PRESS RELEASE

IRISH FILM FESTIVAL of INDIA
New Delhi/Mumbai 16 - 26 Feb 2012

The theme of the Film Festival is 'The Writing Irish'. "If there is one thing that Indians know about Ireland it's that we have great writers" says Festival Director, Marc-Ivan O'Gorman "Most Indian households have books by the likes of George Bernard Shaw, Colm Toibin or William Trevor, they just won't necessarily know they're Irish. There is also no question but that great film emerges from great writing and so we decided to go with a literary theme for our inaugural event."

The films on show include; 'The Dead' directed by Hollywood legend John Huston based on a James Joyce short story, 'Krapp's Last Tape', a screen adaptation of the Beckett play by Atom Egoyan and 'The Butcher Boy' an adaptation of the Patrick McCabe novel directed by Oscar-winner Neil Jordan.

According to Marc-Ivan; "It's generally known we've produced influential writers since the time of Jonathan Swift but what's not widely known is that the Irish were pioneers of Cinema, integral to the evolution of Hollywood and that film-making legends like John Ford and John Huston saw themselves as Irish.'  'The festival tries to cherry-pick from this long tradition by selecting from both the old and the new, from the work of novelists and playwrights, and from mainstream to the art-house cinema'

The choice of screening locations was based on accessibility and proven track record. 

"We chose the Habitat Centre in Delhi because the Irish embassy has put on several events there before and they've been well received. In any case, it's one of the most congenial locations in Delhi; an amazing, centrally-located venue that would remind a visitor of The Barbican in London - only leafier.

'But you couldn't do something on film in India and ignore Mumbai. It's like being involved in film in America and neglecting LA. Bollywood is not just India's movie city, it is the world's movie city. To our knowledge, this is the first significant Irish Cultural event held in Mumbai so we're really excited - if somewhat daunted at the task of taking on the 'Maximum City'.

Festival Director, Marc-Ivan O'Gorman, is a film maker himself with a taste for the exotic. He wrote and directed the Feature Film 'The Black Magic' set in Thailand and has worked in India as TV & Film director since 2003. The idea for the Irish Film Festival of India came about after the success of 2009's Reflected Light Exhibit, an exhibition he mounted in New Delhi of video art featuring his own work along with a selection of emerging Irish film makers. 

"The response to Reflected Light Exhibit clearly showed there's an appetite for Irish art and film here so I thought why not go one step further and put on a festival?"  

Cleverality Productions, in conjunction with the Irish Film Institute and the Embassy of Ireland and with the financial support of Culture Ireland and Enterprise Ireland, present the 1st Irish Film Festival of India at the Habitat Centre, New Delhi 16 - 21 February and at NCPA, Mumbai 23-26 February 2012.

Tickets for all screenings are free.  

Details on how to collect tickets and the confirmed programme screenings will be posted shortly.

Anyone interested in finding out more about the event you can 'like' our page: www.facebook.com/Irish.Film.Festival.India 
or follow us at twitter.com/IrishFilmIndia

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Ireland in India Coordination Newsletter

A summary of some of the main developments in relation to the coordination of economic promotion activities of the Irish Embassy and State Agencies, to read more please click December 2011 (PDF 419kb)

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OSCAR WILDE - THE COMEDY AND THE TRAGEDY

Shaw’s Corner and the India Habitat Centre staged “Oscar Wilde – The Comedy and the Tragedy” on Saturday 10^th of December at 7.15pm  at the Stein Auditorium, India Habitat Centre, Lodhi Road. 

It was  a solo performance by Neil Titley. The Show has received excellent reviews.

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Ireland in India Coordination Newsletter

A summary of some of the main developments in relationto the coordination of economic promotion activities of the Irish Embassy and State Agencies. To read more please click October 2011 (PDF 270kb) .

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Ireland in India Coordination Newsletter

A summary of some of the main developments in relation to the coordination of economic promotion activities of the Irish Embassy and State Agencies, to read more please click September 2011 (PDF 328kb) .

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News Alert – 8 September, 2011

At least nine people have been killed and 27 injured in an explosion at Delhi High Court complex, today 8 September, 2011.The High Court is located in a high-security area in the central part of Delhi. Security has been tightened at public places. 

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Ireland introduces Visa Waiver Programme July 2011

Indian nationals visiting the UK on general visas will be able to visit Ireland from 1 July 2011 without the need for a separate visa. Full details of the Visa Waiver programme are found below, but it is hoped that the Waiver will increase the number of Indian Visitors to Ireland.  Ireland is very accessible from the UK, just a one hour flight from London.

http://www.inis.gov.ie/en/INIS/Pages/WP11000005

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Ireland in India Coordination Newsletter

A summary of some of the main developments in relation to the coordination of economic promotion activities of the Irish Embassy and State Agencies, to read more please click April 2011 (PDF 459kb) .

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Creating Identities

Dr Sharma of Shaw’s corner hosted a one day seminar on Irish poets and playwrights of the Irish Renaissance on the 4th December, 2010, held at the Magnolia Hall, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. For details please click here. (PDF 121kb)

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IRISH FILM FESTIVAL 2010
The Embassy of Ireland in collaboration with the Habitat Film club and the Irish Film Institute is staging India’s first Irish Film Festival starting 20th November to the 24th November 2010, at the Gulmohar Hall, India Habitat Centre, New Delhi. Five Irish films will be screened from Saturday to Wednesday.  A film in the Irish language (with English subtitles) is also a part of the festival and will be screened on Monday, the 22nd November.

The film festival will be launched on Saturday, the 20^th November at 7pm at the Gulmohar Hall, India Habitat Centre in Lodhi Road, New Delhi, with the screening of ‘Once’. Set in Dublin, and starring Glen Hansard, and Marketa Irglova, this musical film won an Oscar for best original song.

For more information please click: IRISH FILM FESTIVAL 2010 BROCHURE (PDF 347kb)  

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Mr. Eamon Ryan T.D., Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources with Mr. Prithviraj Chavan, Minister of State (Independent Charge) Ministry of Science and Technology and Earth Sciences, meeting in Delhi on 17th March 2010. Also present were Ambassador Thompson and Dr. Ramasami, Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Science and Technology.  

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The Irish Minister for Foreign Affairs, Mr. Micheál Martin, with former Indian President Dr. A. P. J. Abdul Kalam and members of the Ireland India Business Association during Dr. Kalam's visit to Dublin, June 11 2009.

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Please click below on the link for Ireland in Brief in Hindi translated from English.

Ireland in Brief, Hindi version (PDF 1104kb)

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IRISH EDUCATION FAIRS, 2009

The Irish Education Fairs in India saw participation from prestigious Higher Education Institutes from Ireland in April 2009. They were held in New Delhi and Hyderabad on the 19th and 21st April.  At each fair venue, information was available on Education in Ireland and student visa procedures. Representatives from the various universities and institutes were present to meet students first hand and provide information on the institutes, courses, admission criteria, costs etc.

For more information please click here (PDF 1895kb) or contact:

Shikha Mohanty
Embassy of Ireland
230 Jorbagh
New Delhi  110003
Tel: +91-11-24626733
Email: educationireland@yahoo.co.in

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The School in the Park

H. E. Mr. Kenneth Thompson attended the centenary celebrations of the Sacred Heart School in Chennai. He also attended the launch of the book, 'The School in the Park', produced by the alumni.

For the full text of the articles, please click on The Hindu (File 116kb)  and The Times of India (PDF 79kb) .   

 

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European Higher Education Fair – November 2008

Higher Education Institutes from Ireland participated in the well-received European Higher Education Fair in New Delhi in November 2008. At the fair, Visa Officers provided information on the various aspects of a visa application, apart from representation from prominent universities, institutes of technology, state-aided colleges and independent colleges.

 

At the Education Fair, representatives from the above universities and institutes were available to meet with students for first-hand information on the institutes, courses, admission criteria, costs etc.

For further information please click on the link for the website of the European Higher Education Fair

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Minister of State for Labour Affairs at the Department of Enterprise, Trade & Employment, Mr Billy Kelleher, TD, at Palna Orphanage in Delhi on 5^th April 2008.  Irish Aid has provided support to Palna Orphanage.  Minister Kelleher led an Irish Education Mission to India in April 2008.

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The Minister for Community, Rural and Gaeltacht Affairs, Mr Éamon Ó Cuív addresses the guests at the Embassy’s St Patrick’s Day reception on 17^th March 2008.  Also on the podium is Minister of State for External Affairs of India, Mr Anand Sharma, and Ambassador Kieran Dowling.

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Mr Brendan Howlin, TD, Leas-Cheann Comhairle (Deputy Speaker of Ireland’s Parliament) lighting a traditional lamp to inaugurate a “Child Rights Mela” (expo) organised by Chetanalaya, a NGO based in Delhi, which is supported by Irish Aid.  Also pictured are Senator Denis O’Donovan, Chairman of the Irish Parliament’s Joint Committee on the Constitution and Mr Denis Naughten, TD.  The three parliamentarians visited India as members of the Joint Committee on the Constitution in March 2008.

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The Embassy’s Ireland in Focus 2008 edition was launched on St Patrick’s Day.  Please click the document below to read Ireland in Focus (PDF 23kb).