LIGHTS OUT! is the brand new National Film Festival for Young People which will take place in July 2008 in Dublin, Louth, Kilkenny, Leitrim, Clare, Cork and Westmeath. Clare Arts Office is working with the Irish Film Institute on bringing the festival to Ennis in July.

LIGHTS OUT! will screen an eclectic range of intelligent and passionate films at venues around the country. The festival will inform, entertain and offer a forum with which young people can engage.

LIGHTS OUT! will include a mix of films, workshops on filmmaking, acting for film and film classification and hands-on film fun. The screening programme aimed at ages 5-16 will include previews and premieres, new world cinema, documentaries, archive titles, and shorts from Ireland and around the world.

Key to the success of the festival will be our Young Consultants' Panel - 18 young people from across Ireland will be involved every step of the way, helping us choose the films, design posters, make a TV ad, judge festival awards and be festival Ambassadors.

Would you like to be one? We have two places on this panel reserved for young people from Clare. For information on how to apply for a place on this panel click here – www.lightsout.ie. Closing date is February 22nd, 2008.

Our Festival Patron is RTE Presenter Kathryn McKiernan, who’s TV credits include The Loft, Sattitude and The Club. Kathryn currently presents RTE’s daily show Kazoo.

The Ombudsman for Children’s Office is the IFI’s lead partner on this event and will work with the Irish Film Institute to ensure that young people’s input and rights are at the centre of the festival’s development.