The Cork International Film Festival officially kicked off its wide-ranging and ambitious programme on Thursday night with the sold-out Irish premiere of Yorgos Lanthimos' award-winning Poor Things at the Cork Opera House.
The expanded 2023 Festival will screen the best in Irish and international film over 18 days across Cork city and county, running until Sunday November 26th. The programme includes several high profile World and Irish Premieres.
Officially opening the Festival, Lord Mayor of Cork, Cllr Kieran McCarthy said: "This year Cork International Film Festival continues to take its viewers on a viewing journey of some of the world's greatest films, newest releases and art house masterpieces.
"The Festival creates an enormous heartfelt and soul-filled experience by bringing people together. It captures people's imagination and emotions of viewing a great film.
"For nearly seven decades, the film Festival has filled the City and region with everything that is good about the City - culture, arts, heritage, sense of pride, sense of place and a sense of togetherness."
Festival Patron David Puttnam welcomed the audience, including local dignitaries, filmmakers and film lovers, and was followed on stage by Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe of Element Pictures, producers of Poor Things, joined by acclaimed Irish Director of Photography Robbie Ryan.
"Film festivals matter," said Puttnam. "Their purpose is to introduce new and unexpected work to each successive generation of filmgoers.
"Every 15 to 20 years cinema needs to find 'new voices’, ones that speak to and illuminate the experience of a new generation of cinemagoers.
"And that voice needs not just to be discovered but encouraged and supported. Congratulations to the entire Cork International Film Festival team, of which I am proud to be considered a member."
