New Irish Short Films…

The Irish Film Board have seen the future and it contains the words You and Tube. At the Darklight Festival last weekend the IFB unveiled its latest batch of short films. The scheme entitled Virtual Cinema features 9 short films, all of which were designed for those of us in the internet audience with attention deficit disorder. The shorts typically have a running time of 2 to 3 minutes with simple, manageable themes. Although the films were all conceived and executed for computer screens they held up well on the much larger Lighthouse cinema screen, for the most part. Particular highlights include the excellently realised and very witty “Bono & My Ex“, the original yet simple Polish / Irish narrative of “Smuggle” and the enthusiastic “What Makes You Happy“, a film that’ll bring a smile to the coldest of cynics. Ranging from documentary to drama, from simple gags to deeper … There’s more

Dublin: the Movie showing at the IFI this Sunday

It was one of the highlights of last year for me. I worked with over 30 film makers, with director Lenny Abrahamson (Prosperity, Garage, Adam and Paul) and producer Andrew McAvinchey and with the guys at the Darklight Film Festival in bringing a big bold project to the screen and the web. Dublin: The Movie was shot in 24 hours on June 26, 2008 and edited over three days. Premiéred on Sunday June 29, we had to extend the screening from Thomas Reads to the Irish Film Institute (IFI) because such a large crowd turned up. It’s a beautiful movie charting dawn to dusk, life and death, love, drugs and Dublin in all her glory. Certainly one of those projects I’m extremely proud to have been involved in. It’s somewhat appropriate then that it returns to the IFI this Sunday, May 17 at 13:30. There’ll be cast and crew present … There’s more