Louise Ni Fhiannachta’s ‘Rubai’ came out on top last week at the sixth annual Corona Fastnet Short Film Festival as it took home the Best Drama and Best of Festival award for 2014.
The festival, which took place from the 21 – 25 of May, was held in Schull, Co. Cork and hosted over 200 short films across 15 different venues. The five day event held various gala screenings, workshops, seminars, forums, clinics and round table discussions with some of Ireland’s top producers and directors including John Kelleher, Sandy Lieberson, Hilary Durman, ‘Philomena’s’ Steve Coogan, Stephen Frears, Gabrielle Tana, Tracey Seaward, and ‘Run and Jump’ writer Ailbhe Keoghan.
‘Rubai’ was written by Antoin Beag O'Colla and produced by Gemma O'Shaughnessy for Magamedia Teo. The 11min drama, starring Doireann Ní Fhoighil, Bridín Nic Dhonncha, Dara Devaney and Donncha Crowley, centres on eight-year-old Rúbaí who refuses to be part of her fast approaching First Holy Communion. She’s an atheist and proud of it, but faces emotional blackmail, religious and philosophical debate, and overt intolerance in today’s supposedly diverse and modern Ireland. ‘Rubai’ was edited by Ronnie Quinlan and executive produced by Paddy Hayes. Cathal Watters acted as cinematographer with Ray Harman composing. ‘Rubai’ was funded under the Irish Film Board’s Gearrscannáin short-film scheme and also had its New York premiere at Tribeca this year.
Other winners at the festival included Ian Fitzgibbon’s ‘Breakfast Wine’ (Best Irish Short Film & Best Direction); Niall Owens’ ‘Torn’ (Best In Cork); Jordon Prince-Wright’s ‘Not Their Boots’ (Best Junior Filmmaker); Carolyn Duchene’s ‘Wanda’ (Best Young Filmmaker); Laurence Relton’s ‘Reel Life’ (Best Comedy); Aoife Kelleher’s ‘Home’ (Best Documentary); Rita Basulto’s ‘Lluvia en los Ojos’ (Best Animation); Hannah Salt for ‘Bump’ (Best Screenplay); and Evan Payne's ‘The Skelligs’ (Best Conservation). Directed by Steve Woods, 'Keeping Time' won for Best in the Arthouse category, Best Original Music (Ray Harman) and Best Cinematography (Ronan Fox).
The Cork based festival also presented a director’s forum, which was chaired by John Kelleher and attended by Jim Sheridan, Stephen Frears, Pat Collins, Carmel Winters, Maurice O’Callaghan, Brian Deane and Jack Gold. Famous patrons of the festival over the last five years have included Lenny Abrahamson, Greg Dyke, Jim Sheridan, Kirsten Sheridan, Carmel Winters, David Puttnam, Jack Gold and Maurice Seezer.
For more information on the festival and a full look at this year’s winners, click here.
