RTE SHORTSCREEN KICKS OFF THE NEW YEAR WITH A SELECTION OF IRISH SHORT FILMS
The new RTE 2 series SHORTSCREEN, a compilation programme which includes award-winning short films from the Short Cuts and Frameworks film schemes, will kick off in the new year with one short film screening every Saturday night. Viewers will get an opportunity to see the latest films produced by new and established talent currently working in the Irish film industry.TWO FAT LADIES, which is the first film to screen on January 8th, scooped the Claire Lynch Award for Best First Short by an Irish Director, when it premiered at the Cork Film festival in 2003 and stars Marie O’Neill and Eileen Colgan as two old friends who come to blows over a coveted bingo prize.
The programme continues with Brendan Muldowney's short BEAUTY QUEEN, Barry Dignam's A FERRET CALLED MICKEY and Dennis McArdle's BURNING THE BED starring Gina McKee and Aidan Gillen (QUEER AS FOLK). BURNING THE BED has had a very successful run on the international festival circuit and picked up the award for Best Short Film at the DeadCentre Film Festival in Oklahoma.
There is also be an animation strand included in SHORTSCREEN, which will feature the Frameworks short films THE POPES VISIT directed by Gary Blatchford and the HUGO MELLON SHOW directed by Joel Simon.
The Short Cuts short film scheme is co-financed by Bord Scannán na hEireann/the Irish Film Board and RTE and aims to encourage new talent in all areas of film production. The Frameworks short film scheme, co-financed by Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board, RTE and the Arts Council, endeavours to add to the range and scope of Irish animation. For information on how to apply for these schemes visit the Guidelines section of this website.
SHORTSCREEN begins with TWO FAT LADIES on January 8th, RTE 2 at 11pm.