Young Irish Actress Kelly Thorton Wins the Bingham Ray Award at the 25th Galway Film Festival
Irish actress Kelly Thorton picked up the Bingham Ray New Talent Award this weekend at the Galway Film Fleadh. Kelly, who stars as Emma in Lance Daly's ‘Life's A Breeze', was only 14 when she won the role after being approached by a casting agent while shopping on Grafton Street. She follows in the footsteps of Irish director Gerard Barrett who was given the inaugural Bingham Ray Award for his film ‘Pilgrim Hill' at the 2012 Galway Film Fleadh.
James Hickey, Chief Executive of Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board said "I'm delighted to see Kelly's talent recognised by her peers at the Galway Film Fleadh this year. A key focus for the IFB is to invest in films which will in turn create opportunities for new Irish talent like Kelly to be discovered. Earlier this year Jack Raynor was signed up to star in the latest Transformers film after making his breakthrough performance in the IFB funded film ‘What Richard Did'. I'd like to take this opportunity to wish Kelly every success in the future."
Produced by Macdara Kelleher for Fastnet Films, ‘Life's a Breeze' is a feel-good ‘recession comedy' which tells the story of a family's race against time to claim a lost fortune. Thorton's portrayal of the young Emma and her relationship with her grandmother played by Fionnuala Flanagan forms the emotional arc of the film. ‘Life's a Breeze' which also stars Pat Shortt, Eva Birthistle, Gerry McCann, Philip Judge, Lesley Conroy, Peter Coonan, Brian Gleeson and Paul Ronan with cameos from Ryan Tubridy and Joe Duffy will be released in Irish cinemas on the 19th July. You can watch the trailer now on the IFB Media hub.