The Beara Peninsula in West Cork is Big in Japan
Japanese Producer and Director Return to Ireland to Share Magical Film with Local Cast & CrewThe Beara Peninsula in West Cork is well known for its stunning locations and it has won the hearts of Japanese film director, Mayumi Komatsu, and her producer, Satoshi Oshima. The pair were in Eyeies, on the tip of the peninsula, earlier in 2011 to shoot a Japanese language feature, called TAMATAMA, which is Japanese for 'By Chance'.
"The film shoot was a fantastic boost to the local economy," said Colman O' Sullivan, of the Eyeries Family Festival Committee, "with close to 60 local people involved in some way, in addition to the Irish crew, not to mention the positive effect on many local businesses."
With so many local people involved, Colman decided to touch base with the production team to see if he could screen the film. "We knew that the film was shown in Japan in October so got in touch with Peter Conway, the Irish location manager, to ask about screening the film locally."
Peter, who had loved filming in Cork, decided it was a fantastic idea and touched base with his Japanese counterparts and was pleasantly surprised with the response he received.
"With something like this, the producers would usually agree to a screening but that's where it would end. I was absolutely delighted when I discovered that the director and producer had such a wonderful time during the shooting of the film that they wanted to come back to the area and present the film personally to the local community. It was their way of saying thanks to the community for all the support it had shown during the shoot," said Peter.
"It was a wonderful shoot to work on for a number of reasons. The Beara peninsula is a magical place and while we were unfortunate with the weather in a lot of ways, the rainy light gave the film a wonderfully soft look, which dovetailed nicely with what the director wanted."
The director was inspired to make the film by the tragedy of the recent tsunami and she wanted to make a film that was full of hope. The producers looked at a number of different locations, including Iceland and other parts of Ireland but the Beara peninsula offered something special.
And so, Mayumi Komatsu and producer Satoshi Oshima returned to Eyeries to present the finished film. Demand for tickets was so great that local organizers had to double the number of screenings.
Mayumi introduced the film and it was clear that she had left her heart in Eyeries and, judging from the reception she received, she has certainly captured a few hears too! She gave a wonderfully gracious speech, thanking the local people for their support and praising the Irish crew. She went on to say that she felt drawn to Ireland and that, having spent some weeks on the Beara, "the people of Eyeries are in my heart and I hope that I am in your heart as well."
The film, which is a heart warming tale of a young lady that loses her way only to find it in the most magical manner, received a standing ovation from the audience and is a gentle reminder of the multiple benefits of film; as an economic boost in difficult times, as a way to reinforce social ties and bring people together and as a magical way to tell stories and remind people that no matter how dark the present there is always the promise of a brighter future.
The screening in Eyeries was organized by Eyeries Festival Committee with the assistance of Beara Tourism and was partly funded by Cork Screen Commission with the support of The Irish Film Board and the Arts Office, Cork County Council. Cork Screen Commission is a joint venture of Cork City Council and Cork County Council.
About the Cork Screen Commission
The Cork Screen Commission is a one-stop shop for all film needs in Cork City and County. It helps film and television producers find, secure and make the best use of Cork's magnificent locations. The Cork Screen Commission helps filmmakers from script to screen!
Cork Screen Commission also houses an extensive database of Cork-based film professionals, including cast and crew; film services and film production companies.
The Cork Screen Commission works to develop, recognize and promote film activities in Cork City and County, while also working to promote the area as a film destination. It also works with the local film community to support local projects with significant ties to the area.
Cork Screen Commission is jointly funded by Cork City Council and Cork County Council under the auspices of the Cork Film Centre.
The Cork Screen Commission's Key Roles are:
- To actively market the Cork region as a prime location for film and television production.
- To support the region's indigenous film and television industry which consists of a highly talented group of individuals and companes.
- To provide a comprehensive production support service for those involved in the industry
- To liaise with the Irish Film Board, Cork County Council, Cork City Council and other stakeholders to ensure that the region is film friendly and welcoming to incoming productions.
- To attract incoming investment and, in so doing, to create employment opportunities for the regions highly skilled film professionals.