The second annual John Ford Ireland Film Symposium proved a resounding success this weekend, with leading Irish and international industry participating in four days of Discussion and insight into filmmaking today while reflecting on the legacy of one of Hollywood’s most influential film Directors, John Ford.
Highlights included a three hour masterclass with cinematographer Sean Bobbitt at the Light House cinema (in conjunction with Screen Training Ireland), in which he analysed his working relationship with director Steve McQueen on such films as ‘Hunger’, ‘Shame’ and the forthcoming ‘Twelve Years A Slave’, and Sunday's ‘Ford & Actors’ panel where leading Irish actors such as Game of Throne’s Liam Cunningham, Stephen Rea, Martin McCann, Charlie Murphy and Karl Shiels discussed the actor-director collaboration. The Actors session was chaired by director Neasa Hardiman.
The Symposium welcomed leading French director Bertrand Tavernier who actively participated in many of the Symposium events over the four days, and was himself the focus of a public interview which was facilitated by Tara Brady of The Irish Times who insightfully discussed key elements of the French Master’s life’s work and career for the attending audience, referencing the French new wave movement, Cahiers du Cinema along with his love and admiration for John Ford and his influence from the outset.
The weekend's industry hub (in association with the Irish Film Board) included a Producers' Panel chaired by producer Andrew Lowe of Element Pictures, who was joined by the former Head of UK Film Council John Woodward, NI producer Andrew Eaton (Rush, 24 Hour Party People, The Claim), the former head of the UK Film Council Film Fund Tanya Seghatchian and Irish producer Katie Holly (Citadel, One Hundred Mornings).
There was also a Director’s session featuring top filmmakers such as Jim Sheridan, French auteur Bertrand Tavernier, John Crowley and Julian Jarrold who each reflected on aspects of Ford’s Directing that are masterful examples of what can be achieved and are a source of visual direction and influence for young contemporary filmmakers; the Panel noted that Ford's storytelling that can "appear simplistic but is powerful in its intelligent craftsmanship".
Miriam O’Callaghan’s interview on Friday evening in the Savoy Cinema with John Wayne’s son Patrick and daughter Marisa Wayne proved to be a most popular event with film fans with the queue stretched down O’Connell street in the sunshine. The interview was an enlightening and nostalgic discussion about their father’s and Patrick’s experiences in collaborating with John Ford. This preceded a screening of ‘The Searchers’ re-mastered, in which Patrick himself appeared as a young Yankee cadet - eliciting cheers and rounds of applause from the audience.
Ford fans and film buffs enjoyed c. twenty events over the four-day event including a full-capacity Outdoor screening of the classic ‘The Quiet Man’ in Temple Bar’s Meeting House Square, academic lectures with leading world authorities on Ford including Joseph McBride and Pulitzer Prize-winner Glenn Frankel. The Symposium also added a new dimension to its programme this year with the Ford Film School scholarship programme which saw young filmmakers from various parts of the world participate and learn from the great master director.
For a more in-depth look at this year's events, visit the John Ford Ireland Symposium website at: johnfordireland.org
