Success for Irish Shorts at International Film Festivals
The Short Cut short film Frankie has won the UIP Prix Award for Best Short Film at the Berlinale Film Festival this week.Frankie, directed by Darren Thornton follows a day in the life of Frankie, a 15 year old boy who is preparing for fatherhood. Produced by Collette Farrell and Calipo Picture Company, it has already picked up Best First Irish Short at the Galway Film Fleadh and Best Irish Short Film at the Corona Cork Film Festival last year.
New Boy, another Short Cut film directed by Steph Green and produced by Tamara Anghie was officially selected for the Generation Mix of the Berlinale Film Festival.
There was also success for the IFB funded short film The Wednesday's, directed by Conor Ferguson which scooped the Audience Award at the Clermont Ferrand Film Festival last week. Co-written by Ferguson and Luke Clancy and produced by Anne-Marie Naughton the film tells the tale of two pensioners who discover a way to feel young again and re-discover the love they almost had forgotten about.
The Wednesday's has been nominated for an IFTA award and has also been selected for the upcoming Rotterdam Film Festival.
Other IFB shorts which have been officially selected at upcoming festivals include the animations The Red Ball (a Short Short film) and Charred & Feathered (a Framework film).
The Red Ball, directed by Alan Holly which is screening next week as part of the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival will screen at the Kids Fleadh, 10th Annual Craic Festival in New York in March and also the 8th Jameson Belfast Film Festival in April. Charred & Feathered, directed by Rory Byrne will also screen at Belfast as well as screen at Cartoons on the Bay, International Showcase in Italy in April.
Short Cut films are co-financed by the IFB and RTE. Framework films are co-financed by the IFB, RTE and the Arts Council.