Discussion with Kavanagh

The IFI in Dublin is hosting an in-depth discussion with Irish director Ivan Kavanagh, and the cast of his new film, The Fading Light, at 4pm on Saturday 13th March.

The Fading Light, the fifth feature from fiercely independent up-and-coming Irish director Ivan Kavanagh, opens exclusively at the IFI on 12th March and we are delighted to host a conversation with the director and his cast at 4pm on Saturday 13th March. The emotionally visceral style that has become Kavanagh's trademark springs from the rigorous background work on each character undertaken by his actors before the plot is revealed to them step-by-step during filming. His previous feature, Our Wonderful Home (2008), will also be screened earlier that day at 2.30pm.

The Q&A with Kavanagh and the cast is free but ticketed. Call the IFI Box Office on 01 679 3477 to reserve your tickets.

The Eclipse wins at Stiges

The Eclipse, the supernatural drama written and directed by Conor McPherson, won the prestigious Melies D'Argent Award for Best European Motion Picture at the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival in Spain, one of Europe's largest fantasy and horror film festivals.

Green Spotlit

Filmmaker magazine has announced its annual survey of new talent entitled "25 New Faces of Independent Film", which this year includes Steph Green, whose short film "New Boy" - written and directed by Steph and adapted from a short story by Roddy Doyle - was nominated for an Oscar last year.

His & Hers Launch

The Screen Directors Guild of Ireland, in association with the Directors Guild of America, have announced that the winner of the Directors Finders Series 2009 is Ken Wardrop and his feature documentary His & Hers

The feature will be showcased in the Director's Guild of America Theatre, Sunset Boulevard, L.A, on 7th August 2009 to an audience of American distributors and industry personnel with a view to securing a U.S distribution deal for the film.

Before the L.A Screening the SDGI will launch His & Hers at a special Industry Awards Ceremony on Thursday 16th July in Dublin in The Morrison Hotel.

This event will be officially opened by the Minister for Arts, Sport & Tourism, Martin Cullen, TD.

The awards will be co-hosted by acclaimed directors Neil Jordan and Jim Sheridan, and the guest speaker will be from Pathe! UK.

For further information or to confirm your place contact the SDGI at guestlist[at]sdgi[dot]ie

New Irish Cinema

Variety recently wrote an article on the "coming of age" of Irish cinema, which should be of interest to those working in the industry. Here's a highlight:

Following in the footsteps of Sheridan and Jordan comes a generation that includes such directors as Lenny Abrahamson, Conor McPherson, John Crowley, Martin McDonagh, John Carney, Kirsten Sheridan, Lance Daly, Paddy Breathnach and Damien O'Donnell, and writers such as Mark O'Rowe, Enda Walsh and Mark O'Halloran.

"We now have a list, whereas we didn't before," says Alan Moloney of Parallel Pictures, one of the small band of Dublin-based producers who have worked closely with the Irish Film Board to nurture this rising tide.

Carney's "Once," Abrahamson and O'Halloran's "Adam and Paul" and "Garage," McDonagh's "In Bruges," Daly's "Kisses" and the Crowley/ O'Rowe collaborations "Intermission" and "Boy A" have redefined expectations about the range and quality of work that Irish talent is capable of delivering.

Carney's sci-fi comedy "Zonad" and O'Rowe's latest riff on the Dublin gangster scene "Perrier's Bounty" are among the most anticipated upcoming Irish movies. There's also another wave of talent coming, including Margaret Corkery, Ken Wardrop and "Perrier" helmer Ian Fitzgibbon.

It's easy to forget that for most of the 20th century, Ireland had no film industry at all, just a few determined independent spirits such as Joe Comerford and Cathal Black working in glorious isolation.

The refounding of the Irish Film Board in 1993, along with the introduction of a tax break targeted at film production, provided a turning point. It coincided with the modernization of the Irish economy and culture, and the rise of a cine-literate generation as eager to pick up a camera as a pen.

Cooperation

The Guardian interviews Irish director Lenny Abrahamson, during which he discusses his collaboration with writer Mark O'Halloran, and how they approach filmmaking together.

O'Halloran Wins Twice

The Irish Examiner reports on last night's IFTA winners.

Irish screenwriter Mark O'Halloran won best script for a feature film (Garage) and for a TV series (Prosperity).

The television period drama The Tudors scooped awards in a record seven categories. Garage also won the Best Film category, Best Director for Lenny Abrahamson, and Best Actor in a Lead Role Film for Pat Shortt.

Carney Wins a BFA

RTÉ reports that John Carney, the writer and director of the film Once, won the prize for Most Promising Newcomer at the British Film Awards last weekend.

Irish at Sundance '08

IFTN reports that two Irish writers will have their work screened at this year's Sundance Film Festival from the 17-27 January 2008, in Park City, Salt Lake City, USA.

'The Sound of People', written and directed by Simon Fitzmaurice, and produced by Noreen Donohoe, is the only Irish short among the19 titles chosen for the Dramatic Shorts selection, and was shortlisted from over 5,000 entries. The film stars Irish actor Martin McCann as eighteen-year-old Stephen, a young man who connects with his past and future and stares into the face of his own death. Fitzmaurice said: "I am absolutely over the moon about getting into Sundance. Everyone worked heart and soul on this film and this is a wonderful response."

Ken Wardrop will showcase two films in the Documentary Shorts selection: 'Farewell Packets of Ten' and 'Scoring'. 'Packets of Ten' is about two ladies discussing the pros and cons of their addiction to cigarettes, while 'Scoring' reveals the true power of a kiss.

Garage Wins Again

The Film Board reports that Garage, written by Mark O'Halloran and directed by Lenny Abrahamson, won the Best Film award at the Turin Film Festival in Italy, a prize that is worth €25,000.

The film also scooped the Jury Award at the Festival de Chatenay Malabry and the Grand Prix and Students Award at the Festival Cinessone in France last month.

Foy Wins Short Film Award

The winner of the 2007 Diversions Short Film Award has been announced as "The Faeries of Blackheath Woods", which was written and directed by Ciarán Foy. The Award is organised by Temple Bar Cultural Trust (TBCT) as part of the Diversions Festival, Temple Bar's free outdoor festival.

Ciarán has won a €5000 cash prize from TBCT and studio time at Filmbase worth an additional €5000. According to Ciarán, "Needless to say I'm truly delighted to win. Now I can finally afford another print! Diversions is a unique festival and there's a fantastic buzz seeing your film on an outdoor screen with a public audience. People seem to really respond to this little horror film and that's really the biggest compliment,"

The Faeries of Blackheath Woods, is Ciarán's first film since graduating from the National Film School of Ireland. The film, shot on the Powerscourt Estate, follows a young girl's bewitching encounter with faeries and discovery that they are not as sweet and kind as folklore would depict.

Alan Fitzpatrick of Filmbase commented, "In The Faeries of Blackheath Woods director, Ciarán Foy, set out to create an ambitious piece of short cinema. The result is a stunningly well realised and artistically crafted film which delights, enchants and surprises in equal measure. Ciarán displayed real talent and technical accomplishment in Faeries, marking himself as a director to watch in the future." 12 films were short-listed for the award and were screened at the famous Meeting House Square, preceding the Jameson Movies on the Square presentation.

Once Wins Awards

IFTN reports that Once, the Irish musical written and directed by John Carney won the Best International Film award at the 14th Raindance Film Festival, in London (25 September – 7 October).

The awards were presented by festival founder Elliot Grove and festival producer Jesse Vile on the closing night of the festival, which this year received more than 15,000 admissions.

The film also received a special jury mention at the 18th British Film Festival which took place in Dinard, France from the 4th-7th October.

Montreal WC

Liam O'Mochain, a guild member, and writer and director, has informed us that his second feature film WC has been selected to screen at the 2007 Montreal World Film Festival (August 23rd - September 3rd). It will feature in the focus on world cinema section of the festival. O'Mochain says on hearing the news "I was delighted, Montreal is a great festival, with a particular strong emphasis on world cinema. It will be a great international platform for the film". WC received its world Premiere at the 2007 Dublin International Film Festival in February, where it sold out. It also screened in July at the 2007 Galway Film Fleadh in the WILDCARDS strand.

WC is a quirky drama set in and around the toilets of a Dublin Jazz bar, it follows a day and in the life of two toilet attendants, Jack (Liam O'Mochain - The Book That Wrote Itself), an Irish guy who has recently been released from prison and Katya (Julia Wakeham - The Tudors), a Russian girl who has come to Ireland to find a better life. As Jack and Katya deal with argumentative customers, an interfering bar manager and an inept thief, they find an unlikely friendship with one another in the last place one would expect - the toilets. Described by the director as a "social drama", the film examines topical issues like racism, social integration, sex trafficking and low paid workers in a every day setting. In making WC O'Mochain has drawn inspiration from the films of Mike Leigh, Ken Loach and Michael Winterbottom.

June Sit-In

FilmmakersNetwork.ie is having its monthly Sit-In tonight in Training Room 3 in Filmbase, Curved Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2 at 7.30pm. The usual schedule consists of discussions, screenings, pitches, and afterwards drinks in the pub.

FilmmakersNetwork.ie, Ireland's online film industry forums, now boasts a community of over 500 members.

Carney at Directors' Club

Film Ireland reports that the Screen Directors' Guild of Ireland has announced that the May Directors' Club will feature John Carney and his film Once at Denzille Cinema, Dublin 2 on Thursday May 31st at 6.30pm. There will be the opportunity to schmooze over drinks (courtesy of Jameson) after the film. Seats are limited, so members of the Directors' Club should contact Yolanda Barker to book a place.

May Sit-In

Filmmakers Network.ie is having its monthly meeting this Monday, the 14th of May from 7.30 - 9.30m in Filmbase, Curved Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2. The focus on this meeting will be on pitching, and as usual there will be a screening of short films created by members of the group.

Garage at Cannes

RTÉ reports that the Irish feature film, Garage, has been selected for the Director's Fortnight at the 60th Cannes Film Festival.

Garage is produced by Ed Guiney and executive produced by Andrew Lowe for Element Pictures, who were involved with last year's Palme d'Or-winning The Wind That Shakes the Barley.

This is the second feature film from director Lenny Abrahamson and writer Mark O'Halloran, who were also responsible for the award-winning black comedy Adam and Paul.

Set in the mid-west of Ireland, it tells the story of harmless misfit Josie (Shortt), the caretaker of a crumbling petrol station, and his hapless search for intimacy one summer.

Heery Film wins twice

From a report on IFTN it appears that congratulations are due to Irish writer/director Niall Heery, whose film Small Engine Repair just won two awards at the Nashville Film Festival - the Nashville Film Festival/Regal Cinemas Dreammaker Award for Best Feature and the Audience Award for Best Film.

Early this year Felim MacDermot interviewed Heery on behalf of the Guild, and you can read Heery's thoughts about writing for film on the IPSG web site.

Speed Wins

RTÉ reports that the Irish romantic comedy, Speed Dating, bagged the Best Picture award at the 8th Malibu International Film Festival in California.

Written and directed by Tony Herbert, the film goes on release in Ireland today.

IFTN interviews Herbert, in which he describes how he developed his story from script to film.

Green Fields for free

IFTN reports that there will be a free showing of Alan Gilsenan's WWI documentary, The Green Fields of France next Thursday, 19 April, in Temple Bar's Meeting House Square at 8.15pm. The director will introduce the hour-long film, which honours the Irish men and women who died during World War I.