Irish films selected for prestitigious Toronto International Film Festival
Two Irish films, A FILM WITH ME IN IT and KISSES have been selected for the Toronto International Film Festival, one of the most distinguished international film festivals in the world, which takes place from 4th - 13th September 2008.A FILM WITH ME IN IT directed by Ian FitzGibbon (Spin the Bottle) is the latest offering from Parallel Films, the company behind a host of successful Irish films including Intermission, Breakfast on Pluto and The Escapist.
Mark is having a bad day. A struggling actor, he's just been through the ordeal of yet another fruitless audition for a bit part in a movie. With his long-suffering girlfriend about to walk out and his landlord ready to evict him he's only got his best mate Pierce (Dylan Moran) and their joint ambition of writing a career-breaking film to sustain him. Life¹s not easy, but things are about to get worse - much worse.
Produced by Alan Moloney of Parallel Films, with finance from Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board, the film is scripted by Mark Doherty who stars in the film along with Amy Huberman.
'I love doing comedy and it was a great opportunity for me to work with Dylan, Ian and Mark' said Amy. Director Ian FitzGibbon also commented "Being at the Toronto Film Festival is a great thrill and honour."
A FILM WITH ME IN IT will feature as part of the Contemporary World Cinema (CWC) section which aims to feature the best of current international filmmaking. The film was chosen from over 4,000 submissions.
Meanwhile KISSES directed by Lance Daly (The Halo Effect, Last Days in Dublin) will receive it's North American premiere at the festival.
KISSES picked up the coveted Best Irish Film award at the Galway Film Fleadh where it received its Irish premiere last month. This prize has previously been awarded to Irish films Adam and Paul, Pavee Lackeen and Intermission.
KISSES stars newcomers 12 year old Kelly O'Neill and Shane Curry as Kylie and Dylan, two young kids who decide to run away from their dysfunctional homes and spend a night on the streets of Dublin's inner city.
The film has also already received international recognition when it screened at the Locarno Film Festival in Switzerland earlier this month with the Hollywood Reporter saying that the film "will flourish on the festival circuit and could go wider thanks to the gritty and irrestible charm of the youngsters, a lot of Bob Dylan on the soundtrack and Daly's gift for insightful storytelling."
Produced by Macdara Kelleher with Fastnet Films (The Halo Effect, Tonight is Cancelled), the film was funded from Bord Scannan na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board (IFB), Film I Vast, the BCI , TV3, and Zentropa. Element Distribution have also come on board the project and are set to release KISSES in Irish cinemas later this year.
KISSES director Lance Daly said "We are very excited to be chosen for Toronto. It's a great opportunity for the film to be invited to such an important event. It will also be a great experience for our two young stars to see where their hard work can lead them; that is if they get the time off school to attend..."
The Toronto International Film Festival is an important festival for breaking into the North American market and receives over 4000 submissions annually. Previous Irish films selected to screen at the festival include Garage (Lenny Abramson), Breakfast on Pluto (Neil Jordan), Kings (Tom Collins) and Pavee Lackeen (Perry Ogden).