by MATTHEW HAYS

You gotta love those magically delicious people over at Cine Gael, who provide an annual celebration of all celluloid Irish. Every year since 1992, the group has brought together a broad range of work, either from Ireland or with Irish themes, and presented the films throughout the spring season. Their 11th season begins a wee bit early this year, this Friday, Jan. 24, at Concordia’s DeSeve Cinema (in the Library Building, right across from the Hall Building).

The opening film is The Magdalene Sisters, the hugely controversial film some have trashed as another case of religion bashing. The film depicts the brutal conditions many Irish women were forced to live under while incarcerated and forced to work in laundries. (Readers may remember the Joni Mitchell song based on the same historical events, titled “Magdalene Laundries.”) The Magdalene Sisters won the Golden Lion Award in the fall at the Venice Film Festival. Friday’s screening begins at 7 p.m. and tix are a mere five bucks.

Local filmmakers (and wannabe filmmakers) should know about Moc Docs 2003, the third competition for artists hoping to make mockumentaries (i.e. This Is Spinal Tap, Blair Witch Project). Each year, Moc Docs organizers choose six filmmakers from applicants; each winner gets access to camera, editing facilities and a sound editor, the services of a production supervisor, a modest budget and a director’s honorarium (among other goodies). The deadline for scripts, which should outline a project that will run for no more than five minutes, is Feb. 15. For details on how to submit and entry forms: www.mocdocs.com.

As part of the Cinéma du Parc’s ongoing Kurosawa Retrospective, that most excellent rep house will be screening a brand new spanking print of Throne of Blood this week. (See rep listings for details.) Both beautiful and terrifying, the film combines Shakespeare with Kurosawa’s unbeatable direction. Though many of his works are available on DVD, I would highly recommend catching this new print on the big screen. For those who are loving this retrospective as much as I am, you may want to check out Concordia film studies professor Catherine Russell’s exhaustive article on Kurosawa in the current issue of Cineaste magazine.

The Quebec chapter of the Canadian Independent Film Caucus is offering a panel discussion next Thursday, Jan. 30 at 7:30 p.m., titled “Don’t Get Sued: Legal Matters Every Filmmaker Should Know.” The panel will include various experts on cinema and the law who will enlighten attendees on how not to get their knickers sued off. Place: 3480 St-Denis. $7.

Finally, local production house Rezolution Pictures is currently making a doc series based on gay or lesbian couples who are attempting to adopt children (or those who are in the process of doing so). If you are in this situation and would like to participate, please contact Rez Pix at 272-8241. :

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