06 Feb Director Neil Jordan and Mary Coughlan, the “Irish Billie Holiday,” to Visit the 13th Belgrade Irish Festival
Renowned Irish film director Neil Jordan and exceptional jazz and blues singer Mary Coughlan will visit Serbia for the first time this March as guests of the 13th Belgrade Irish Festival (BIF), taking place from March 6 to 17.
This year’s BIF lasts for 12 days and will feature over 40 events across the city. The festival will conclude, as always, with the St. Patrick’s Day celebration on March 17, a national holiday in Ireland. On that day, some of Belgrade’s most iconic buildings will be illuminated in green, following a tradition embraced by many world capitals.
“This year, BIF opens with an exclusive exhibition, ‘Godard Bardot,’ inspired by Jean-Luc Godard’s film ‘Contempt’ starring Brigitte Bardot, created by Irish visual artist Jean Curran. For the first time, Bardot has allowed her nude scenes from the film to be reinterpreted using a special photographic technique and displayed in an exhibition,” said the festival’s founder and director, Jaš Kaminski.
The exhibition will open on March 6 at Monolog Gallery and will be on display for a month.
“We are truly honored to have two great artists, director Neil Jordan and musician Mary Coughlan, as part of this year’s Belgrade Irish Festival,” Kaminski added.
The Irish Film Week at the Yugoslav Film Archive will kick off on March 7 with a screening of “Michael Collins”, the historical biopic directed by Neil Jordan, portraying Ireland’s greatest freedom fighter and starring Liam Neeson in the lead role. During the event, Jordan will be awarded the Golden Seal for his contribution to cinematic arts, an honor presented by the Yugoslav Film Archive.
Another Irish music icon will be a guest of BIF—legendary jazz and blues singer Mary Coughlan, often referred to as the “Irish Billie Holiday”.
Mary Coughlan will perform on March 13 at Dom omladine, with tickets available online and through the eFinity network. Known for her powerful, soulful voice and emotionally charged performances, she is also famous for her direct and sometimes provocative interaction with the audience.
Returning to Belgrade for BIF are Pat Kinevane and Dublin’s Fishamble Theatre. After two sold-out performances last year with his monodrama “King”, Kinevane will present “Silent”, a moving story of a homeless man who has lost everything—his belongings and his sanity. This play earned Fishamble Theatre the 2016 Olivier Award, the most prestigious honor in British theater.
The Irish Film Week will showcase 15 films, including last year’s Irish hit “Kneecap”, a biopic comedy about the Belfast-based rap group of the same name, which has been nominated for six BAFTA awards.
Several prominent Irish filmmakers and actors will also be visiting Belgrade, including director Terry McMahon, actress Hazel Doupe, and screenwriter-actor Marc O’Halloran.
Irish writer Jan Carson will be in Belgrade for several days. Her novel “The Fire Starters” was translated into Serbian a few years ago and won the 2019 European Union Prize for Literature. Additionally, as in previous years, an Irish writer selected by Literature Ireland will take part in a month-long literary residency in Belgrade.
We invite you to visit BIF once again this year and explore the work of contemporary Irish artists and authors.