REEL NEWS: One of the great events in the Irish cinema calendar begins on Sunday, November 6th.

The Corona Cork Film Festival is the oldest such bash in the country (and among the oldest continuously running film festivals in Europe). The jamboree has long offered a prominent platform for short films and quality domestic features.

This year – the 56th, would you believe – begins with an unveiling of the Sundance hit Like Crazy. Directed by Drake Doremus, the romantic drama won Grand Jury prizes for best dramatic film and, honouring the ubiquitous Felicity Jones, best actor at the Utah event. Other gala screenings include Best Intentions, a naturalistic Romanian drama, acclaimed German film The City Below, and the Polish animation The Flying Machine. Proud of its local talent, the festival will be expanding its Made in Cork short season from two to three programmes. Bigging up "Slow Food on Film", the organisers will present Jorge Coira's intriguing 18 Meals, which follows its characters as they chow their way through breakfast, lunch and dinner. You want more? Well, few events more effectively cheer up festival-goers than silent films presented with live music. Seek out Rain and The Bridge, two vintage documentaries playing to a new score by The Softday Foley Ensemble. Check out

corkfilmfest.org.