THREE IRISH FEATURE FILMS SELECTED FOR A-LIST TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
In what is an impressive coup for the Irish film industry, three Irish feature films have been selected to screen at the prestigious Toronto International Film Festival, which runs from 8th - 17th September.Neil Jordan’s BREAKFAST ON PLUTO, Billy O’Brien’s ISOLATION and Perry Odgen’s PAVEE LACKEEN will all receive their North American premiere at this prestigious festival, which is universally considered to be one of the top film festivals in North America and an ideal platform to premiere films to the North American market. The festival gains major international attention from media, distributors, producers, and buyers and according to Variety Magazine is “second only to Cannes in terms of high-profile pics, stars and market activity."
BREAKFAST ON PLUTO, starring Cillian Murphy, Stephen Rea and Brendan Gleeson, will feature as part of the MASTERS programme which exhibits new works by the world's most established and renowned filmmakers. Since 1996, the Festival has premiered films from such cinematic icons as Pedro Almodóvar, Ken Loach, David Lynch and Jean-Luc Godard. This year BREAKFAST ON PLUTO will screen alongside Steven Soderbergh’s film BUBBLE and Lars von Trier’s MANDERLAY. BREAKFAST ON PLUTO was produced by Alan Moloney in Parallel Films with funding from Bord Scannán na hÉireann /the Irish Film Board (BSÉ/IFB), Pathé, NIFTC, and BOI.
ISOLATION, Billy O'Brien's new thriller staring John Lynch, will feature as part of the MIDNIGHT MADNESS programme. This popular, iconoclastic midnight programme presents a diverse line-up of films focusing on thrillers, chillers and rockumentaries from directors who prefer to work in genres not usually seen in a festival context. This programme has previously highlighted the early work of Peter Jackson and Italian horror master Dario Argento. ISOLATION was co-produced by the UK's The Bureau and Blue Orange Films, and Ireland's Element Films and co-funded by BSÉ/IFB, Film Four, Lions Gate, Redbus Film Distribution and TV3.
Perry Odgen’s debut feature PAVEE LACKEEN has been selected as part of the DISCOVERY programme, which showcases emerging and innovative filmmakers. Irish films have an excellent track record in this section with OMAGH and THE MAGDALENE SISTERS picking up the Discovery Award in previous years.
“To have three Irish feature films selected for Toronto is a huge achievement for the Irish film industry. It demonstrates both the high quality of talent working in the industry and the growing international audience for Irish film.” said James Morris, BSÉ/IFB Chairman. “We’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate all involved.”