Eight IFB Funded Features to have World Premiere at the Galway Film Fleadh
A record number of Irish films will screen at the 22nd Galway Film Fleadh next month with over 20 IFB funded features and documentaries including eight world premieres selected offering a great mix of drama and comedy to the festival line up.
Following on from its success at the acclaimed Tribeca Film Festival in New York, Paul Fraser's MY BROTHERS will kick off the festival which will run from 6th - 11th July. The off-beat and moving comedy was written by Will Collins, who won the Pitching Award at the Fleadh in 2007.
The festival will see the world premieres of the Irish feature films THE RUNWAY, SENSATION, REWIND, THE LOOKING GLASS and COME ON EILEEN and the feature documentaries BURMA SOLDIER, THE PIPE and COUNTING SHEEP while a number of other Irish films will have their Irish premieres at the festival.
Ian Power's THE RUNWAY is inspired by a true story of a South American pilot who crashed his plane in a field near an Irish town in 1983. Starring Demian Bichir, Kerry Condon and James Cosmo, the film tells the tale of how the community came together to fix his plane and build a runway to get him home.
SENSATION, a darkly comedic story of prostitution, money, love and sensation stars Domhnall Gleeson and was written and directed by Tom Hall. The thriller REWIND is the directorial debut of PJ Dillon. Co-written by Ronan Carr, the film which stars Allen Leech, Amy Huberman and Owen McDonnell was funded through the micro-budget Catalyst Project.
Colin Downey's THE LOOKING GLASS is a portrait of a young man on the brink of fatherhood which moves quickly from familiar drama into dark fairytale. COME ON EILEEN written and directed by Finola Geraghty tells the story of mother and ex-dancer Eileen as she relapses into her troubled past as she starts a new relationship over a summer and she and her family combust.
THE PIPE is a documentary by Risteard O'Domhnall about the tensions of Rossport, and the pressures and fractures with the Shell To Sea campaign while BURMA SOLDIER directed by Nic Dunlop, Annie Sundbert, Ricki Stern is an in-depth investigation into one of the world's most brutal and repressive regimes, by telling the story of a former soldier who changed sides. The third Irish documentary to have its world premiere is Dieter Auner's COUNTING SHEEP which centres around a young Shepard in Transylvania whose trade comes under threat as his brother and friends migrate for seasonal work to Germany.
Other Irish features screening at the festival include Carmel Winters acclaimed SNAP which had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival, Alicia Duffy's ALL GOOD CHILDREN which recently screened in Cannes in the prestigious Directors' Fortnight and Colm McCarthy's OUTCAST which is screening at the Edinburgh Film Festival this month. There is also a chance to catch new Irish films BETWEEN THE CANALS directed by Mark O'Connor, SEASIDE STORIES directed by Fergus Tighe as well as A KISS FOR JED WOOD, COLONY and NOTHING PERSONAL.
The latest strand of the Short Shorts and Frameworks short films will also be showcasing a wide range of live action and animated films. The Short Shorts, funded by the IFB, all tie in with the theme of films without dialogue, while the animated Frameworks are co-funded by the IFB, the Arts Council and RTÉ.
Other exciting events due to take place over the six days include a Screenwriters Masterclass with the award-winning Ronald Harwood and an Acting Masterclass with actress Annette Benning, the Film Fair, which gives filmmakers a unique opportunity to meet with leading film financiers, distributors and producers and the Pitching Award where five selected applicants present their short script in front of a panel of judges to win a prize of €3,000. The Real Deal, presented by the IFB, will be a round table conversation among producers and anyone working in independent film, to debate the films themselves, the content without which there would be no business.
For further information on the Galway Film Fleadh and the jam-packed programme of screenings and events see the official website http://www.galwayfilmfleadh.com/