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Michael Inside Opens in Irish Cinemas and Debuts to Unanimous Critical Acclaim

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Michael Inside Opens in Irish Cinemas and Debuts to Unanimous Critical Acclaim

Posted: 6th April 2018

Frank Berry’s Michael Inside, which is now released in Irish cinemas, has received widespread critical acclaim, with a series of five star reviews heralding Berry “as one of our most accomplished filmmakers.”

The IFTA- award-winning film — which stars Dafhyd Flynn, Moe Dunford and Lalor Roddy — tells the story of Michael McCrea; an impressionable eighteen-year-old living with his grandfather Francis in a Dublin housing estate, who gets caught holding a bag of drugs for his friend’s older brother and is sentenced to three months in prison.

In one of many five star reviews, RTÉ notes that the title “deserves a place among great Irish films”, while entertainment.ie says “it’s the kind of film that will stay with you for days” and praises Berry for approaching his subject matter with “care, diligence and artistic acuity.” The publication ultimately lauds the film as “stripped-back, raw masterpiece.”

The Irish Independent calls Michael Inside “moving [and] emotionally gripping”, while The Irish Times heralds it as “an Irish prison drama par excellence.” The Irish Times also pays particular homage to Dafhyd Flynn’s “astonishing” lead performance, attesting that “directors will find ways of using Flynn for decades to come.” In a second five-star review from The Irish Independent, Flynn's performance is hailed as "breathtaking", with the title cited as an example of "stellar Irish filmmaking."

Since its world premiere at the Galway Film Fleadh last summer where it won Best Irish Film and the Bingham Ray New Talent Award (Dafhyd Flynn), Michael Inside has picked up the Audience Award at the Cork International Film Festival in November as well as the IFTA for Best Film at the 2018 ceremony. Followings its debut screening at the Fleadh, Screen Daily praised the title for its “integrity and heart” and Flynn went on to be featured was announced as One to Watch for 2018 by The Irish Times.

Researched and workshopped with former prisoners from the Irish Prison Service’s Pathways Programme, the story of Michael Inside is an expression of many real-­life experiences. The film takes a realistic look at the circumstances that lead to Michael’s conviction, his time in prison, and how prison has affected his thinking and his behaviour when he gets out.

Produced by Donna Eperon, Tristan Orpen Lynch and Aoife O’Sullivan for Subotica and Write Direction Films, Michael Inside was funded by Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board.

Michael Inside is now in Irish cinemas, released by Wildcard Distribution.