Congratulations to Irish filmmakers selected for London Film Festival - 6 IFB funded films in programme for 60th edition
The programme was announced this morning for the 60th edition of the BFI London Film Festival with six IFB funded titles in the lineup. The programme includes Jim Sheridan's The Secret Scripture, Billy O'Brien's I Am Not A Serial Killer, Lorcan Finnegan's Without Name, Darrren Thornton's A Date for Made Mary, Peter Foott's The Young Offenders and Liam Gavin's A Dark Song. Without Name and The Secret Scripture will both receive their world premiere at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival later this month.
Produced by Ferndale Films, The Secret Scripture stars Rooney Mara (Carol), Vanessa Redgrave (Mission Impossible), Jack Reynor (Transformers: Age of Extinction) and Aidan Turner (The Hobbit). The film tells the story of Lady Rose, an elderly woman who reveals her story of extraordinary love and great injustice - the story of a remarkable young woman of courage whose only crime was to fall in love.
Produced by Nick Ryan (The Summit) of Floodland Pictures I Am Not A Serial Killer was shot by Robbie Ryan (Slow West, Jimmys Hall) and tells the story of John Wayne Cleaver, a 16 year old boy obsessed with serial killers but who really doesn't want to become one.
Without Name stars Alan McKenna and up-and-coming Irish actress Niamh Algar. Produced as part of the IFB talent development initiative Catalyst Project, the film is written by Garret Shanley and produced by Brunella Cocchiglia. It follows a land surveyor who loses his reason in a supernatural environment that defies all boundaries.
A Date for Mad Mary is Darren Thornton's directorial debut, produced by Juliette Bonass for Element Pictures. It features a breakout performance from Seána Kerslake and also stars Tara Lee and Charleigh Bailey. A Date for Mad Mary is a tough and tender story about friendship, first love, and letting go of the glory days. It is in competition for 'First Feature'.
The Young Offenders is directed by first-time feature writer/director Peter Foott and introduces new talents Alex Murphy and Chris Walley. Well known stand-up comedian PJ Gallagher (Naked Camera) and Hilary Rose (Republic of Telly) also star in the comedy. Inspired by Ireland's biggest cocaine seizure of €440 million off the coast of Cork in 2007, it follows two Cork inner-city teenagers, Conor and Jock, as they embark on a 160km road trip on stolen bikes in the hopes of finding an unrecovered bale of coke.
A Dark Song was produced by David Collins, Cormac Fox and Tim Dennison. It is a unique horror which sees a determined young woman and a damaged occultist risk their lives and souls to perform a dangerous ritual that will grant them what they want.
A Date for Mad Mary is out tomorrow in Irish cinemas. The 60th BFI London Film Festival will take place 5-16 October 2016. The full programme is available online here.