STRONG IRISH PRESENCE AT THE 2006 CANNES FILM FESTIVAL
With Irish Civil War story The Wind that Shakes the Barley directed by Ken Loach in Official Competition and thirteen Irish films selling in the Cannes Market, the Irish film industry is very well represented at the 2006 Cannes Film Festival (May 17th - 28th).Irish actors Cillian Murphy (Batman Begins, Red Eye) and Liam Cunningham (Breakfast On Pluto, A Love Divided, Showbands), and rising stars Padraic Delaney (Pure Mule, The Clinic) and Orla Fitzgerald (Love is the Drug, The Last Furlong) will walk down the red carpet with director Ken Loach next Thursday 18th May, at the World Premiere of The Wind That Shakes The Barley in Cannes.
Ireland’s leading film producers will also be traveling to the Cannes Film Market, which is the largest and most important film market in the world, to source finance for their upcoming feature films. The market provides an opportunity for Irish producers to meet with international film financiers, sales agents and film distributors. The Irish Pavilion in Cannes is the central point for the Irish presence at the festival, promoting Irish film and Ireland as a film location. It also provides an opportunity to endorse Irish production services and competitive tax incentives, whilst acting as a high profile, well-resourced base for the Irish film industry and its guests attending the Cannes Film Market and Festival. The Irish Pavilion is a joint marketing initiative between Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board and The Northern Ireland Film & Television Commission.
This year there are thirteen Irish films selling in the Cannes Film Market including Marion Comer’s film 48 Angels produced by Ireland’s 2006 Producer on the Move John McDonnell. Comer's previous feature includes the award winning Boxed. Paul Mercier’s Studs starring Brendan Gleeson, The Wind That Shakes The Barley, Mark Hammond’s Johnny Was and Patrick Kenny’s Winter’s End are also screening in the market. Irish film currently in production including John Boorman’s The Tiger’s Tail, Paddy Breathnach’s latest film Shrooms and The Front Line directed by David Gleeson will also also be on offer to buyers at the market.
Irish producer Julie Le Brocquy’s film My Beautiful Rambutan Tree has been selected for the Directors’ Fortnight section and has print support funding from the Irish Film Board. UK film Red Road, produced by Irish producer Carrie Comerford (Mystics, Accelerator), has been selected for Official Competition at the festival.
Julian Hill’s short film Death’s Mailing which picked up the prize for Best Short Film in Rome and Cyprus is also screening in the Short Film Corner.
The Wind That Shakes The Barley was produced by Sixteen Films in the UK and Element Films in Ireland and co-financed by the Irish Film Board. It will be released by Pathe in cinemas nationwide in Ireland on June 23rd.
Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism John O’Donoghue will launch the Irish Pavilion on Sunday 21st May.