London Likes 'Sensation', 'Killing' & 'Pipe' | The Irish Film & Television Network

’Essential Killing’ will screen on October 26th and 27th as part of the festival’s ‘Film on the Square’ series where films receive Leicester square screenings. Directed by Jerzy Skolimowski (Moonlighting), ‘Essential Killing’ stars Vincent Gallo (Arizona Dream) and Emmanuelle Seigner (La Vie en Rose). The provocative thriller tells the story of an Afghan man, captured by American forces in Kabul, who finds himself transported to a nameless European country. He manages to escape into the vast frozen woodland, a world away from the desert home he knew. Forced into extreme survival mode, he must kill anyone who strays into his path.

The film’s script was written by Skolimowski and Ewa Piaskowska, and produced by Skopia Film in co-production with Element Pictures. An Irish/Polish/Norwegian/Hungarian co-production, the film was partly funded by the Irish Film Board and was shot in Israel, Poland and Norway with the sound post-production in Ireland Ardmore Sound. Element Picture’s Andrew Lowe (Five Minutes of Heaven) and Ed Guiney are both Executive Producers on the film with Adam Sikora (Angelus) as the director of photography.

‘Wide Open Spaces’ director Tom Hall will see his feature ‘Sensation’ screen as part of the Cinema Europa section of the festival. It will have showings on October 21st, 23rd and 24th. ‘Sensation’ is a darkly comic love story that starts out as a story of lust. It details the relationship between Donal, played by Domhnall Gleeson (Your Bad Self) and an aging Antipodean escort, Kim, played by Luanne Gordon (King Kong). They begin as client and call-girl, evolve into lovers and finally business partners. What starts as a soulless contract develops into a bittersweet love story.

The film is an Irish-Dutch co-production with finance from the Irish Film Board, the Rotterdam Film Fund, Screen Scene and Section 481. The DOP is Benito Strangio (Hoover Street Revival, Crush Proof) from Rotterdam. The designer is Tamara Conboy (Once) and the film was posted by Nathan Nugent in ScreenScene in Dublin and Editson in Rotterdam.

Finally Risteard O’Domhnaill’s ‘The Pipe’ will also screen as part of the Cinema Europa group. The feature doc will show on October 22nd, 23rd and 25th. The doc examines the protest that rose up amongst Irish farmers and fisherman against Shell Oil’s decision to build a high pressure pipe for the transportation of raw gas through the town of Rossport to an inland refinery. The film depicts clashes between protestors and the Gardaí and explores the story of the five local men known as the ‘Rossport Five' who served prison sentences for their respective roles in the protest.

The feature documentary recently had its world premiere at the Galway Film Fleadh after which it walked away with the event’s Best Documentary award. Produced by Rachel Lysaght (Identities) for Scannaín Inbhear, the project was co-financed by the IFB/BSÉ and TG4.

For a full list of screenings visit www.bfi.org.uk/lff/

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