Mark Mahon’s feature debut, ‘Strength and Honour’, has won Best Picture and Best Actor at the Boston Film Festival, which took place from the 14th-21st September. Michael Madsen picked up the Best Actor award for his role as widowed father Sean Kelleher in the movie.
This is the first time in the history of the Festival that the Best Picture and Best Actor awards have gone to the same film.
“This is a great honour,” said Mahon, who hails from Co.Cork. “To win top awards at such a prestigious festival is surreal - competition was fierce this year with a large number of high profile titles competing. We’re absolutely ecstatic that Michael Madsen won for his superb lead performance and look forward to the theatrical release of ‘Strength and Honour’.”
Shot on location in Cork over seven weeks in the autumn of 2006, ‘Strength and Honour’ tells the story of Irish-American boxer Sean Kelleher (Michael Madsen), who accidentally kills his friend in the ring and promises his wife on her death bed that he will never box again. However, years later, when he discovers that his only son is dying of the same hereditary heart disorder which has taken his wife, he is forced to break his promise to raise the substantial funds needed for surgery that could save his son’s life.
‘Strength and Honour’ features a stellar cast including Michael Madsen (Reservoir Dogs, Kill Bill: Vol 1/2); Vinnie Jones (Snatch, X-Men: The Last Stand); Patrick Bergin (Sleeping with the Enemy, Patriot Games) and Richard Chamberlain (The Thorn Birds, Shogun). The film is written, directed and produced by Mark Mahon and executive produced by Olann Kelleher,
‘Strength and Honour’ will be released in cinemas across Ireland on 30th November by Eclipse Pictures, rated 15A. For further information, please log on to www.strengthandhonourthemovie.com.
