"It's my dream festival," said Mr Mick Hannigan, programme director at yesterday evening's opening film of the 43rd Murphy's Cork Film Festival in The Cork Opera House.
"The number of films and venues has increased, but I'm particularly proud of the many filmmakers and delegates from around the world. More than 200 film-makers have confirmed their arrival to date."
Both he and the Lord Mayor, Alderman Joe O'Flynn, paid a special tribute to Mr Charlie Hennessy, the festival chairman. Mr Hannigan missed the opening for the first time in 43 years because of illness.
Author Colin Bateman, who wrote both the Divorcing Jack script and the novel on which it was based, came to Cork and said he was delighted with the results.
The film's star, David Thewlis, had to cancel his trip to Cork at the last minute but his co-stars, Jason Isaacs, Laine Megaw and Alan McKee, along with the film's producer, Robert Cooper, enjoyed the night by the Lee.
It was generally acknowledged in the Opera House last night that the Murphy's Cork Film Festival, which runs until October 18th, has a very strong programme.
"Particularly heartening is the huge spread of Irish film," Mr Hannigan said. "As well as films and documentaries, there are over 50 Irish short films."
Irish films in the festival include Sweety Barrett starring Brendan Gleeson; John Lynch's Night Train; Paul Tickell's Crushproof and 2 by 4 by young director Jimmy Smallhorne.
Other prominent films include Velvet Gold Mine, with Cork-born actor, Jonathan Rhys-Myers and Walt Stillman's Last Days Of Disco.
The closing film is Shekhar Kapur's Elizabeth, a film based on the life of the Virgin Queen.