Irish Feature Film Eden selected for Prestigious Tribeca Film Festival
EDEN, the latest film collaboration between director Declan Recks, producer David Collins and award winning playwright Eugene O'Brien has been selected to screen in competition at the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival, which takes place next month from April 23-May 4Selected from over 2,327 international submissions, the film will screen as part of the World Narrative Competition with 11 other films from established filmmakers, including This Is England writer-director Shane Meadows. Originally founded in 2002 by Jane Rosenthal and Robert De Niro, the festival has grown to become one of the biggest film festivals in North America, screening over 55 world premieres from 31 countries.
Following on from the huge success of the RTÉ television series Pure Mule, EDEN is the second collaboration between Recks and O'Brien. The film is based on the award wining play of the same name and is an unflinching meditation on married life in a claustrophobic, provincial town. EDEN premiered as the closing gala film at the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival last month and will screen on RTÉ One at 9.40pm on St Patrick's Day.
EDEN follows a week in the lives of Billy and Breda Farrell as they approach their 10th wedding anniversary. Breda is determined that the milestone will re-ignite the passion in their marriage. Billy has other ideas having developed an obsession with a pretty but unobtainable local girl Imelda Egan and convincing himself that the coming weekend will see them become lovers under the eyes of everyone. As the date draws closer Billy's behaviour becomes more and more chaotic, while Breda's frustrations find a more high-risk expression.
With multi-faceted and revealing performances from Aidan Kelly and Eileen Walsh, the film promises to take the viewer on a dark and exhilarating ride through the depths and despairs of modern-day Ireland.
Simon Perry, Chief Executive IFB said "EDEN marks a progressive collaboration between cinema and TV in the modern world. It allows the old rules of film distribution to be broken for the benefit of both."
"RTÉ is very pleased to have Eden as a television event for it's St. Patrick's Day schedule. This is an exciting time in Ireland for television production and it's particularly important to RTÉ that we attract talented Irish writers like Eugene O'Brien, whose work we first showcased in the series Pure Mule in autumn, 2005. On this occasion we appreciate the participation of the BCI and the Irish Film Board for jointly financing a project that would otherwise be inaccessible to RTÉ" said Jane Gogan, Commissioning Editor, Drama, RTE.
"The BCI are delighted that the Broadcasting Fund could give substantial funding to EDEN, a film which very much fills the fund's criteria of Irish experience and Irish culture. Eden is one of 8 Irish films to have received substantial funding from the scheme over the past two and a half years, and we look forward to continuing with our commitment towards Irish -made features in the future" said Diarmaid Breathnach Director, Broadcasting Funding Scheme.
EDEN was produced by Samson Films (ONCE) under an innovative financing collaboration between Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board (IFB) and RTE, with substantial financing from the BCI.