‘Misty Button’, a dark comedy written & directed by Kerryman, Seanie Sugrue and produced by fellow Tralee man Bertie Brosnan will make its world premiere at the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival this St Patrick’s Day.
The feature follows two men who after being asked to place a ten thousand dollar bet on a racehorse, make the fatal mistake of pocketing the money. This in turn leads to a crisis for James and Eoin, the two Irish émigrés, when Misty Button comes in at 35-1. ‘Misty Button’ is a dark comedy about Irish immigrants living in the Bronx that proves just because it’s a long shot doesn't mean it couldn't happen.
The film was written and directed by Kerryman Seanie Sugrue and co-produced with another Tralee filmmaker Bertie Brosnan. The two leads are portrayed by Corkmen Cillian O’Sullivan (‘Maze’, ‘Vikings’) and Shaun Kennedy (‘Monster Inside Me’).
The film also stars a number of seasoned actors such as: Donald Paul ('Power', ‘Quantico’, ‘The Good Fight’), Bret Lada (‘The Good Wife’, ‘Alpha House’, ‘Z: The Beginning of Everything’), Marcia Haufreacht (‘Law & Order’, ‘Dog Day Afternoon’, ‘The Producers’), Gerald McNamee (‘The Get Down’, ‘The Following’, ‘White Collar’), John Keating (‘House of Cards’, ‘Boardwalk Empire’, Blindspot’), Kevin Breznahan (‘There Will Be Blood’, Winters Bone’, ‘Alive’, ‘Superbad’), Victoria Meade (HBO’s ‘Vinyl’), Patrick Scherrer (‘Love Is Dead’, ‘Spite’). The film also features theatre star Hannah Jane McMurray (‘Dirty Dancing National Tour’, ‘Peter Pan 360’).
Speaking about the making of Misty Button, writer/director Seanie Sugrue told IFTN:
"When I first moved to New York City, like many other Irish people I was living in Woodlawn, an Irish stronghold in the Bronx. A lot of the script was inspired by the time I spent living there. Being back up there thirteen years later shooting Misty Button was bizarre, nostalgic and utterly fulfilling. We shot all 124 pages of the script in nine chaotic days. An ambitious goal that could only have come to fruition because of the incredible team we put together."
Speaking about the film’s festival selection, producer Bertie Brosnan told IFTN:
“We shot the film in one of the biggest Irish American neighbourhoods in the US, so, all in all, it seems very fitting to be screening on St Patrick’s Day.”
‘Misty Button’ will debut at the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival on March 17th in California.