The BIFFL 2024 Spring Edition Closing; Credit: Ali Sahib

On Wednesday 4 September 2024, Festival Events Asbl confirmed that the 15th British & Irish Film Festival Luxembourg 2024 Autumn Edition will comprise 20 screenings from 11 - 30 September at three separate venues: the Cinémathèque, Ciné Utopia and - for the first time outside the capital city - in the Kinoler regional cinema in Kahler in the municipality of Garnich (close to the Belgian border).

While the core festival starts on Monday 16 September with the screening of "The Teacher", a British co-production drama set in Palestine, it will close with the screening of the bilingual comedy drama "Froggie" on Saturday 21 September. Ciné Utopia will host a couple of BIFFL Presents… screenings before those dates, with Kinoler the venue on both Sunday afternoons (plus another couple of screenings)

With a large number of special guests confirmed, including Imelda May and Pat Shortt - each well-known for their singing and stand-up comedy careers respectively - the festival's loyal audiences will have more reason to attend, with the post-screening Q&As an opportunity to discover more about the making of the films.

Festival organiser and President of Festival Events Asbl, Geoff Thompson, stated: “Following last year’s substantial increase in viewing numbers, followed by the largest spring attendance earlier this year, we see the draw that our festival is having. As a result, we have put on a packed programme this autumn with a great line up of actors, directors and producers, whose participation and interaction with audiences increases the cinematic experience for everyone". He added "The festival is about storytelling, using the medium of film to educate and entertain in equal measure. We have stories about nature and the environment, also touching on issues such as mental health and consent, on friendship and being accepted / fitting in, on hardship and on loss, and we have three films set around the Troubles. We will also be screening a children's animated film and one aimed at young adults".

On the ways in which the festival continues to evolve, Geoff Thompson added "And we are delighted that the Œuvre Nationale de Secours Grande-Duchesse Charlotte is supporting our 2025 Young Filmmakers Competition, and also that Luxembourg’s Heritage Days initiative is supporting our providing an insight into Luxembourg’s heritage in America. The Shorts Evening will include the resulting 10-minute documentary "Being Human" by the inaugural competition winners, as well as a number of other screenings, and also the launch of the second edition of the competition. And being involved with Heritage Days means that we can screen our own documentary short which we filmed during the Luxembourg America Cultural Society's 38th annual Luxembourg Fest held just last month, providing a glimpse into Luxembourg's heritage in the US following emigration in the 19th century and how their descendants thrive today”.

Organised under the patronage of both the Embassy of Ireland in Luxembourg and the British Embassy in Luxembourg, the festival has the support of both commercial and community partners as well as grants from both Luxembourg and Ireland.

PROGRAMME / SCHEDULE
- Wed 11 Sep @ 19:00 @ Ciné Utopia: BIFFL Presents… Damaged (SC, US)
- Fri 13 Sep @ 19:00 @ Ciné Utopia: BIFFL Presents… Kneecap (NI, IE)
- Sun 15 Sep @ 15:00 @ Kinoler: Puffin Rock and the New Friends (IE, EN)
- Sun 15 Sep @ 17:00 @ Kinoler: Bonus Track (EN)
- Mon 16 Sep @ 19:00 @ Cinémathèque: Opening Screening: The Teacher (EN, QA, Pal); also Warts and All (IE, short) WITH Q&A WITH PAT SHORTT, DIRECTOR
- Tue 17 Sep @ 18:00 @ Cinémathèque: The Line (IE) WITH Q&A WITH LEE CROWLEY, PRODUCER
- Tue 17 Sep @ 20:15 @ Cinémathèque: Blurred Lines (IE) WITH Q&A WITH MARK AGAR, ACTOR/DIRECTOR & SIOBHAN AISLINN, ACTOR/PRODUCER
- Wed 18 Sep @ 18:30 @ Cinémathèque: Shorts Evening, including the launch of the 2025 Young Filmmakers Competition, WITH Q&A
- Wed 18 Sep @ 20:30 @ Cinémathèque: The Trouble with Jessica (EN)
- Thu 19 Sep @ 18:30 @ Cinémathèque: Birdsong (IE)
- Thu 19 Sep @ 20:30 @ Cinémathèque: Face Down (IE, EN, DE, ES, AU,  USA)
- Fri 20 Sep @ 18:30 @ Cinémathèque: The People Before (EN, IE) WITH Q&A WITH IMELDA MAY, RAY FEARON, LIZ WHITE (ACTORS), ALSO ANNE HEATH & SALLY WOOD (PRODUCERS)
- Fri 20 Sep @ 20:30 @ Cinémathèque: Barber (IE), WITH Q&A WITH FINTAN CONNOLLY, DIRECTOR
- Sat 21 Sep @ 19:00 @ Ciné Utopia: Closing Screening & Awards: Froggie (IE) WITH Q&A WITH SEAN T O'MEALLAIGH, ACTOR
- Sun 22 Sep @ 15:00 @ Kinoler: Dead Shot (EN, SC)
- Sun 22 Sep @ 17:00 @ Kinoler: Baltimore (NI, IE, FR, BE)
- Mon 23 Sep @ 20:00 @ Kinoler: Kiss of the Con Queen (IE, US, TH) WITH Q&A WITH EOIN O'BRIEN, ACTOR/WRITER - to be confirmed
- Thu 26 Sep @ 18:30 @ Cinémathèque: Special Screening: The Banshees of Inisherin (IE, EN, US)
- Fri 27 Sep @ 19:00 @ Ciné Utopia: Heritage Days Screening: Luxembourg in America (LU, IE) WITH Q&A
- Mon 30 Sep @ 20:00 @ Kinoler: Heritage Days Screening: Luxembourg in America (LU, IE) WITH Q&A

For further information and ticketing, see https://festivalevents.lu/.