Special Mention for Irish Thriller 'Savage' at Leeds Festival
Brendan Muldowney's debut feature SAVAGE picked up a Special Mention in the Méliès Competition at the recent Leeds International Film Festival. The jury commented that SAVAGE was "a brutal, powerful and brave piece of filmmaking with an impressive central performance at the heart of it".
Starring Darren Healy (Eamon, Once) and Nora-Jane Noone (The Descent, The Magdalene Sisters), SAVAGE tells the story of Paul Graynor, an alienated press photographer who lives and works in an unfriendly and threatening city, who becomes victim to a serious crime. Finding himself the subject, rather than the purveyor of an inner city tabloid story, Paul tries to come to terms with his attack, though the scars, both psychological and physical, prove impossible to heal. SAVAGE is an exploration of violence and masculinity, and studies in forensic detail, Paul's metamorphosis from victim to avenger.
Produced by Conor Barry for SP Films with funding coming from Bord Scannán na hÉireann/ the Irish Film Board, the gritty film has been officially selected to screen at a host of festivals since its premiere at the Galway Film Fleadh last year. It has since been shown at festivals including Brussels International Fantastic Festival, Glasgow Film Festival, Jameson Dublin International Film Festival, Moscow International Film Festival, Espoo Cine International Film Festival in Finland and Lund International Fantastic Film Festival in Sweden and is set to screen at the upcoming Capital Irish Film Festival in Washington D.C.
Tomm Moore's Oscar-nominated animation The Secret of Kells and Zonad, the light-hearted comedy directed by John and Kieran Carney were also selected to screen at the 24th Leeds International Film Festival which takes place from the 4th-21st November.