A four day film festival celebrating the life and work of American director John Ford is set to take place in Dublin this June, with a number of high profile attendees.

The inaugural John Ford Ireland Film Symposium will take place June 7-10, with guests set to include Peter Bogdanovich, Maureen O’Hara, Brian Kirk and Jim Sheridan.

The event will open with a screening of Ford’s The Iron Horse with a live musical accompaniment from the RTE Concert Orchestra.

Bogdanovich, who made the documentary Directed by John Ford will take part in a masterclass, whilst the keynote address will be given by film historian and biographer Joseph McBride.

Directors Jim Sheridan, John Boorman, Brian Kirk and Emmy nominated Thaddeus O’Sullivan, IFTA winning screenwriter Pat McCabe, Colin Bateman and Paul Fraser will all take part in a special industry hub.

There will be al 60th Anniversary screening of The Quiet Man, attended by Maureen O’Hara.

Legendary Irish-American director Ford was responsible for big screen classics such as The Searchers, The Grapes of Wrath, Fort Apache and Rio Grande. He was the first recipient of the American Film Institute’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Ford kept strong connections with Ireland, where he made a number of films, including The Quiet Man.  

The event has been organised by the Irish Film and Television Academy. Chief executive Áine Moriarty said: “The Academy is proud that this annual Ford Film Symposium will now be held in Ireland each year, where film fans, Ford enthusiasts and filmmakers can gather to examine and learn from Ford’s work and legacy.”

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