Irish director Lenny Abrahamson’s much anticipated feature film ‘What Richard Did’ will receive its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival next month ahead of its Irish cinema release.
Shot on-location in Dublin and Wicklow, Abrahamson’s feature will be released in Ireland through Element Pictures Distribution on October 5 following its premiere at the September 6-12 Canadian festival.
The film follows “Richard Karlsen, a golden-boy athlete and undisputed alpha-male of his privileged set of South Dublin teenagers, through the summer between the end of school and the beginning of university. The world is bright and everything seems possible, until in one furious, reckless moment Richard does something that destroys it all and shatters the lives of the people closest to him.”
Written by screenwriter Malcolm Campbell (Skins), ‘What Richard Did’ is “very loosely based” on author Kevin Power’s 2008 novel ‘Bad Day In Blackrock’. It features young Irish actors Jack Reynor, Sam Keeley (The Other Side Of Sleep) and Roisin Murphy as well as Lorraine Pilkington (Human Traffic) and Lars Mikkelsen (The Killing).
Speaking on the selection of his film Abrahamson said that he’s “delighted to premiere ‘What Richard Did’ at Toronto. It's a great festival and an ideal launch for the film.”
Producer Ed Guiney added: “We are incredibly proud of Lenny Abrahamson’s new film What Richard Did’. I can’t think of a better way to launch it internationally than at the Toronto International Film Festival where it will have its world premiere ahead of its release in Ireland in October.”
The film was executive produced by Andrew Lowe for Element Pictures. David Grennan (Between The Canals) was the cinematographer while Nathan Nugent was the editor. Sound was handled by Paddy Hanlon, Niall Brady and Steve Fanagan with music from Stephen Rennicks. Stephanie Clerkin was the production designer, while the line producer was Breda Walsh (Val Falvey TD).
The film was supported by the Irish Film Board and Element Pictures.
