In the time honoured tradition of the Fleadh, Galway will play host to myriad prestigious Irish and International actors throughout the week including David Kelly, star of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and the legendary John Hurt. Patrick Bergin star of Sleeping with the Enemy will be in town for the screening of Johnny Was on Thursday night and cult director Nic Roeg and award winning screenwriter Robert Towne will host Masterclasses during the week in their respective fields.

Tonight's screening is the beginning of an exciting 6 day event and this year's programme has the added attraction of outdoor screenings in Eyre Square. Misery will be screened on Friday night while The Quiet Man and They'll Never Show That will be screened on Saturday afternoon and evening respectively.

The Fleadh will draw to a close on Sunday night. July 16th with a special preview presentation of David Gleeson's The Front Line. Full details of this year's programme can be found on www.galwayfilmfleadh.com. Some tickets are still available at the Town Hall Theatre on 091569777.

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It’s also the first major film to pair superstars Aamir Khan and Kajol, who convey lucidly the internal conflict that wages in a man and a woman torn between love and politics. Fanaa pulls a few surprises with its perspectives on issues such as nationalism and terrorism. Khan and Kajol turn in excellent performances, and director Kunal Kohli proves himself adept at handling a tricky script and the enormous scale of the production.

Fanaa will be screening on Saturday, 8th July at 12.00 and Sunday, 9th July at 11.30. For further details check www.irishfilm.ie

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REELMAGIC is aimed at younger filmmakers (10 - 13 yrs) and it is a fun, active course with the emphasis on developing practical filmmaking skills. Participants are encouraged to take different roles behind and in front of the camera. There will be a rough-cut screening of their film on the last day when participants will also be presented with certificates of achievement. Mon 17 - Fri 21 July, 10.30 am - 4pm (lunch 1 - 2 pm). Booking through IFI Education: (01) 679 5744 Fax: (01) 677 8755
Email: education@irishfilm.ie

Screenagers is designed specifically for young people aged 14 - 16 yrs +, and it is a practical, fun, challenging course with an emphasis on developing story and character. Participants will devise, prepare and shoot their own short film with guidance from an experienced mentor. After the course the film will be edited and there will be a later showcase screening at Filmbase and DVD copies for all participants. Mon 24 - Fri 28 July , 10.30 am - 4.30pm (lunch 1 - 2 pm)
& Mon 31 July - Fri 4 Aug, 10.30 am - 4.30pm (lunch 1 - 2 pm). Booking through Filmbase: (01) 679 6716 Fax: (01) 679 6717 Email: info@filmbase.i

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Selected by a distinguished panel of judges, the three winners will receive flight and accommodation to attend the festival as well special prizes awarded by festival partners and sponsors.

For further details go to www.irishfilmfestival.com

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Margie is back in Dublin as part of her 2006 European Tour to give a seminar in her own fun and entertaining style, targetted for actors, teachers or anyone interested in the entertainment business. Using her patented ‘Phrase Technique’, Margie teaches actors how to relax in auditions, to break down scenes effectively, and to bring their own unique personality to any script.

In 2005, Margie taught a three-day intensive workshop in Dublin to 14 Irish actors and they loved it so much that this past April ‘06, they came to Los Angeles to further their studies at Margie Haber Studios in West Hollywood. In addition to the excellent teaching they received at the studios, they also worked with well-respected theatrical agents, managers, dialect coaches as well as one of the top casting directors in Los Angeles.

Check out www.margiehaberireland.com for further details. To book: email info@margiehaberireland.com or phone 087 252 0735

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'Cuba - A Naïve Portrait', presented by Waterford's Dyehouse Gallery, features exiting new work by Waterford-based artist Pat Murphy who spent three months last year working in Cuba. Fascinated by the socialist country during the Cuban Missile Crisis, Murphy's interest in Cuba was reignited by the illegal blockade of medical supplies to Cuba by the US and the controversial occupation of Guantánamo Bay by the US Military.

The impact of Murphy's large-scale works, (4 x 10-metre storyboards on paper) is heightened by video vignettes from the documentary film Cuban Portrait : Travels with the artist Pat Murphy shot and directed by Bonnie Dempsey who traveled with the artist during his Cuban road trip. Presented on four large video screens adjacent to Murphy's work, this audio-visual assault offers a voyeuristic insight into the creation of Murphy's large Cuban storyboards.

Guests at the official opening of 'Cuba: A Naïve Portrait' will include Noel Carrillo, Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba; writer Bruce Arnold. Music outside by Manu and his Latino House.

'Cuba - A Naïve Portrait' opens at CHQ, IFSC, Dublin1, Thursday 15th June ( 6 - 8pm) until June 30 (Gallery hours: Mon - Sat 12-6pm). Further information is available at www.dyehouse-gallery.com

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The film had its World Premiere at The Delray Beach Film Festival in Florida on March 10th and will have its Canadian premiere at RHIFF in Toronto a few days prior to the Dublin debut. Nominated for a 2006 Irish Digital Media Award, the film is a mockumentary about six puppets in a financially impoverished Tokyo children's puppet theatre who, locals believe, came to life and robbed a nearby bank to avoid being put out of business.

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The ZEBRA Poetry Film Award has established itself as the largest forum for international poetry film, and offers filmmakers from all over the world the chance to exchange ideas and fix positions. The ZEBRA Poetry Film Award offers a platform for a dynamic short film genre, which has developed into an independent art form located between literature, film and new media.

The ZEBRA Poetry Film Award is a project of the Literaturwerkstatt Berlin together with interfilm berlin and will be taking place with the kind assistance of the Kulturstiftung des Bundes and the Goethe Institute.

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Animation Masterclass at Darklight 2006 – 9 June 2006

The Darklight Festival and FAS Screen Training Ireland present a masterclass with Smith and Foulkes.

Adam Foulkes and Alan Smith recent credits include the title sequence for Thunderbirds, and an animated film within a film for Lemony Snicket: A Series of Unfortunate Events. They have also directed several sketches for the BBC's animated comedy show Monkey Dust. For their work in television commercials they have won the Grand Prix Award at the Cannes Lions, the Grandy at the 2005 ANDYS and the ITV award for best commercial.

The Masterclass will concentrate on Smith and Foulkes approach to animation direction in their work with Nexus Productions. This master class has been designed to meet the needs of those interested in the motion graphics/animation/music promos/advertising industries. Smith and Foulkes will explore the practical and creative aspects in producing their award winning commercial campaigns. They will also talk about their work on feature length motion pictures and music promos. This will be followed by a Q&A session.

The Masterclass will take place the 22nd June 2006 in Filmbase, Temple Bar (Dublin). Cost: €25. Apply online at www.screentrainingireland.ie by the 14th of June 2006.

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Awards, presented by Ardmore Studios Ireland, are in the following categories: Best Director (€10,000 package at Ardmore Studio's), Best Irish Short, Best Documentary, Best Animation, Best Experimental and Best International.

The entry fee is 20 euro and the deadline for submission is 16th July 2006. Entry forms can be downloaded here.

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Oscailt Short Rogairi Awarded in Chicago – 2 June 2006

The Oscailt short film Rogairi, writen and directed by Thomas Cosgrove has won the prize for Best Short Film at the Chicago Horror Film Festival. The film also picked up the prize for Best Actress which was awarded to Fiona O'Shaughnessy who played the lead role.

In other festival news the Short Short film Eggs, directed by James Cotter and produced by Akajava Films has been selected for the both Italian Taormina Short Film Festival and the Capalbio Cinema International Short Film Festival in Italy.

Demon, directed by Eoin Ryan has been selected to participate in the 14th International Animation Festival of Brazil, Anima Mundi 2006, Short Films program, that will take place in Rio de Janeiro and in Sao Paulo in July.

The next deadline for the Oscailt short film scheme is July 14th 2006. See here for more details.

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Featuring the films of emerging directors alongside the more established auteurs is a distinguishing factor of the Seagate Foyle Film Festival. Every year the festival's programme aims to provide a blend of genres and styles drawing wide appeal, including an extensive curriculum-focused educational programme which incorporates an outreach strand of screenings, which are available for Primary and Post-Primary Schools.

The final deadline date for entry submission is 4th September 2006. Submission forms are currently available online at www.foylefilmfestival.com for the Stella Artois Film Award categories: Best Irish Short, Best International Short, Best Animation, Best Documentary, and Best Short Short.

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Over 0.5 million is being invested by TBCT in producing the Festival, which runs from June until the end of August. Diversions is packed with hundreds of free outdoor events for all the family, from a circus season including acrobatics, trapeze and stilt walking, to traditional music sessions including a midsummer’s night concert from Kíla, to dedicated family fun days, a special event with Nobel Laureate for Literature Seamus Heaney and world renowned uileann piper Liam O’Flynn, a Moroccan market and new commissions in music, circus and theatre.

This year’s festival involves the participation of over 160 performers from over 16 different countries around the world. It is expected that 300,000 people will attend the festival this year which starts on the 1st of June.

All of the events are free. All evening events on Meeting House Square are free and ticketed. Tickets are available for collection in person the week before an event from the Temple Bar Cultural Information Centre, 12 East Essex Street, Temple Bar, Dublin 2. For a full programme of events log on to www.templebar.ie or call in and see one of their Information Centre Advisors!

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NMTC Showcase 2006 at the Sugar Club – 31 May 2006

The New Media Technology College 2006 student showcase will take place in the Sugar Club, Lower Leeson St, Dublin 2 on the 8th of June at 7.30pm.

There will be a wide range of work on display including student films, photography, and performances by the performing arts and music technology students. The college will hold a draw to raise money for the charity Concern. Michael Doorly from Concern will present the prizes. The latest Concern/NMTC co-produced 30 sec ad will be launched on the evening.

Tickets for the showcase cost €10 and are available through the college and the student union. To book your ticket email edoorly@hypermedia7.ie or phone reception at 01 4780905.

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Jacques Rivette Retrospective in the IFI – 29 May 2006

The IFI Cinemas are holding a retrospective of the work of the highly influential film-maker, Jacques Rivette, commencing June 9th and continuing throughout the month. This season will feature six of Rivette’s best known films, widely considered to be some of the most intriguing, thought-provoking films ever produced in France.

Rivette’s unique filmmaking technique has been much admired; he insists that his actors collaborate on the script and improvise in front of the camera. Almost all Rivette’s films are puzzles, with their characters following up clues to a mystery which may never be solved. A prime example is Paris nous appartient, which screens from June 9-13. Unmissable too is the superb La Belle Noiseuse, starring Jane Birkin and Emmanuelle Béart in a career-defining role.

This tribute contains only a small portion of Rivette’s total output of more than twenty feature films – however, it gives the uninitiated a very welcome opportunity to explore the fascinating, unique works of this intriguing filmmaker.

Screenings:
Paris nous appartient (Paris Belongs to Us) : June 9-13
Céline et Julie vont en bateau (Celine and Julie go boating): June 10-13
Secret Defense: June 14, 15
La Belle Noiseuse: June 17,18
Va Savoir (Who Knows?): June 24, 25
Histoire de Marie et Julien (The Story of Marie and Julien): June 26, 27

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Palme d'Or for Loach and Ireland – 29 May 2006

Ken Loach's Irish Civil War drama The Wind that Shakes the Barley was awarded the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival last night. The film, written by Loach's frequent collaborator Paul Laverty, was shot in Cork last year; it's an Irish/British/German/Italian/Spanish co-production. The jury who awarded Loach the first Palme d'Or of his long career consisted of British actor/director Tim Roth, Palestinian writer/director Elia Suleiman, Argentinian writer/director Lucrecia Martel, French writer/director Patrice Leconte, and actors Helena Bonham Carter, Monica Bellucci, Samuel L. Jackson, and Ziyi Zhang; the jury president was Shanghai-born writer/director Kar-Wai Wong.

The Wind that Shakes the Barley is the harrowing tale of two brothers, played by Cillian Murphy and Pádraic Delaney, who survive Ireland's struggle for independence only to be torn apart by politics during the violent struggle that followed. Accepting his award, Loach commented: 'We hope that our film represents a small step in the relationship which the British have with their imperialist past. If we dare to tell the truth about the past, perhaps we shall dare tell the truth about the present. ' Loach's vision of Ireland's past is bound to prove controversial when the film opens on Irish screens on the 23rd of June.

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The Queen's Film Theatre Guide – 23 May 2006

The Queen's Film Theatre and its partner Stella Artois have announced the launch of Chill Out Tuesdays, an initiative for movie fans. From Tuesday 30th May, you can celebrate Chill Out Tuesday every week by enjoying a movie plus a complimentary pint of Stella Artois for £5, exclusively in the surroundings of the QFT.

Silent comedy is currently being celebrated in a new Paul Merton series on BBC4 and the QFT takes a closer look at the work of the actor who inspired him to get into comedy with a special Buster Keaton Season (23rd - 29th June), featuring nine Keaton classics. The season opens with The General and other highlights are The Goat and College.

The QFT has a season of CULT! Classics (9th-15th June), including Werner Herzog's Even Dwarfs Started Small 9th June and Italian horror classic The Night Evelyn Came Out of the Grave (10th June), as well as a range of free science fiction-themed screenings taking place as part of Q-Con (16th-18th June), the annual convention of Dragonslayers, the QUB Gaming and Anime Society.

For further information and booking for all QFT film events, visit www.queensfilmtheatre.com

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Inspired by Jean-Luc Godard's Alphaville, Eireville is a satire on the Irish 1916 rising set in a dystopian Ireland where nationalist fervour has gone mad. Written and directed by James Finlan the film tells the story of private detective Lemmy Curamach who enters the futuristic metropolis of Eireville. His mission: to locate and destroy the evil ruler Patrick Von Pearsemann.

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3epkano to Perform Caligari in Dundalk & Bray– 19 May 2006

Dublin-based ensemble 3epkano will reprise their acclaimed live accompaniment of Robert Wiene's The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari in two new venues in June. The group will perform in The Spirit Store in Dundalk and the Mermaid Arts Centre in Bray on the 2nd and 17th of June respectively. Both screenings begin at 9pm.

Caligari was the first silent film to be scored by the group, whose repertoire includes Murnau's Faust, Dreyer's The Passion of Joan of Arc, and Vertov's Man with a Movie Camera. The imagination and insight brought to silent film by 3epkano makes for an unmissable visual and aural experience.

For booking and further information contact Spirit Store, George's Quay, Dundalk, ph. (042) 9352697, www.spiritstore.ie, and Mermaid Arts Centre, Main Street, Bray, ph. (01) 2724043, www.mermaidartscentre.ie.

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The closing date for submissions is the 16th of July, the entry fee is €20. For further information and to download entry forms visit www.kerryfilmfestival.com

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Shabana Azmi and Javed Akhtar in the IFI – 15 May 2006

Indian superstar Shabana Azmi and her husband Javed Akhtar will be at the Irish Film Institute in Dublin to discuss their work in a retrospective hosted by Bollywood Ireland. Shabana Azmi, who has won five National Awards for Best Actress in India, will talk about her work and politics in an on-stage discussion with Siraj Zaidi followig the screening of Fire at 1.00 p.m. on Sunday, May 21st.

Javed Akhtar is an acclaimed poet, lyricist and scriptwriter who has worked on a large number of mainstream Indian films. Akhtar will be attending the screening of Deewaar at 12.30 on Saturday, May 20th.

Further information is available from www.bollywoodireland.com

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Prix Europa 2006: Call for Entries – 15 May 2006

Television, Internet and Radio productions can now be entered for this year's Prix Europa festival, which is taking place from 14-21 October 2006 in and around Berlin.

There are thirteen prizes in nine categories: Internet, Radio, Television, the script award Prix Genève-Europe and Prix Europa-SPOT for one minute films. New for the 20th edition of Prix Europa: the Finnish broadcaster YLE has donated a special award for the best TV series, mini-series or serial. Prix Europa-SPOT is looking for films from young filmmakers this year under the heading 'Happy Birthday Europe', celebrating 50 years of European unification.

Deadline for entries is 1 July 2006

Under the trademark 'Made in Europe' Prix Europa annually invites the best media productions as well as their makers and managers to Berlin for a week of festival and competition. Prix Europa 2006 enjoys the patronage of Josep Borrell Fontelles, President of the European Parliament, and Terry Davis, Secretary General of the Council of Europe, as well as the European Broadcasting Union.

More information and registration on www.prix-europa.de

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Prime will be released digitally in 11 cinemas and in traditional 35mm in a further 44 cinemas. Movies@Dundrum in Dublin and the Gate Cinema in Cork will be among those leading the way in the digital cinema revolution.

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Irish actors Cillian Murphy (Batman Begins, Red Eye) and Liam Cunningham (Breakfast On Pluto, A Love Divided, Showbands), and rising stars Padraic Delaney (Pure Mule, The Clinic) and Orla Fitzgerald (Love is the Drug, The Last Furlong) will walk down the red carpet with director Ken Loach next Thursday 18th May, at the World Premiere of The Wind That Shakes The Barley in Cannes.

Ireland’s leading film producers will also be traveling to the Cannes Film Market, which is the largest and most important film market in the world, to source finance for their upcoming feature films. The market provides an opportunity for Irish producers to meet with international film financiers, sales agents and film distributors. The Irish Pavilion in Cannes, which is a is a joint marketing initiative between the IFB/BSÉ and the NIFTC, is the central point for the Irish presence at the festival, promoting Irish film and Ireland as a film location. It also provides an opportunity to endorse Irish production services and competitive tax incentives, whilst acting as a high profile, well-resourced base for the Irish film industry and its guests attending the Cannes Film Market and Festival.

This year there are thirteen Irish films selling in the Cannes Film Market including Marion Comer’s debut film 48 Angels produced by Ireland’s 2006 Producer on the Move John McDonnell, Paul Mercier’s Studs starring Brendan Gleeson, The Wind That Shakes The Barley, Mark Hammond’s Johnny Was and Patrick Kenny’s Winter’s End. Irish film currently in production including John Boorman’s The Tiger’s Tail, Paddy Breathnach’s latest film Shrooms and The Front Line directed by David Gleeson will also also be on offer to buyers at the market.

Irish producer Julie Le Brocquy’s film My Beautiful Rambutan Tree has been selected for the Directors’ Fortnight section and has print support funding from the Irish Film Board. UK film Red Road, produced by Irish producer Carrie Comerford (Mystics, Accelerator), has been selected for Official Competition at the festival.

Julian Hill’s short film Death’s Mailing which picked up the prize for Best Short Film in Rome and Cyprus is also screening in the Short Film Corner.

Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism John O’Donoghue will launch the Irish Pavilion on Sunday 21st May.

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BL!NDSPOT Best Commercial Competition – 9 May 2006

BL!NDSPOT is a competition being run by BL!NDER to foster new and distinctive voices in the field of directing commercials. To enter BL!NDSPOT, make a Test Commercial and submit it to BL!NDER. The best Test Commercial will win €2000.
Although there can be only one winner, all of the best entries will receive exposure with the top advertising agencies in Ireland at the BL!NDSPOT Award Night.
Subject to agreement, the director of the winning commercial may be offered representation by BL!NDER.

BL!NDSPOT is aimed principally at students or recent graduates of film, advertising, marketing, media or animation but just about anybody starting out in their career can enter. The Test Commercial can be for a real or an imaginary product, service or cause and it can be shot on any format: DV, film, beta, even your mobile phone.

The deadline for entry is 30 October 2006. Mark entries 'BL!NDSPOT', c/o Blinder Ltd, 76 Irishtown Rd, Ringsend, Dublin 4

If you're interested go to www.blinder.ie/blindspot or simply email blindspot@blinder.ie and they will send you an entry form and all the details.

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Prestigious Course for Belfast Sound Designer – 9 May 2006

Belfast sound designer Ian Palmer recently completed a two-week training position with post-production sound company Savalas Audio. The NIFTC co-funded the position to enable Ian to spend time with the Glaswegian company as they started work on the film Red Road. He was mainly assisting with the dialogue editing but got involved in all other aspects of the production (ADR spotting, ADR recording, sound editing, mixing). Red Road was produced by Glasgow company Sigma Films and directed by Andrea Arnold, who won an Oscar for her short film Wasp.

Savalas were so impressed with Ian’s work there that they invited him back for a third week as a Sound Assistant when the film was selected for competition in this year’s Cannes Film Festival. Ian’s time at Savalas was spent assisting Kahl Henderson (Dialogue Supervisor), piece together the dialogue, and Iain Anderson in creating the car effects. In addition to this Ian was tutored in all other aspects of sound post-production, particularly ADR. A highlight of this was an ISDN link to Hollywood for Billy Connolly to read his lines for the forthcoming Garfield sequel.

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Claymation Film Festival – 9 May 2006

The Liberties Claymation Film Festival (8-10 May, 2006) will feature over 30 animations produced and directed by children from schools based in the Liberties. Each animation is based on a storyline developed by the children, and incorporates clay-characters in custom developed sets. Digital media is used to bring the stories to life.

This project is delivered by The Digital Hub (Crane St, Dublin 8) through the Diageo Liberties Learning Initiative. Among the selection that will be showcased at The Premiere will be Check the Lotto by St Bridget’s Girls School, The Coombe, Dublin 8. This 2-minute film charts the story of a local family who – after being instructed by their Parrot to check the Lotto – find they have won. They embark on a plan to spend their spoils, with contributions from the family’s twins and pet parrot.

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Documenting the Arts: 2006 Deadline – 8 May 2006

The Arts Council and the IFB/BSÉ and Filmbase have announced that the documentary production fund Documenting the Arts, first introduced in April 2005, will be offered again in 2006. The new deadline will be 6th June 2006.

The production fund for 2006, now aims to fund between five and six new arts documentaries. The ethos of Documenting the Arts is to co-finance a range of fresh, compelling arts based projects that examine the diverse issues of art and culture in a contemporary or historical context, in an exciting way. Subject matter can address local or international perspectives.

Documentaries may be in Irish, English or bi-lingual. The scheme, which has been revised for 2006, further encourages applicants to produce creative documentaries for theatrical and/or festival release, as well as broadcast.

Applicants can apply for up to €80,000 in one stage (last year it was half that amount) which will comprise of a grant of up to €40,000 from the Arts Council and a production loan of up to €40,000 from the Irish Film Board. This money can then be used collectively as a full production budget or as seed money to help finance a larger budget. There is no cap on the budget level of projects nor are there matching funding requirements from third parties (i.e. like a broadcaster).

Filmbase in Temple Bar in Dublin 2 will administer this year’s fund on behalf of the Arts Council and the Irish Film Board. The guidelines can be found here.

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Mid-Ulster Film Festival 2006 – 4 May 2006

The third edition of the Mid-Ulster Film Festival takes place on the 5th, 6th and 7th May, outside Omagh, Co. Tyrone in the an Creagain Centre, located beside the foothills of the Sperrin Mountains.

This year’s festival will have exclusive screenings from countries such as UK, Wales, Germany, France, Spain, Italy, Norway, USA, Canada, Iran, Serbia, and Montenegro. A selection of popular screenings are Good Night, and Good Luck, Memoirs of a Geisha and Grizzly Man. Highlights include the screening of Michael Haneke’s Hidden (Caché), and the European Premiere of El Inmigrante, a documentary that exams the Mexican and American border crisis. And Iranian director Omid Khoshnazar’s animation Zero Degree adds to the sparkle of diverse, quality films that the festival will be screening.

Irish Premieres include feature comediesBehind the Kinsale Ghost Tours and No White Knight.

There will be workshops on Postproduction (6th May) with Lawrence Fee (Yardmedia), Documentary Film Making (6th and 7th May) with Maud Hand (Channel 4/ Fourdocs) and Scriptwriting (7th May) with scriptwriter Barry Devlin (Ballykissangel). On Friday 5th May, Kevin Jackson from BBC NI will give an unmissable careers talk to media students on developing and producing television drama and about the BBC commissioning process.

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International directors attending with their films so far include Marc Isaacs (Philip and his Seven Wives, UK), Leonard Helmrich (Shape of the Moon, Netherlands), Danae Elon (Another Road Home, Israel), Astrid Bussink (The Angelmakers, Hungary/Scotland), Oren Siedler (Bruce and Me, Australia), Visa Koiso-Kantilla (Father to Son, Finland), Doug Block (51 Birch Street, USA), Jean-Henri Meunier (La Vie Comme Elle Va, France), Maria Pinto (Explication des Salamandres, Portugal), Jan Cattoni (After Maeve, Australia) and Taggart Siegel (The Real Dirt on Farmer John, USA).

Guth Gafa is the brainchild of Donegal-based production company, Soilsiú Teoranta (formerly Vinegar Hill Productions), and their producer/director team of David Rane and Neasa Ní Chianáin. Guest programmer is acclaimed Dutch documentary maker, John Appel, and the main Broadcast sponsor of the event is TG4. Other sponsors include The Arts Council and Udaras na Gaeltachta, MEDIA, RTE and Ealaín na Gaeltachta.

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18th Galway Film Fleadh – 3 May 2006

The Galway Film Fleadh (11-16 July 2006) has announced the 2nd Stella Artois Pitching Award, valued at 5,000 euro. This event is open to screenwriters and full details and application form can be found here.

The Galway Film Fair takes place on the 14th and 15th July 2006, it is an event that co-ordinates pre-scheduled meetings between filmmakers with projects in development and invited Film Financiers, Distributors and Major Producers. Details of the event and an application form can be found in the Film Fair section.

The Galway Film Fleadh shorts submission application form is now available on their website. The deadline for submission is 19th May 2006.

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Kate McCullough Awarded at the Aspen Film Festival – 27 April 2006

Best Cinematography was awarded to Irish cinematographer Kate McCullough for her work on the short film Hibernation, at the recent Aspen Film Festival, in the U.S. The Jury included acclaimed cinematographer John Bailey.

This is the 10th award this film has picked up in the last 12 months, including audience award at Clermont-Ferrand, Best British Short Film at the Edinburgh International Film Festival, and voted by 8000 cinema goers across America for Grand Prize at Manhattan Short Film. The film was Kate's first production in London shooting at Pinewood studios and working along side award winning commercials Director at Cannes, John Williams.

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2000 AD Productions Seeking Comedy Scripts – 27 April 2006

Adrian Devane of 2000 AD Productions based at Ardmore studios, Bray, Co. Wicklow has launched a search for a quality script or idea in the comedy genre. They have been approached by a well known studio in Los Angeles to find and co-produce a great comedy script by an Irish based writer. They are looking for commercial, funny, character driven scripts. The script should be copyright protected by the writer, written in the proper script format and be between 90 and 100 pages. It should be able to be made for between $8-10 million.

2000 AD Productions was formed in 2000 to develop and produce quality films with a particular emphasis on using fresh new ideas and working with other production companies in Ireland, the UK and Europe and its producer Devane alongside Hollywood producer Ned Dowd has been working on the many large studio features here since then like, Reign of Fire, Veronica Guerin and King Arthur whilst also working on Indie Irish films Headrush, Short Order and Speed Dating. Currently Devane is working on Mel Gibson’s Apocalypto.

Scripts should be posted ASAP (with synopsis and contact details) to: Adrian Devane, 2000 AD Productions, Ardmore Studios, Herbert Rd, Bray, Co. Wicklow.

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The Theatricality of Cinema at the IFI – 27 April 2006

Christine Molloy and Joe Lawlor of Desperate Optimists present The Theatricality of Cinema at the IFI on 28-30 April 2006: a selection of screenings including the entire Civic Life Series, a unique and richly cinematic series of seven short films that capture different places and communities in single long takes.

The screenings are:
- Toutes les nuits (Night After Night) April 28 (6.30) with the director, Eugène Green in attendance
- Back Against the Wall, April 29 (11.30)
- Civic Life Cycle, April 29 (1.30)
-The Red and the White, (Csillagosok, katonák) April 29 (3.30)
-The Connection, April 30 (1.30)
- Day of Wrath (Vredens dag) April 30 (3.30)

More information at www.irishfilm.ie

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It's Some Kind of Voodoo Playing with Scary Movie 4 – 22 April 2006

Irish short film It's Some Kind of Voodoo is currently playing in 60 cinemas across Ireland in front of US feature film Scary Movie 4, distributed by Buena Vista International (Ireland).

It’s Some Kind Of Voodoo is written and directed by Nicky Phelan, narrated by Neil Hannon of the The Divine Comedy, and puppeteering is by Sophie Krog. The short is a dark and Gothic tale of unrequited love and disproportionate revenge…told with string puppets. When a frustrated artist is rejected by the girl of his dreams, he turns to voodoo to punish her – but voodoo has its own ideas…

It’s Some Kind Of Voodoo was produced by Heidi Madsen and Alan Mahar of Once Off Films and financed by Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board as part of the Short Shorts scheme, which aims to produce ultra short pieces to be screened theatrically in front of feature films.

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Loach’s New Film Competing in Cannes – 21 April 2006

Ken Loach’s tense and moving new film The Wind That Shakes the Barley, starring Cillian Murphy, Padraic Delaney, Liam Cunningham and Orla Fitzgerald,will have its World Premiere in competition at this year’s Cannes Film Festival in May.

The Wind That Shakes the Barley tells the story of two brothers who join the guerilla armies formed to battle the British Black and Tan squads that tried to prevent Ireland's bid for independence in 1919. The film is produced by Rebecca O’Brien who has also produced many of Ken’s earlier films (Ae Fond Kiss, Sweet Sixteen) and marks Ken Loach’s fifth collaboration with screenwriter Paul Laverty. Shot in Cork, the film was co-financed by Sixteen Films, Matador Pictures, Regent Capital, UK Film Council, Bord Scannán na Héireann/The Irish Film Board, Filmstiftung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Element Films, BIM Distribuzione, EMC Produktion, Tornasol Films, Diaphana Distribution, Páthe Distribution, Cinéart, TV3 Ireland and Film Coopi.The film will open across Ireland on 23rd of June released by Pathé Distribution.

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Moonstone Screenwriters’ Lab – 21 April 2006

Moonstone International will be running its next Screenwriters’ Lab in Eisenach, Germany between 22nd and 27th April 2006. Moonstone has selected the following screenwriters, and their projects, from countries throughout Europe to participate: Richard Crawford, The Dirty War (Northern Irish); Trevor de Silva, Stalking Suzette (English); Kate Delin, Where The Men Are (English); Robert Douglas & Dorsteinn Guomundsson, Song for Europe (Icelandic); Ian Fenton, Happy Ever After (Scottish); Wade Jacks, Jumana (English); Brian Lally, Soul Mate (Irish); Damien O'Connor, The Quarter Mill (Irish); Paul Markey, Versus Vampire (Irish); Ludger Pfanz, Brent Spar (German); Sophie Schoukens, Life, No Limits! (Belgian); and Igor Zupe, The Butterfly On Poppy (Slovenian).

The Screenwriters’ Lab is a 6 day residential programme. Participating screenwriters will work on their projects in a series of one-to-one meetings with established, international screenwriter Advisors from the USA and Europe.

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