The launch of the Film Mayo website, dedicated to the development of film and television in County Mayo, took place on on Monday 1st of December in Knockranny House Hotel.
The launch kicked off with the inaugural Film Mayo Network meeting in La Fougére Restaurant in Knockranny where filmmakers had the opportunity to meet with each other.
Following this was a Q&A/ Interview with a distinguished line-up of filmmakers including:
- Director Pat O’Connor
- Writer/Director/Producer Mike Cockayne
- Producer Tim Palmer
- Scriptwriter/Director Antony Foutz
Director Pat O’Connor was the guest of honour for the Film Mayo launch. He has directed films such as ‘Cal’, ‘Dancing at Lughnasa’ and ‘Stars and Bars’. His first film however was ‘Ballroom of Romance’ which starred Brenda Fricker and was shot in Ballycroy, Co. Mayo.
Mike Cockayne recently co-wrote, produced and directed ‘The Hardy Bucks Movie’ for Universal Pictures with the backing of the Irish Film Board. The film was number one at the Irish box office on its opening weekend and was the most successful Irish film of 2013. The film was based on the popular RTÉ ‘Hardy Bucks’ TV series, which itself was developed from a successful web series. Mike is originally from England but now resides in Mayo.
Producer Tim Palmer’s feature credits include ‘Into the West’, written by Jim Sheridan, directed by Mike Newell and starring Gabriel Byrne and Ellen Barkin, ‘The Last of the High Kings’ with Jared Leto, Gabriel Byrne, Stephen Rea, Colm Meaney and Christina Ricci and ‘A Love Divided’ with Orla Brady and Liam Cunningham. In 2013 Tim produced Terry Mc Mahon’s award winning ‘Patrick’s Day’.
Anthony Foutz is the son of a Walt Disney company executive and began working in the film industry working as an assistant director in Italy to such luminaries as Orson Welles, Gillo Pontecorvo and Marco Ferreri. Other works in his archive include ‘Maxagasm’, a film vehicle for the Rolling Stones, co-written by Sam Shepard. Foutz currently resides in Mayo.
The panel discussion was chaired by Access Cinema’s Director, Maeve Cooke with photographer Liam Lyon’s images of Mayo projected in the background as the panel took place.
The website was officially launched by Cathaoirleach Damien Ryan. Speeches were delivered by Chief Executive of Mayo County Council, Peter Hynes, Arts Officer Anne Mc Carthy, Assistant Arts Officer, Orlagh Heverin, and Community Development Officer Neil Sheridan launched Cinew EU Creative Industries Project Creative Industries Funding Scheme, which aims to support attendance at international film festivals and training events. During the launch, images of the county of Mayo were supplied by Angela Campbell, Heverin Photography, Liam Lyons and Photography by Jessica and were displayed on the large TV screens in Knockranny House Hotel. The images were interspersed with testimonials from filmmakers who shot in Mayo.
For more information on Film Mayo, go to their new website: www.filmmayo.ie.
Check out IFTN’s interview with guest of honour Pat O’ Connor here.
