The Dublin Community Blog

Damn it. My team actually made it last in yesterday’s volunteer’s movie quiz. But at least we got the questions about German movies right, and were awarded with some nice Gran Torino longsleeves.
So far it’s been great to work for the festival – I’ve met loads of movie enthusiasts (festival visitors and volunteers), some starlets, interesting French movie directors and a lady who insisted on getting her personal programme and a bottle of water back after both were discarded accidentally. Thankfully my venue captain Anna reacted quickly and peace was restored so everybody could go back to one of the important things in life, watching movies.

Today’s shift will have yours truly attending the screening of the Irish Film Board Shorts at the IFI:

The Irish Film Board and the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival are pleased to present this showcase of new work in the short film format. The programme features both established and up-andcoming filmmakers and exemplifies the diverse range of talent, technical expertise and innovative styles which have already been recognised both in Ireland and internationally.

But as stated earlier, my personal highlight will be the screening of “Anvil! The Story of Anvil” at Cineworld, especially as the band and director Sacha Gervasi will be attending. Horns up!

PS: Neil Gaiman likes being in Dublin, seemingly.

As promised, I’d like to give you an update on the Jameson Dublin Film Festival.

Most of the opening night I was handing out free whiskey to all kinds of movie- and TV-related guests of the aftershowparty at the official Festival-Pub, Ron Blacks. And therefore missed the defile on the red carpet at the Savoy, where Irvine Welsh confirmed that there are plans to make a movie of the sequel to “Trainspotting”, “Porno”. I really would love to see Robert Carlyle reprise the role of  Begbie again…

Generally I’m always surprised how closely most of the arts are connected, especially literature and film – I don’t think that screenwriters could do without books or short stories providing the basis for most movie-plots. On that topic: another famous fiction author, Neil Gaiman attended the Irish premier of “Coraline 3D”, a stop-motion animated movie based on one of his books at Movies @ Dundrum yesterday.

My other shift last week was at one of Dublin’s oldest cinema’s, the time-honoured Screen Cinema on Townsend Street. As this was the first time I actually attended a screening there (one has to confess that the outer appearance of the place is not very convincing), I was surprised by the cosy atmosphere and old-worldliness that is persisting there despite the worn-down facade – perfectly fitting atmosphere for the French and Turkish movies that were shown. I attended the screening of “The Grocer’s Son” of French director Eric Guirado, a movie that surprised as one of the small hits of the festival already – there’ll be more to come from this director, that’s for sure.

Today I’m looking forward to watch “Exterminating Angels”. And this one at the Screen again.

Happy Valentines Day to you all. Here is a sample of the flowers for sale today on Grafton St. They may be expensive, but they do brighten the street up. The flower sellers are there every day though on days like today they have an even larger stock of flowers on display.

The Lansdowne Road Stadium Development Company (FAI & IRFU) today announced the renaming of Lansdowne Road Stadium to Aviva Stadium:

Hibernian Aviva, Ireland’s largest insurance company, has secured the naming rights to what will now be called Aviva Stadium in what is one of the most significant sponsorships in Irish history. The deal sees Hibernian Aviva take on the naming rights for a ten-year period and provide investment support to the IRFU and FAI for their grassroots programmes.

In making the announcement, Philip Browne, Chairman of the LRSDC and Chief Executive of the Irish Rugby Football Union said that he was delighted to welcome Hibernian Aviva on board. From the outset the IRFU and the FAI stated that the naming rights would be an important element in the funding of the €400 million stadium which will be a home for both Irish rugby and soccer.

Personally I think its a sad day, but I guess sentimentality has to make way for progress.

As some of you may now, this year’s Jameson Dublin Film Festival has started today; and this year yours truly will work for the festival as a volunteer. Therefore over the next ten days I’m planning to share my experiences with you, and maybe I can even sneak in one interview or two. And of course some gossip, who knows who I’ll be meeting while ripping of tickets

But the festival is not mainly about stars, but movies:

Here are just a few of the highlights for opening weekend……

Dive in to Documentaries
Experience a new world with our opening weekend documentaries including Creative Chaos (13th @ 4pm), Pirate for The Sea (14th @ 4:40pm), Bigger Stronger Faster (15th @ 6:10pm).

Turkish Delights
Get a taste of the Eastern delights at the festival with Dot (14th @ 2pm), Havar (15th @ 6:10pm) and Takva (15th @ 8:45pm).

Not Just Another Manic Monday
Get the week off to a good start and beat the Monday blues with Snow (16th @ 6:30pm) and Exterminating Angels (16th @ 8:45pm).

Guaranteed Irish
Come and see whats on offer from some of the shining lights of Irish film with Christine Molloy & Joe Lawlors Helen (15th @ 4pm), and John Crowley’s Boy A (16th @ 6:45pm).
Going, going, gone..

I am really looking forward to the ecletic mix of European and American movies, with not few classics and Cannes-winners featured. My personal picks for the festival are:

“I sell the dead”. A 18th century grave-robbers tale featuring Ron Perlman and Dominic Monaghan.
“Exterminating Angels (Les Anges Exterminateurs). Controversial French director and writer Jean-Claude Brisseau created a wild mix of sexual tension and suspense in this thriller from 2006.
“Anvil! The Story of Anvil”. As the old metalhead that I am, no one’s gonna stop me from watching this extraordinary documetary about one of the most understimated bands in Rock. Hellyeah.
And last but not least “Tokyo!”, a cinematic triptych of three Tokyo-set stories filmed by three different directors, one of them the brilliant Michel Gondry.

So, see you at the movies!

While I am sure there are many drivers who will think this an awful plan, it seems to me appropriate that Dublin City Council is looking to ban all cars from College Green thereby making the city centre accessible only to public transport. The plans which you can read about in today’s Irish Times involve banning cars from entering Dame Street through College Green and will feature a public-transport only gate at Trinity College.

The plan is to allow preliminary work on the Metro North rail line to Dublin Airport. When the ban on  cars came into O’Connell Street I welcomed it and often wondered why it wasn’t extended so I think it is great that the Council is looking to do this.The plan is to be implemented from autumn and a three-week consultation process will begin next month.

What do you think, good move/bad move?

The Minister for Transport confirmed yesterday that congestion charging in some shape or other will be coming to Dublin.

“You can have congestion charges specific to specific areas, you can have them in relation to levies on fossil fuels or on petrol or diesel,” the minister said

Personally I believe congestion charging would be a good idea in any city, but only when the government makes a significant investment in public transport all around that city. For example London has congestion charging yet any time I’ve stayed in the city I have never been charged to drive in the city because I was able to use the underground to get everywhere I needed to go.

Unfortunately as we learned last month the Irish government takes a different approach cutting back public transport while encouraging people to cycle as an alternative. It may be illogical but don’t worry, it’s not going to happen any time soon. As the Minister announced

I would envisage that probably it will be over the next two to three years – once we’ve done the study

So that should keep it tied up in reports, committees, investigations and equipment trials for at least a decade or two. By the way, while explaining congestion charges and cycling to work on the radio last night Minister Dempsey also announced that the e-voting machines were a complete success and that integrating ticketing was on the way after only taking a couple of years to plan. Seriously, I’m not joking, he said that. He might as well have announced there is no traffic congestion in Dublin, that Ireland has achieved 110% employment despite the downturn and that the Irish colonies on Mars were progressing well with the terraforming projects.

I’m quite sure that everyone has read about it or seen it on TV, and I know that the bus collided with a tree – but what we are really thinking is: how in the world did he manage to do that:

Thankfully no one was injured – all passengers were seated in the lower section.

PS: thanks to Joe Drumgoole and pix.ie for the pictures.