Cork Film Festival marks World Mental Health Day today with the unveiling of its unique film and mental health programme for its 64th edition. Illuminate, which takes place during the 2019 Festival from 7-17 November, comprises of film and discussion events, including a new feature, documentary, and a special screening of Atom Egoyan’s Oscar-nominated reflection on grief The Sweet Hereafter, to be introduced by Cork filmmaker Carmel Winters. For further details see corkfilmfest.org.

Speaking on Illuminate, presented in association with the HSE Cork Mental Health Service, First Fortnight and ESB Energy for Generations Fund, Festival Director and CEO Fiona Clark said: “In 2014, Illuminate was founded in partnership with the HSE Cork arts and mental health programme, Arts+Minds and since then has provided an important platform for the exploration of different aspects of mental health and wellbeing through film. Ahead of the full programme launch on 15 October, we wanted to share this year’s programme on World Mental Health Day, with it being such an important and symbolic day.”

Cork Film Festival Programme Director Michael Hayden added: “Screenings will include System Crasher, Nora Fingscheidt’s striking debut feature that is a sensitive and moving portrait of a troubled, confrontational nine-year-old; and Ernie & Joe, a powerful vérité documentary following Texan police officers administering new approaches in dealing with people who suffer from mental illness.

“These two award-winning films will be complemented with a special screening of The Sweet Hereafter, introduced by Cork’s own filmmaker Carmel Winters who directed Float Like A Butterfly, last year’s Audience Award winner. These three diverse films take on aspects of mental health unflinchingly, daring to try and change things.”

All screenings will include discussions, with Ernie & Joe on 11 November in the Triskel including participation from An Garda Síochána and the HSE on the film in the context of Irish policies around mental health and policing. System Crasher, also in the Triskel, will feature a talk from CAMHS (Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services) and EPIC (Empowering People in Care), offering their reactions to the film and discussing how it relates to their own professional experiences. Canadian drama, The Sweet Hereafter on 16 November in the Triskel, will be preceded by an extended introduction by Carmel Winters.

Ireland’s first and largest film festival also announced today a regional rollout of its new outreach programme for young people, Intinn. This will offer 2,000 Transition Year students across Munster a programme of film screenings, workshops and resources exploring mental health and wellbeing in 2020, following a fully subscribed pilot last month in Cork. Intinn is supported by Creative Ireland, ESB Energy for Generations Fund and the programme delivery is supported by The Gate Cinemas, UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery, Jigsaw Cork, Spunout.ie and Wildcard Distribution.

Following a doubling of attendance at school screenings last year, Cork Film Festival has announced an enhanced Schools Programme. In partnership with the Irish Film Institute Education Department, 2019 will see screenings at Youghal’s Regal Cinema for the first time, along with Principal Venue Partner, The Gate Cinemas in Mallow, Midleton and Cork city from 11 – 14 November.

Supporting the film in school curricula, French comedy Stars by the Pound (100 Kilos D’Étoiles) and German comedy drama This Crazy Heart (Dieses Bescheuerte Herz) will be shown for Junior Cycle students. French drama A Colony (Une Colonie), German film A Jar Full of Life (Vielmachglas) and Spanish mystery Everybody Knows (Todos Lo Saben), will be screened for Senior Cycle students, while for Transition Years, Cork Film Festival’s 2018 Audience Award-winner, Float Like a Butterfly, and climate change documentary 2040 are programmed.

Cork Film Festival is proudly supported by principal funder the Arts Council, along with Cork City Council, Screen Ireland, Fáilte Ireland, Screen Skills Ireland, Culture Ireland, Creative Ireland, Fundraising Fellowship Ireland, ESB Energy for Generations Fund and Creative Europe Media. Principal Media Partner is RTÉ and Media Partners are the Irish Examiner and Red FM. Principal venue partner is The Gate Cinemas; Principal Accommodation Partner is The River Lee and Principal Drinks Partner is Murphy’s.