"The Irish in Film," a popular movie series sponsored by Fairfield University's Irish Studies Committee, continues its third series on March 31 with "In Bruges" (2008), an Oscar-nominated brilliant dark comedy written and directed by the award-winning Irish playwright Martin McDonagh screens March 31. Set in Bruges, Belgium, two Irish hit men, Ray (Colin Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson) who live in London where they bungled a job to kill a priest, are sent to hide out in the medieval city of Bruges by their boss, Harry (Ralph Fiennes). While waiting for Harry to show up, Ray and Ken take in the cultural sights of the city, including a religious painting of purgatory.
In typical McDonagh dialogue, the exchanges between the two men are amusing albeit absurd. With "In Bruges," McDonagh, author of the Tony Award®-winner and West End hit, "The Lieutenant of Inishmore," makes his film debut as a director. Dr. Robert Epstein, associate professor of English, introduces the film.
The films are shown in the Multimedia Room of the DiMenna-Nyselius Library on Wednesday evenings at 7:00 p.m. Fairfield University students as well as the public are welcome to this free event. Light refreshments will be served.
For more information, please contact Marion White, Irish Studies Committee, at (203) 254-4000, ext. 3021, or by e-mail at mwhite@fairfield.edu.
Awards:
Nominee, Academy Award, Best Screenplay, 2008 (Original), Martin McDonagh
Nominee, Golden Globe, Best Motion Picture, 2009
photo courtesy of BLUEPRINT PICTURES/The Kobal Collection from Cinema Image Gallery database.