The crowd-funding campaign for ‘My Name Is Emily’, award-winning director Simon Fitzmaurice’s latest feature, is undergoing a final push before the December 7th deadline.
With a response that the organizers have dubbed as “nothing less than extraordinary”, the campaign has so far seen the Irish media and public rally behind it to raise €90,000 of the €200,000 goal to date, between online and private donations.
Mr. Fitzmaurice, a Wicklow resident and father of five, was diagnosed with motor-neuron disease in 2008 while screening his multiple award-winning ‘The Sound of People’ at Sundance in 2008. Initially manifesting as a pain in his foot, his condition has progressed to the point that he now lives on a ventilator, completing the script for ‘My Name Is Emily’ by essentially typing with his eyes using iris-recognition technology.
The director’s drive to helm his first feature film has seen him work with producers Kennedy Films and Newgrange Pictures to produce a production plan that, with the projected funding goal of €200,000, will facilitate the filmmaker in realizing his vision.
To date the project has received vocal support from a number of Irish artists such as Colin Farrell, Jim Sheridan and Lenny Abrahamson, as well as international figures such as Sam Neill and Alan Rickman. Simon’s story has attracted support from overseas, breaking in Variety Magazine last week.
With a little over two days to the funding deadline, producers on the project urge supporters to add to the already incredible response and help one of the most promising directors Ireland has to offer make his vision for ‘My Name Is Emily’ a reality.
To view the crowd-funding campaign, visit Indiegogo.com . For further information, contact Kathryn Kennedy of Kennedy Films on kathryn@kennedyfilms.net or Lesley McKimm of Newgrange on lesley@newgrangepictures.com
