Athis-Mons DiviPassion Film Festival – Saturday, November 11 (in Paris)

As part of The Year of the French Celebrations, ‘Vintage ’98’, a short film by local director Topher Neville will premiere at the annual DiviPassion Film Festival in Ballina’s twin town of Athis-Mons on Saturday, November 11.

Vintage ’98 is light-hearted fantasy story of a depressed Street Market Trader, who after seeking a glass of wine in a Ballina pub, gets just the advice she needs from a mysterious stranger.

“Oh nothing for me, I’m not staying long. I’ve just dropped in for a little chat.”

The script was rehearsed with actors in the village of Killala, where The Year of The French TV series was filmed. The production was shot over two days and then edited within a week of the filming’s completion in time to play at the DiViPassion festival.

Athis-Mons and Ballina celebrated 30 years of twinning this year and this is just the latest in a series of iniatives to mark the occasion, as part of the wider Year of the French celebrations between the Irish and French Embassies.

Remembrances in Athis-Mons and Ballina this weekend

Athis-Mons

On Saturday, November 11, before the festival, a special service attended by The Irish Embassy in France will take place at 11.30am at Athis-Mons Town Hall, in honour of Private Stephen Kennedy who was from Ballina and was the first Irish soldier to die in France during the First World War, aged 23. Pte Kennedy is buried in Athis-Mons.

Ballina

On Sunday, November 12 at 12pm, a remembrance ceremony will take place at the monument in the Green Park on Killala Road, to remember those from the locality who died in World War I, and afterwards at St Michael’s Church, Ardnaree.