Irish filmmakers have been making waves internationally again this month, with screenings at Sundance, screenwriter awards and post production updates. Here’s a roundup of the latest Irish short film and festival news.
Irish short animation ‘Irish Folk Furniture’ has been selected to screen at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival.
The short documentary, which focuses on the heritage of Irish farmhouse furniture, was directed by Tony Donoghue and produced by Cathal Black as part of the IFB Frameworks scheme.
Sundance will take place in Utah on January 17-27 2013.
Four short films which were commissioned by Concern Worldwide have been completed in time to be distributed across school in Ireland for training purposes.
Producer Paul Tully of Fuel TV and director Simon Daniels worked on all four dramas, which aim to create awareness around HIV/AIDS for school kids.
The films will be rolled out to all participating schools as part of an educational resource pack aimed at TY students. Shot across five days around Dublin, the films use the unconventional method of dramatising works of poetry, by Stephen James Smith, combining live action, animation and VFX.
Colm O Foughlú provided the art direction and VFX was carried out by Design for Life. Music for the four pieces were donated by musicians Delorentos, David Geraghty (BellX1) and Raghu Dixit.
Irish screenwriters Patrick Ryan and Brian MacEvilly were recognised at the Screenwriting Goldmine International Competition last week.
Ryan won second place with his feature script Darkness on the Edge of Town’, a drama with western overtones set in contemporary rural Ireland, which tells the story of a teenage sharpshooter who decides to avenge the death of her estranged sister after she's found murdered.
The film recently received development funding and an Originality of Vision Award at ENGAGE 2012. Ryan plans to direct the feature himself next summer.
MacEvilly’s script, ‘Song of the Lost Sister’, came runner up at the Screenwriting awards, having previously scooped to prize at the Moondance Film Festival in October.
‘Song of the Lost Sister’ concerns a maverick feminist entrepreneur who becomes trapped in a remote village, and finds she has only one way out – across a dangerous mountain pass – and only one man who can guide her. Unfortunately he's her worst nightmare: an untamed masculist straight out of the old West.
The Screenwriting Goldmine finals were judged by a panel which included members of the BBC Writers Room, Drama Development at Channel 4 and ITV and executives from Octagon Films.
Irish short film ‘True-D’ won the Best Irish Short award at the Dublin International Short Film and Music Festival last month.
The film follows John Walker, a man who one day decides to end his loneliness. His journey however makes him rethink some of his decisions after he learns some of life’s lessons, from the most unlikely of teachers.
Noel Brady wrote, directed and produced ‘True-D’. Michael bates starred alongside Sinead O’Riordan and Conor Marren, with Fergal Cleary, Hilary Cotter, mark Schrier, Steve Kendall and Kevin fisher all featuring.
Carmen Reig Llabata was the AD, Daniel Sorin Balteanu the DoP, while Elder Roche provided original music with Edwina Kelly the makeup.
