IRISH FILMS RECEIVE INTERNATIONAL PLAUDITS ON FESTIVAL CIRCUIT
Irish movie ISOLATION directed by Billy O’Brien has won two major awards at Fantastic Fest, a US film festival specialising in horror films. The film scooped the top honours at the festival taking the prize for Best Picture and Best Director.Isolation stars Ruth Negga (Breakfast On Pluto) and John Lynch (Lassie) and is currently playing in Irish cinemas. ISOLATION previously scooped the Grand Prize and the International Critics Prize at the Gerardmer Fantasy Film Festival in France earlier this year.
SMALL ENGINE REPAIR, directed by Niall Heery, has been selected to screen at the prestigious BFI 50th London Film Festival which takes place from 18th Oct - 2nd November. The film stars Iain Glen (Song for a Raggy Boy), Stephen Mackintosh (Underworld: Evolution) and Tom Murphy (Adam & Paul) in the lead roles and is a comedy drama about a man who strives to achieve his dream of becoming a country and western hero in his small town.
SMALL ENGINE REPAIR won the prize for Best First Film at the Galway Film Fleadh earlier this year and has also been selected to screen in competition at the British Film Festival of Dinard which takes place this week. MIDDLETOWN, directed by Brian Kirk and starring Matthew MacFadyen will also screen in Dinard.
Award winning Irish Shorts CHANGES directed by Lorcan Finnegan and STARS directed by Eoghan Kidney have also been selected to screen at the London Film Festival.
Produced by Subotica Films SMALL ENGINE REPAIR was financed by Bord Scannán na hÉireann/ the Irish Film Board, the NIFTC, Swipe Film, RTE and Xtravision, with International rights being sold by Moviehouse Entertainment. ISOLATION was produced by Element Films and the Bureau with finance from Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board, Lions Gate, Film Four, Redbus Film Distribution and TV3.
MIDDLETOWN will premiere at the Cork Film Festival next week and will be released in Irish cinemas next month.