRELAND, 2022 - FILM RUN: 85‘ - DOCUMENTARY
December 11 h19North Circular
by Luke McManus
NORTH CIRCULAR is a documentary musical that travels the length of Dublin's North Circular Road, exploring the history, music and streetscapes of a street that links some of the country's most beloved and infamous places. The film evokes many narratives from the history of the city and nation, from colonialism to mental health, to the struggle for women’s liberation while also engaging with urgent issues of today. The film also includes musical performances from artists local to the North Circular.
Luke McManus is an award-winning director and producer from Dublin, with a career that has taken him to work on five continents for prestigious channels such as Netflix, BBC and NBC. Among his many awards are four Irish Film & Television Awards, the Celtic Media Award and the Grand Prix at FIPADOC.
IRELAND, 2023 - FILM RUN: 89‘
December 11 h21Lies we tell
by Lisa Mulcahy
Ireland, 1864: in an isolated manor, orphaned heiress Maude is forced into the guardianship of her menacing Uncle Silas. Silas is haunted by sinister accusations about his past, though sees the chance of a brighter future as he has the idea to marry Maude to his own feckless son Edward and thereby claim an inheritance he views as rightfully his. However, sharp Maude refuses to be outwitted. Based on the gothic novel “Uncle Silas” by Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu.
Lisa Mulcahy is an award-winning feature film and television director. She directed, among other things, the TV series The Clinic (2003-2009), Red Rock (2015, IFTA for best director), Blood (2018), Ridley Road (2022); the features Situation Vacant (2007), Legend of Longwood (2014) and Wasteland (2017). Lies We Tell is her most recent work.
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.