by Robyn Rosen THE ninth annual festival has been launched with a series of films, music, art, talks and comedy, based on the theme of the Irish community. The free Kilburn Festival will offer plenty of entertainment throughout the week

by Robyn Rosen

THE ninth annual festival has been launched with a series of films, music, art, talks and comedy, based on the theme of the Irish community.

The free Kilburn Festival will offer plenty of entertainment throughout the week including comedy night, Make Mine a Double, which runs until Saturday at the Cock Tavern and a park fun day in Kilburn Grange Park on Sunday with live music, a real beach, parade and games.

Much of the entertainment features Irish artists.

"We were looking at all the communities that have made a cultural impact on the area and wanted to start with the Irish", Ags Irwin, director of the Kilburn Festival said.

"It's a celebration of all the communities because Kilburn is so multicultural."

The festival kicked off on Friday, July 3 with the Kilburn Film Festival, featuring Irish films from recent releases to Galtymore memories.

"The whole idea is based on changing communities in Kilburn, leading up the Olympics," Claire Desenclos, of the film festival, said. "The Irish were the oldest community here so we started with them.

"After we had the thought, it just exploded, there was terrific enthusiasm."

At the Gala opening at the Tricycle Cinema in Kilburn High Road, the award-winning Kisses was screened and director, Lance Daly, took part in a Q and A sessions with the audience.

"The launch night was great," Ms Desenclos said. "There was a traditional Irish band playing and we all had a lot of fun.

"We've had such a high quality of films so far, they've been superb. And we've got a very high standard of films to come."

Other highlights of the film festival, which ends on Sunday, July 12, include dark comedy, A Film with Me in It, on Saturday and a movie brunch with local film-makers on Sunday.

Ms Desenclos added: "We'd like to celebrate all the different, diverse communities in Kilburn over the next few years, from Polish to Somali because there are all these different worlds coming together here."

For more information visit www.kilburnfestival.co.uk

Robyn.rosen@archant.co.uk