SECOND IRISH FILM ‘THE OTHER SIDE OF SLEEP’ ANNOUNCED FOR THE WORLD FAMOUS CANNES FILM FESTIVAL
The feature film debut from young Irish director Rebecca Daly, THE OTHER SIDE OF SLEEP, has been chosen to screen as part of the prestigious Directors Fortnight selection at the Cannes Film Festival which takes place next month from May 11th-May 22nd.Daly will be following in the footsteps of many famous directors including Sophia Coppola, Werner Herzog, Michael Haneke and Spike Lee who are amongst the world-class directors who have had their debut films selected for the Directors Fortnight over the past three decades.
Produced by Fastnet Films (Lotus Eaters, Kisses) with finance from Bord Scannán hÉireann/the Irish Film Board (IFB), THE OTHER SIDE OF SLEEP stars Irish actress and IFTA Rising Star nominee Antonia Campbell Hughes (Lotus Eaters) and newcomers Vicky Joyce and Sam Keely.
Commenting on the news, IFB Chairman James Morris said "Rebecca Daly is a very talented young director and we look forward to continuing to work with her as she builds her career from this excellent international debut. This selection will increase the visibility for Ireland at the festival with the Irish co-production THIS MUST BE THE PLACE already selected for official competition."
Director Rebecca Daly said "I couldn't be happier about the selection of THE OTHER SIDE OF SLEEP for Directors' Fortnight in Cannes. I feel very lucky to have been able to make this film. It was an incredible experience and an extremely challenging journey, so it's really amazing to be able to celebrate everyone's hard work with a premiere at such a prestigious festival. For me personally it's really a dream come true to have my first feature selected for Cannes."
In a joint statement the Irish producers Morgan Bushe and Macdara Kelleher said "Director Rebecca Daly is a true visionary and her work has been rewarded by its selection for Director's Fortnight. She is the first Irish female director to compete for the prestigious Camera D'Or, awarded to the Best First Feature, and Fastnet Films are extremely proud to be a part of this."
THE OTHER SIDE OF SLEEP was scripted by Daly and Glenn Montgomery and filmed on location in Offaly last year. The film tells the story of Arlene, a sleepwalker since childhood who works in the local factory of the small Irish rural town she grew up in. When a young woman is found dead in the woods, Arlene immediately channels her own mother's disappearance, twenty years ago. Increasingly drawn to the girl's family - her accused boyfriend and grieving sister, Arlene barricades herself in at night, depriving herself of sleep. Deep in emotional turmoil, her sleeping and waking realities soon blur, as the community searches to find the killer.
Previous Irish films to have been selected for the Directors Fortnight in Cannes include Lenny Abraham's GARAGE starring Pat Shortt and ALL GOOD CHILDREN directed by Alicia Duffy.
THE OTHER SIDE OF SLEEP was produced by Irish company Fastnet Films (Colony, Kisses), and European co-producers Rinkel Film & TV Productions and KMH Film Productions. The film was funded by the IFB, the Netherlands Film Fund and Hungarian Motion Pictures Foundation. Fastnet Films have also produced LOTUS EATERS directed by Alexandra McGuinness starring Antonia Campbell Hughes, which will receive its world premiere at the Robert de Niro's Tribeca Film Festival this week.