Irish Films In Official Selection @ Cannes
Two Irish films have been official selected to screen at the world famous Cannes Film Festival which kicks off on May 11th.
Filmed on location in Ireland last year, THIS MUST BE THE PLACE, directed by Paulo Sorrentino and co-produced by Irish production company Element Films, has been selected for Official Competition while 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.
THIS MUST BE THE PLACE which was backed by Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board (IFB) boasts a host of stars including Academy Award® winners Sean Penn (Milk, Mystic River) and Frances McDormand (Fargo), alongside Irish talent Simon Delaney (Zonad, Happy Ever Afters), Olwen Fouere (Ballykissangel), Kerry Conlon (Rome) and newcomer Eve Hewson, daughter of U2 singer Bono. The film shot on location around Dublin and Wicklow for three weeks last summer.
It tells the story of Cheyenne (Sean Penn), a wealthy former rock star living in Dublin, who embarks on a quest to find his father's persecutor, a Nazi war criminal hiding out in the US.
THE OTHER SIDE OF SLEEP was produced by Fastnet Films (Lotus Eaters, Kisses) with finance from the IFB. It stars Irish actress and IFTA Rising Star nominee Antonia Campbell Hughes (Lotus Eaters) and newcomers Vicky Joyce and Sam Keely.
The film was scripted by Rebecca Daly and Glenn Montgomery and 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.
ABOUT: THIS MUST BE THE PLACE
In This Must Be the Place Cheyenne, a wealthy former rock star living in Dublin, embarks on a quest to find his father's persecutor, a Nazi war criminal hiding out in the US. And so begins a
life-altering journey across the heartland of America to track down and confront his father's nemesis. Cheyenne feels his spirit reawakened by the people he encounters, and his journey becomes one of self-discovery and reconciliation. As his date with destiny approaches and he prepares to come face to face with Lange, Cheyenne must decide if it's redemption he's seeking -or revenge.
THIS MUST BE THE PLACE is an Irish-Italian co-production between Irish production company Element Pictures and Indigo Film and Lucky Red in Italy. The film was financially supported by Bord Scannán na hÉireann/ Irish Film Board, Eurimage, Medusa, Indigo Film, Intesa Sanpaolo Bank and ARP Selection France.
ABOUT: THE OTHER SIDE OF SLEEP
The director Rebecca 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.
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 had its world premiere at the Robert de Niro's Tribeca Film Festival last month.
SCREENING TIMES @ CANNES
THIS MUST BE THE PLACE
Friday 20th May Grand Theatre Lumiere 8.30 (Press Screening)
Friday 20th May Grand Theatre Lumiere 14.30 (Press and Industry Screening)
Friday 20th May Grand Theatre Lumiere 19.30 (Official Screening)
Saturday 21st May Salle du Soixantieme 12.00
THE OTHER SIDE OF SLEEP
Friday 13th May Theatre Croisette 17.00
Saturday 14th May Cinema Les Arcades 11.30
Saturday 14th May Studio 13 22.00