Ben Is Back & The Wedding Guest Also Added To Programme

 

Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival, Ireland’s premier film event (February 20^th – March 3^rd), is marking the United Nations International Day of Zero Tolerance for Female Genital Mutilation/Cutting (FGM/C), today February 6^th, by announcing that it will host the World Premiere of A Girl from Mogadishu at a gala screening at Odeon Point Village (Feb 22^nd, 8.30pm). This inspiring true story of female empowerment based on the testimony of Ifrah Ahmed written and directed by Mary McGuckian, tells of Ifrah's astonishing and powerful journey as a refugee from Somalia who emerges as one of the world’s foremost activists for the eradication of FGM/C. Fleeing war-torn Somalia in 2006, she is trafficked to Ireland where she undergoes a traumatic medical examination which reveals the extent of her mutilation as a child. Traumatized by the memory, she turns her experiences into a force for good, emerging as one of the world’s most foremost global activists against FGM/C. 

 

Also announced today is Ben Is Back at Odeon Point Village (Feb 28^th, 6.15 pm) which stars Julia Roberts and Lucas Hedges (Manchester by the Sea, Ladybird, Boy Erased) and deals with the difficult issue of drug addiction. Lucas plays Ben, a drug addicted teenager who unexpectedly returns home one Christmas Eve. His mother Holly (Julia Roberts) is thrilled to be reunited with her son but wary about his ability to stay clean, while Ben’s distrustful sister Ivy (Kathryn Newton) and common-sense stepfather Neal (Courtney B. Vance) fear he will wreak havoc on their lives as he’s done so many times before. After Ben launches a charm offensive that wins over his young half-siblings, Holly agrees to let him stay for the holiday on one condition. For the next 24 hours, she will personally monitor his every move.

 

A third film added to the Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival programme is The Wedding Guest at Odeon Point Village (Feb 24^th, 4pm), the latest film from English director Michael Winterbottom. The tense thriller starring Dev Patel (Slumdog Millionaire, Lion) centres on a mysterious British Muslim man on his journey across Pakistan and India.

 

The 17th Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival, Ireland’s premier film event, returns to the capital from February 20th to March 3rd. The packed programme features over 125 events across 12 days including the finest local and international feature films, short films and documentaries, along with a dedicated children’s and young people’s programme and a host of special events featuring  industry leaders.

 

Join the conversation online

Twitter: @DublinFilmFest / Instagram: @dublinfilmfestival

Facebook: www.facebook.com/dublinfilmfestival

#VMDIFF19

Virgin Media DIFF season tickets and gift vouchers are also available

For more information visit and to purchase tickets visit www.diff.ie

 

- Ends -

 

For further press information please contact Conway Communications:

Nigel Goggin (Nigel@conwaycommunications.ie / 087 604 1161)

Ellen King (Ellen@conwaycommunications.ie / 087 201 3724)

 

For A Girl From Mogadishu enquiries please contact:

Kate Bowe (kate@bowecommunications.ie / 086 267 5018)

 

For Virgin Media enquiries please contact:

Anna-Maria Barry (AnnaMaria.Barry@virginmedia.ie / 086 227 2072)

 

About the Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival

The Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival was founded in 2003 and sets the agenda of the year with its programme of outstanding Irish and international film talent. Featuring a red carpet line-up of on-screen talent and guest filmmakers, the festival offers unique access to a plethora of filmmaking talent and transforms Dublin into a hub of glamour, creativity and film appreciation. The festival enjoys an international reputation and is considered a vital launch-pad for Irish titles and an important showcase of world cinema for discerning audiences.

 

Over the past 16 years, Dublin International Film Festival has screened world cinema from 52 different countries, a total of almost 1,500 films, of which 300 were Irish features including Irish premieres of Sing Street, Once, Ondine, In Bruges, Calvary, The Stag and The Secret of Kells. The Festival has hosted over 600 major guests, including Al Pacino, Angela Lansbury, Brendan Gleeson, Daniel Day-Lewis, Danny DeVito, Ennio Morricone, Joss Whedon, Julie Andrews, Kristin Scott Thomas, Stanley Tucci, and Stellan Skarsgård.

 

This year the Dublin International Film Festival is sponsored by Virgin Media, with principal funding from The Arts Council. Key partners and funders include Screen Ireland, Dublin City Council, hotel partner The Merrion Hotel, print transport partner Wells Cargo, post-production partner Windmill Lane, social listening partner Olyrico and media partners Orb Screen, Wide Eye Media, the Sunday Independent, 98FM and Entertainment.ie.

 

About Virgin Media

Virgin Media is one of the country’s leading connected entertainment providers and operates a cable and broadcast business in Ireland.

 

Our cable business delivers multi award-winning services: broadband, TV, mobile and home phone connect thousands of people across the country. We are extending our cable footprint with our ‘Project Lightning’ so that more communities can enjoy the benefits of the fastest, widely available broadband speeds from Virgin Media.

Our broadcast division, Virgin Media Television is Ireland’s number one commercial broadcaster operating three free-to-air channels (Virgin Media One, Virgin Media Two, Virgin Media Three, plus the Virgin Media Player) and is a significant investor in home produced content across news, current affairs and drama. We offer extensive sports coverage on our Virgin Media Sport and our 6 Extra Sport channels to ensure fans see all games across UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League fixtures and more.

 

Through Virgin Media Business, we support entrepreneurs, businesses and the public sector, delivering the fastest speeds and tailor-made services.

 

Virgin Media is part of Liberty Global, the world’s largest international TV and broadband company. Liberty Global connects 21 million customers through operations in 10 countries across Europe subscribing to 45 million TV, broadband internet and telephony services. It also serves 6 million mobile subscribers and offers WiFi service through 12 million access points across its footprint.

 

For further information please visit: www.virginmedia.ie