FILM FLEADH FOUNDATION has announced the line-up For the 2002 Irish Film Fleadh. This year's festival takes place March 21 - 24, 2002 at the NYU Cantor Center in downtown Manhattan. Now in its fourth year, the annual New York City-based film festival highlights Irish and Irish American independent cinema. This year the 2002 Film Fleadh will screen 10 feature films, including 1 World Premiere, 4 U.S. Premieres, 3 documentaries and over 15 short films.

COMMENTING ON THIS YEAR'S PROGRAM, Terence Mulligan, founder and executive director of the Film Fleadh said "This year, more than ever, we hope New Yorkers will turn out to support the Film Fleadh, our home base of downtown Manhattan, and the impact that Irish/Irish -Americans continue to have in Hollywood/Arthouse cinema."

ADDITIONAL PREMIERE SCREENINGS at this year's Film Fleadh include: SPOTLIGHT ON DOC'S; IF I SHOULD FALL FROM GRACE: the Shane McGowan Story (directed by Sarah Share FREEDOM HIGHWAY starring Bone, Elvis Costello and Tom Waits; BLOODY SUNDAY produced by Jim Sheridan; MAPMAKER starring Brien O'Byrne and Susan Lynch; LAST DAYS OF DUBLIN directed by Lance Daly; and SAVING GRACE directed by Maeve Murphy.

AWARD-WINNING SHORT FILMS premiering this year include; ZULU 9, PETROL COUNTRY BLUES AND GIVE UP YER AUL SINS and local New York City-filmmaker Brian Tukcer & Billy Muir's COOLOCKLAND & Tricia Ward's SURVIVAL OF THE FITTEST.

THE ANNUAL FILM FLEADH SCRIPT READING will be held on Saturday, March 23rd at 12 noon at the Irish Arts Center. This year's reading is cosponsored by Con Edison, NYSCA, Writers Script Network and Shanachie Entertainment.

HEAD-QUARTERED IN NEW YORK CITY, the Film Fleadh is a non-profit arts organization dedicated to supporting Irish and Irish American emerging filmmakers and Irish actor is in Hollywood/Independent cinema and to provide a showcase of new, independent dramatic, documentary and short films. Entering its fourth year, the Irish Film Fleadh audience is composed of all New Yorkers who are compassionate about film, culture and supporting Irish arts. With the generous support of Con Edison, Tourism Ireland, Time Warner NYSCA and The Cultural Relations Committee. The Film Fleadh hosts receptions following each of our screenings so audience members can participate in the film-making experience and loin discussions with the filmmakers and Irish film community. · FOR MORE INFORMATION about the Film Fleadh, call the Foundation hotline at 212-966-3030, extension 247 or visit the website at www.filmfleadh.com.