BSÉ/IFB Backed Projects Scoop Major Awards at Cork Film Festival
Bord Scannán na hÉireann / the Irish Film Board-backed projects scooped a host of awards at the 49th Cork Film Festival, which were presented at the closing ceremony last night (Sunday 17th October) .Films commissioned under the BSÉ/IFB and TG4 short film scheme Oscailt picked up two major awards. Daniel O’Hara’s short FLUENT DYSPHASIA, which premiered at the festival took home the Audience Award. FLUENT DYSPHASIA is a humorous story starring Stephen Rea, who wakes one day, mysteriously speaking perfect Irish, - which he never could before - and having forgotten how to speak English. O’Hara’s previous short YU MING IS ANIM DOM continues to scoop a host of prestigious awards around the globe.
Another Oscailt short AN DAOG IS FAIDE (THE LONGEST DITCH), written and directed by Hugh Farley, picked up the Gradam Gael Linn Award for Best Irish Language short. Produced by Karen Edmonds, AN DAOG IS FAIDE, tells the heartrending story of Co. Clare athlete Michael Murphy’s participation in the 1932 Olympics. AN DAOG IS FAIDE is currently screening in cinemas nationwide with Irish feature MAN ABOUT DOG,
The Claire Lynch Award, which is given to the Best First Short by an Irish Director was picked up by reknowned Irish playwright Martin McDonagh, who made his directorial debut with SIX SHOOTER. An imaginative black comedy, SIX SHOOTER is the first collaboration between BSÉ/IFB and Film Four Lab, the experimental division of Film Four dedicated to working with first time writers and directors. McDonagh brought together an impressive cast to work on this project with Brendan Gleeson (TROY, COLD MOUNTAIN) playing the lead and Ruaidhri Conroy (HART’S WAR, WHEN THE SKY FALLS), David Wilmot (LAWS OF ATTRACTION, INTERMISSION), and Aisling O’Sullivan (THE ACTORS, THE WAR ZONE) in supporting roles.
Frameworks short, DUBLIN 1, an animated anecdote about one man's visit to Dublin 1 directed by Jason Tammemägi, received a special mention along with Aidan Hickey’s beautiful animated film THE BOY WHO HAD NO STORY. The Frameworks scheme is funded by The Arts Council, RTE and BSÉ/IFB.
“The Cork Film Festival programme was abundant with excellent Irish short, documentaries and features reflecting the wealth of talent working in the Irish film industry at the moment” says Moira Horgan, BSE/IFB Head of Marketing. “We’d like to congratulate all of the filmmakers who picked up awards this year”.