The town with no cinema powers up for innovative ways to show films at the Corona Fastnet Short Film Festival in Schull
The Corona Fastnet Short Film Festival, launched last evening and now in its third year, will take place in Schull, West Cork from 26-29th May and, despite the fact that there is no cinema in the town, the organisers have come up with unique ways to show films all over the town. This looks to be an entertaining and intriguing weekend in Schull...
The Schull event brings together first time filmmakers, established directors including such notables as David Puttnam, producers and film buffs of all ages for the last weekend in May.
The festival explores alternatives with the innovative use of an intranet network and wifi hotspots running the length of the village. Filmmakers, tourists and locals will be able to access the submitted competition films locally, on their laptops, iPads and smart phones, simply by logging on. For four days at the end of May Schull village itself becomes a cinema. Films will also be shown on a darkened bus, in a horse box, an old movie house, the Parish Hall, and in many other strange and unusual locations throughout Schull.
Also at the Festival’s programme reveal at The Bodega, Cork, were actress Maria Doyle-Kennedy(Downton Abbey/The Tudors/The Commitments), former Film Censor John Kelleher,and Pedro Eliud Cisneros Cuervo, the Mexican Cultural Attaché who was accompanied by Michael & Kathleen Barry of title sponsors Corona Extra.
The event brings together first time filmmakers, established directors, producers and film lovers of all ages. Film makers have the opportunity to interact with industry professionals at workshops, panel discussions and screen talks, exploring the craft and business of filmmaking.
One of the more exciting interviews at this year's festival, will be Oscar winning producer David Puttnam and former President at 20th Century Fox Sandy Liebersonwho will be interviewed by ex Director-General of the BBCGreg Dyke.
Both Sandy and David have a long track record in the film industry, dating back to the 1960s. Lieberson acted as an agent forSergio Leone and Peter Sellers and formed Goodtimes with David Puttnam in 1970 and the pair went on to produce films such as Performance, Stardust and Jabberwocky. Sandy left the world of independent production to take the roles of Vice President of International Production and then President of Worldwide Production at 20th Century Fox, supervising productions such as Empire Strikes Back, Alien, Nosferatu, Kagamusha and Chariots of Fire. Recently he has moved into strategic positions in the UK’s film industry including devising the Producer’s course for the NFTS, organising the Berlin Talent Campus and becoming the chair of Film London.
David Puttnam’s successes as a producer include Bugsy Malone, Midnight Express,The Duelists,(Ridley Scott's feature film debut), Chariots of Fire, (which won the Academy Award for Best Picture), The Killing Fields, and The Mission. Through his work as chancellor of the Open University, he has developed the concept of educational access for all allied to internet access for all. David is also former Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Columbia Pictures.
Other participants include Mike Ahernand Enda Loughman, aka Team D.A.D.D.Y., Carmel Winters, award winning director of "Snap", Oscar nominated and IFTA winning filmmaker Juanita Wilson (The Door) and feature debut 'As if I'm not There'which scooped Best Film, Best Director, and best Script at this year’s Irish Film and Television Awards. We are also delighted to announce the inclusion in the programme of Juanita's husband James Flynn, who established Octagon Films in 2002 producing "Inside I’m Dancing", which won the Audience Award at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. James co-produced such films as Ondine, P.S. I Love You, Angela's Ashes and King Arthur, and was the Executive Producer of Brendan and the Secret of Kells, The Tudors and Raw.
There will be programmes of short films from IFB, BFI, IMCINE, the Mexican Cinematography Institute, and a selection of shorts from the Sapporo Film Festival in Japan.
‘This is all possible thanks to the support of our lead sponsor Corona (through distributors Barry and Fitzwilliam), Failte Ireland, West Cork Development Partnership, Benny & Cliona McCabe, Viv Nathan, Frank Daly, The Crespo Foundation, Cork County Council and huge private support from Friends of the Festival. A big thank you goes out to the village of Schull for their outstanding encouragement and enthusiasm’ said Maurice Seezer, Chairman of the Festival.
www.fastnetshortfilmfestival.com
Hilary McCarthy
PRO Corona Fastnet Short Film Festival
085 1588 309
Add comment