"The Wind that Shakes the Barley" wraps up Casper College Multicultural Film Festival

The third and final film of the Casper College Multicultural Film Festival, “Exploring Ireland Through Films,” is The Wind That Shakes the Barley, which tells the story of two brothers, Damien (Cillian Murphy) and Teddy (Padraic Delaney) involved in a guerrilla war between Britain and the Irish Republican Army in the years immediately following World War I. The film, directed by Ken Loach, will be shown on Friday, April 15, beginning at 7 p.m. in the Wheeler Auditorium, located in the Wold Physical Science Center, Room 103.

“This film was chosen so that we could explore the sectarian divisions inherent in Irish society and politics,” said Erich Frankland, film festival co-director.

In his review, published in the Chicago Sun Times, movie critic Roger Ebert said: “You don't have to know about the history of ‘the troubles’ in Northern Ireland to be swept up in the human drama of The Wind That Shakes the Barley, which won the Palme d'Or at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival.”

Casper College English instructor and film festival co-director Patrick Amelotte will lead the post-film discussion.

The Wind that Shakes the Barley is free and open to all and is sponsored by the Casper College Honors Program, the Casper College International Studies Program, and Casper College.

FMI: Lisa S. Icenogle, 800-442-2963, ext. 2372

Casper College Multicultural Film Festival presents "The Secret of Roan Inish"

The second film of the Casper College Multicultural Film Festival, "Exploring Ireland Through Films," is "The Secret of Roan Inish," which tells the story of a young girl named Fiona, and the tales her grandfather tells of Selkies (creatures who are both woman and seal) and an Irish island called Roan Inish. The film, directed by John Sayles, will be shown on Friday, March 25 beginning at 7 p.m. in Wheeler Auditorium, located in the Wold Physical Science Center, Room 103.

In his review, published in the Chicago Sun Times, movie critic Roger Ebert said: "One can easily guess how this legend could have been simplified and jollied up in other hands, how it could have been about cute little Selkies. But legends are, after all, told by adults, not children, and usually they record something essential to the culture that produces them. What this legend says, I think, is that the people who tell it live on the land but live from the sea, so that their loyalties are forever divided."

Casper College English instructor Joseph Campbell will lead the post-film discussion.

"The Secret of Roan Inish" is free and open to all and is sponsored by the Casper College Honors Program, the Casper College International Studies Program, and Casper College.

Judith Weikle & Friends perform in Celtic Music Concert in Jackson

Celtic Music Concert on St. Patrick's Day Thursday, March 17, at the Teton County Public Library in Jackson. With Wyoming Arts Council roster artist Judith Weikle and Friends. FMI: Teton County Library Events

Dang Ol' Boys presents St. Patty's Day Throwdown March 17 in Casper

Ceili at the Roundhouse Celtic Festival in Evanston March 11-12

From the good folks in Evanston:

Céilí (pronounced kay-lee) is an Irish word that means social gathering, with music. In other words, a party! In its third year in Evanston, Wyoming, the Céilí at the Roundhouse Celtic Festival March 11-12 promises to be the best one yet, with word class music, culture, shopping, food, and the Children’s Area.

“We are selling tickets to people from different states who are amazed that these internationally acclaimed bands are coming to little old Evanston,” said Young Musicians Executive Director Carolee Bowen, who is organizing the event. “They know that our small town atmosphere is the best place to get up close with artists who would never be approachable in NYC, Chicago or LA.”

Friday night features Väsen (veh-sen) from Sweden, with Americans Mike Marshall & Darol Anger, with a pre-show by Killarney. Saturday night features De Danann (day-dawn-in) from Ireland. Both headline concerts start at 8 pm in the Roundhouse. An all-out jam session will follow the concerts over in the Machine Shop until midnight. Festival daytime entertainment at the Machine Shop includes Evanston’s own Celtic Mist, and Marty Smith, and coming from Utah, Amber & Rye, Julie ni Hewkin, and the Rovin’ Boozers. Educational workshops include Multi Style Fiddle Improvisation, Mandolin, Beginning Bodhran (Irish Drum), Bouzouki Madness, and question/answer time with members of Väsen and De Danann. An on-site pub will be open, closely monitored by the Police Benevolent Society. To see the full schedule of events for the festival visit www.EvanstonCelticFestival.com

An all-event full weekend pass is only $25. Single tickets to the evening concerts are $15 each, and daytime only admission is $3. Those who already have a Concert Series season pass get in to everything with no additional cost. Tickets are available in Evanston at Home Décor, Mt. Music, Jewl’s Card & Gift, or the Evanston Chamber of Commerce. In Bridger Valley tickets are available at Benedict’s Market and Lyman Town Hall. Tickets also available at www.EvanstonTickets.com

Bowen said that the most asked question she gets is if people can buy a family pass to the festival. Here is what she suggests, “ buy the $25 all-event weekend pass for you and your concert partner which gets you into the 8 pm headline concerts and all daytime events, and bring the kids to the daytime events. Daytime admission is just $3. Or, if you have a large family and you want to bring them all to everything including the 8 pm concerts, buy a Uinta County Concert Series season FAMILY pass for $125. That will get them all in, and also into all the concerts for the rest of the Uinta County Concert Series season through May!”

The Céilí at the Roundhouse Celtic Festival is presented by Young Musicians, Inc., and supported by many local sponsors, the City of Evanston, and grant funding from the Western States Arts Federation, and the Wyoming Arts Council, through funding from the Wyoming State Legislature and the National Endowment for the Arts.

Call for entries: Fish Short Story Prize

From the Fish Publishing web site:

The Fish Short Story Prize for 2010/2011 is open for entries. We are delighted to announce that Simon Mawer, author of "The Glass Room" (and seven other novels) will judge the prize.

Fish Publishing runs the short story competition each year, the winners of which are published in the annual Fish Anthology.

Roddy Doyle, Colum McCann and Dermot Healy, previously judges of the Fish Short Story Prize, are honorary patrons.

The Fish Short Story Prize welcomes stories on any theme written in English, with a maximum of 5,000 words. The Anthology will be launched during the West Cork Literary Festival, July 2011.

Fish have been running the short story contest since 1995. Publication in the anthology has been a stepping stone for many into successful writing careers.