IRISH SHORT FILMS MAKING AN IMPACT BOTH AT HOME AND ABROAD
Bord Scannan na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board (BSÉ/IFB) co-financed short films are making an impact with audiences all over the world. THE WONDERFUL STORY OF KELVIN KIND has been selected by Warner Bros Ireland to screen before its new blockbuster CONSTANTINE starring Keanu Reeves. The film will be released in Irish cinemas nationwide on 18th March.THE WONDERFUL STORY OF KELVIN KIND is directed by Ian Power and produced by Fastnet Films under the SHORT CUTS scheme which is financed by BSÉ/IFB and RTE. The deadline for the next round of SHORT CUTS is June 10th 2005.
More Irish shorts will also be seen by Irish audiences this April, with the news that TV3 are to broadcast a number of BSÉ/IFB backed short films including David Gleeson's HUNTED and NO NO NO directed by Stephen Bradley. This screening on TV3 will be under the title of WONDERSCREEN and is produced by Lovely Productions.
Irish shorts have also been making an impact with international audiences and festivals. THE SKELETON WOMAN received a Special Mention at the prestigious Berlin International Film Festival and Peter Foott's THE CARPENTER AND HIS CLUMSY WIFE has just been selected for the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival which takes place in New York in April.
In addition, Irish shorts have been picked up by a number of overseas buyers with some key recent sales by Network Ireland including: Stephen St Leger's PREY ALONE and Brian O'Malley's SCREWBACK selling to PBS in San Francisco and Universal Italy buying BORIS which is directed by Stephen Burke.
"This is what its all about - terrific films getting out there to audiences at home and abroad in productive partnerships of talent, public sector financing, distributors and sales agents," said BSE/IFB CEO Mark Woods. "Its a testament to the broad range of talent we have in this country and we are delighted that this new and emerging talent is being discovered all over the world".