A specially curated Schools and Family Programme is in the spotlight for Cork Film Festival 2017. Taking place across 10 days from 10-19 November, this year’s festival is packed with cinema events aimed at young audiences. For full details and tickets visit corkfilmfest.org or the Cork Film Festival Box Office at 119 Patrick Street, Cork.

The Festival is partnering with the Irish Film Institute Education Department to present a trio of new films for younger audiences and their families, all to be screened at the Gate Cinema. This includes Joel Soisson’s charming Thai drama Buffalo Rider (November 18, 2.15pm); along with Australian comedy Red Dog: True Blue(November 19, 2pm). We’re Going on a Bear Hunt, an adaption of the much-loved bestselling book by Michael Rosen, will also be screened on November 18 at 11.30am, along with an interactive reading of the book with local storyteller Deirdre Ryan.

The Festival will screen the 40^th anniversary re-release of Steven Spielberg’s cult sci-fi classic Close Encounters of the Third Kind on November 12 and there is a special event to mark Paddington 2 on November 11 from 10am at the Gate Cinema. This will include an adventure around the city in celebration of the marmalade loving bear, which will be followed by a screening at 11.30am.

This year sees the introduction of a new family ticket pass. Priced at €25, the family ticket pass provides additional value for families attending the festival. The ticket is valid for two adults and two children for any film within the family programme.

Family Friendly Shorts return this year on November 19, with the programme including nine shorts from five countries – Ireland, Germany, Russia, USA, and Australia.

Cork Film Festival’s schools’ programme, presented in partnership with Irish Film Institute Education, runs from 12 -16 November. The seven hand-picked films include the award-winning French drama Fanny’s Journey (Le Voyage de Fanny); German 2016 comedy-drama film Goodbye Berlin (Tschick); Spanish drama The Golden Dream (La Jaula De Oro); and Academy Awards®-nominated animation My Life as a Courgette (Ma Vie de Courgette). Another Academy Awards®-nominated film, Brooklyn, directed by John Crowley, will also be screened for Transition Year students, along with Irish roller derby documentary Revolutions, and Australian comedy Emo the Musical.

Cork Film Festival Producer and CEO Fiona Clark said: “We hope to encourage the audiences of the future through our young people’s programming. We want Cork Film Festival to be inclusive and accessible, where everyone, regardless of age or interests, will find something that will excite, engage and entertain.”

Cork Film Festival is proudly supported by principal funder the Arts Council, along with Cork City Council and Arts Office, Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board, Fáilte Ireland, the Broadcasting Authority Ireland, Screen Training Ireland, Culture Ireland and Creative Europe Media.

Principal media partner is RTÉ Supporting the Arts and media partners are the Irish Examiner and Red FM. The Schools’ programme takes place at The Gate Cinema, Principal venue partner.

For full details of all films and bookings see corkfilmfest.org, call 021 4271711, or visit the Cork Film Festival box office at 119 Patrick Street, Cork.

For social media see –

Facebook: @CorkFilmFestival 

Twitter: ‪@CorkFilmFest

Instagram: ‪@CorkFilmFest