Virgin Media Dublin international Film Festival is delighted to bring five new Irish films to the 2019 Shanghai International Film Festival this June. Papi Chulo (John Butler), which opened this year’s Virgin Media DIFF 2019, will be shown at the Chinese festival alongside Lee Cronin’s Hole in the Ground, Rosie (Paddy Breathnach), Float Like a Butterfly (Carmel Winters) and the newest film from Neil Jordan, Greta.

Shanghai International Film Festival is one of the largest film festivals in East Asia with over 400,000 people attending the festival every year. The Irish Focus will give Shanghai audiences a taste of some of the most exciting films to emerge in Irish cinema in the last 18 months, reflecting the diversity of stories being told by Irish filmmakers.

Virgin Media DIFF Festival Director Gráinne Humphreys will introduce the films in Shanghai alongside director Paddy Breathnach (Rosie), actress Hazel Doupe (Float Like a Butterfly), director Lee Cronin (Hole in the Ground), cinematographer Michael Lavelle (Float Like a Butterfly) and producer Claire McCaughey (Papi Chulo).

The Irish Focus season in Shanghai International Film Festival is supported by Screen Ireland and Culture Ireland. Gráinne Humphreys, Director of VMDIFF said this of the venture:

“We are really delighted to have this chance to showcase these six wonderful films in Shanghai. This is a great opportunity to bring these films to an exciting new market and show Chinese audiences the fantastic talent that Ireland has to offer.”

Xiao Wang, Director of the International Screening Department for the Shanghai International Film Festival, also expressed her excitement at the season, and the ongoing partnership with the Irish festival:

“It’s quite an adventure to bring five Irish films to the 22nd Shanghai International Film Festival; we want Shanghai audiences to appreciate Irish culture through great films and filmmakers. We are also looking forward to the presentation of five Chinese films in the 2020 Dublin International Film Festival - it shows that when we build these bridges, great things can happen.”