The Irish film industry has had a strong presence in Cannes particularly in recent years, with a number of films accepted for Official Competition and Directors’ Fortnight. Here, IFTN looks at what Irish films are going to the prestigious festival as well as whom from the Irish film industry will be going for 2014.
‘Jimmy’s Hall’ is the latest film from Ken Loach, winner of the coveted Palme d’Or in 2006 for ‘The Wind that Shakes the Barley’. ‘Jimmy’s Hall’ will be in Official Competition at Cannes, where the film will screen in its world premiere. The film is produced by Rebecca O’Brien, with production companies Element Pictures, Sixteen Films and Why Not Productions behind it, and stars Barry Ward, Simone Kirby, Andrew Scott and Jim Norton.
The film will screen at the following times and venue:
- 22nd May 08.30 – GRAND THÉÂTRE LUMIÈRE
- 22nd May 15.30 – GRAND THÉÂTRE LUMIÈRE
- 22nd May 18.30 – GRAND THÉÂTRE LUMIÈRE
John Boorman’s new film ‘Queen and Country’ has been selected for Director’s Fortnight. Boorman’s films ‘The General’ and ‘Excalibur’ previously competed at Cannes with the former film earning him the Best Director award. ‘Queen and Country’ will also be having its world premiere at Cannes. The feature is produced by Boorman and Kieran Corrigan through Merlin Films. It stars Callum Turner, Caleb Landry Jones, David Thewlis and Richard E. Grant.
‘Queen and Country’ will screen at the following times and venues:
- 20th May 09.00 – THÉÂTRE CROISETTE
- 20th May 17.00 – THÉÂTRE CROISETTE
- 21st May 17.45 – THÉÂTRE CROISETTE
- 21st May 22.30 – ARCADES 1
A number of new Irish titles will be screening and selling at Cannes. ‘Frank’, directed by Lenny Abrahamson (see an interview with the director here), will screen at noon on the 16th May at Olympia 6 (Marché). Biopic ‘Noble’ will also be screened, showing at 14.00 both at Olympia 3 (Marché) on the 18th May and at Olympia 6 (Marché) on the 20th May.
After winning at Brussels, horror ‘Let Us Prey’ will be shown at 15.30 both on the Star 3 (Marché) on 15th May and Star 4 (Marché) on 17th May. Rom com ‘Standby’ will be going to Cannes with a distribution deal already in hand. The film will screen at 17.30 at the Palaish (Marché) on the 14th of May and at 13.30 at Gray A (Marché) on the 18th of May.
Other Irish films going to Cannes include Mary McGuckian’s ‘The Price of Desire’, animated feature ‘Song of the Sea’, horror film ‘The Canal’, documentary ‘The Irish Pub’, ‘Brooklyn’ starring Saoirse Ronan and Domhnall Gleeson, Gerard Barrett’s ‘Glassland’, biopic ‘Jimi: All is By My Side’, recession comedy ‘Life’s a Breeze’ and Greek-Irish co-production ‘The Lobster’. Other Irish films going to Cannes include ‘After the Dance’, ‘A Thousand Times Goodnight’, ‘Brand New-U’, ‘The Cherry Tree’, ‘Dark by Noon’, ‘Get Up and Go’, ‘Gold’, ‘Last Hijack’, ‘The Legend of Longwood’, ‘Love Eternal’, ‘Mister John’, ‘Moscow Never Sleeps’, ‘Miss Julie’, ‘Oops Noah is Gone’, ‘Out of Here’, ‘Patrick’s Day’, ‘Rough Rider’, ‘Showrunners’, ‘Traders’, ‘Wild’, ‘Young Ones’ and ‘You’re Ugly Too.’
As they have done successfully every year, the Irish Film Board will once again host the Irish Pavilion, which is the focal point for the Irish film industry at the Cannes Film Festival. Opening hours and more details are available here. For the 2014 festival, the Irish Pavilion will be located in the International Village, stand 117. A number of the IFB staff will be present at Cannes and are available to contact at the Pavilion or be email (see more details here).
As well as the IFB, a great number of Irish producers, writers, directors and other industry delegates will be heading to Cannes this year. A full list of attendees is available here. Up-and-coming Irish film producer John Keville will represent Ireland at the Cannes Film Festival as part of European Film Promotion's ‘Producer on the Move’ scheme.
