Rich choice of movies at this year's Irish Film Week in East Sussex

Kino-Teatr has been known for its programme of Irish films, talks and exhibitions for nearly 10 years. Its artistic director Olga Mamonova, whose passion for Irish Culture started at Moscow University in the late 1980s, has brought many new releases, independent and Irish language films. David Caffrey, a renowned Irish director (Love/Hate, Peaky Blinders) has been very supportive of Olga’s Irish programming and participated in a few presentations and Q&As, most recently with Josie Walker from the rappers group music film Kneecap.

“Brian Gleeson, from the famous acting dynasty, who is currently in Old Vic’s production Brightening Air, also attended Kino-Teatr Irish Film Week in the past. When the new documentary about Sinead O’Connor was released, an extensive exhibition of Sinead O’Connor’ portraits by Andrew Catlin, locally based photographer whose works are in permanent collection of National Portrait Gallery and National Gallery of Ireland, was organised in Kino-Teatr’ spacious premises.”

Kino-Teatr is an independent venue that Olga and her husband, artist Russell Baker, set up in 2015 after living in St Leonards for twenty years. Tickets at kino-teatr.co.uk

“The tradition of Irish Film Weeks and celebrating Bloomsdays became very popular with local Irish community, film makers and general public. This year the international day of James Joyce – Bloomsday – will be the finale of the Irish Week on Sunday June 15th at 2pm (with Olga’s talk on Joyce and Beckett).

“The week opens with two new documentaries on two creative Irish Women – architect and furniture designer Eileen Gray and the famous house she built in 1929 in Cote d’Azure (June 11th 3pm and 7.30pm) and novelist Edna O'Brien. Blue Road: The Edna O'Brien Story will be screening on Thursday June 12th 3pm and 7.30pm. Towards the end of her life, the groundbreaking Irish writer granted film-maker Sinéad O’Shea access to her most personal writing. What she revealed was shocking and inspiring. Narrated by the BAFTA and Academy Award nominee Jesse Buckley.

“On Friday June 13th at 3pm and 7.30pm a new comedy/drama Four Mothers is screened. It is inspired by Gianni Di Gregorio’s modern Italian classic Mid-August Lunch, but the story is transferred from Rome to Dublin. It follows a middle-aged gay man at the verge of major literary stardom (James McCardle - Mary, Queen of Scots) caring for his widowed mum (Fionnula Flanagan - Ulysses, The Guard) and other eccentric elderly ladies, over the course of one chaotic weekend. According to The Guardian, it is ‘a nicely acerbic remake of Italian hit.’

“And finally – Saturday screening of King Frankie (3pm and 7.30pm). King Frankie is 2024 Celtic Tiger story you have not yet seen. Starring one of the finest Irish actors, IFTA Winner Peter Coonan (Love/Hate, Doineann), the film tells the redemption story of Frankie Burke, former fast talking, fast spending businessman who fell victim to the financial crisis and is now works as a taxi driver. Peter Coonan is familiar to Kino-Teatr audience as the lead actor of Gaelic language thriller 'Doineann' (The Storm') that we screened last year. The origins of King Frankie are fascinating and very real. It captures a moment in Irish history when many fell into financial distress. It charts the life of a man who was chasing the dragon of monetary success, flew too close to the sun and got burned. This is the story of loss, grief and pain, but also of redemption, change and hope. Written and directed by Dermot Malone, the film is shot in North Dublin and Kells, Co Meath.”