On Wednesday evening, the 7th annual British & Irish Film Season (BIFS) got off to a fyling start with the screening of Whisky Galore, a remake of the original 1949 Ealing comedy drama.

With screening room #2 at Ciné Utopia in Luxembourg-Limpertsberg packed to capacity, the British Ambassador to Luxembourg, John Marshall, gave a brief summary of British film, with festival organiser Geoff Thompson informing the audience of the 11 days of packed activities, including 15 films being screened from England, Ireland, Scotland, Wales and the Isle of Man, as well as the Shorts Workshop and the Evening Seminar examining the Ireland-Luxembourg co-production agreement which has resulted in a number of completed film projects. He also thanked the Edinburgh International Film Festival and the Galway Film Fleadh for their support, as well as the British and Irish Ambassadors and the sponsors including Orange Luxembourg and NN Investment Partners, the Gold Sponsors, and the 14 volunteers who are woring throughout the festival to ensure all goes to plan. He emphasised the number of actors, directors and film-makers attending the event in person (and a couple via Skype) who provide the added value to audiences.

Film synopsis: This light-hearted drama details the story of the inhabitants of the isolated Scottish island of Todday, in the Outer Hebrides, where gloom sets in as their wartime rationing of whisky runs out. When cargo ship the SS Cabinet Minister runs aground the shrewd islanders run rings around the buffoonish English Home Guard commander Captain Waggett and conspire to hide away cases of the precious amber nectar.

Director Gillies MacKinnon was in attendance was most engaging in the post-screening Q&A when he talked about the making of the film, covering aspects from casting and shooting, to the glorious weather they experienced on the 7-week shoot, and an almost calamatious incident when one of the boats they were in while filming, nearly sank.

Beforehand, Pernod Ricard offered a free whisky tasting of Glenlivet and Chivas Regal to all attending the screening, and afterwards the British Embassy provided the drinks, with Superfoods.lu and Kathy's Cupcakery supplying delicious food in the form of healthy dishes and cup-cakes for dessert.

Next up on Tuesday are two films at the Cinémathèque, Peter & Wendy (a version of Peter Pan set in Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children in London) and The Island and the Whales, a documentary, both at the Cinémathèque.

For full details and ticketing, see www.bifilmseason.lu

Photos by Ali Sahib