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SAVING THE TITANIC’ is nominated for four awards at the British Independent Film Festival

Irish feature drama-documentary "Saving the Titanic" has been nominated for four awards at the British Independent Film Festival. The film, which was shortlisted for the festival last month, was nominated in the categories Best Director (Maurice Sweeney), Best Supporting Actor (Ciaran McMenamin), Best Cinematography (Richard Kendrick) and Best Feature Film (Stephen Rooke for Tile Films).

Producer Stephen Rooke said, "We're thrilled that the film has received nominations in so many major categories. I really hope that it can land one or more of the top awards, and I think it has a great chance." Directed by multiple IFTA award-winner Maurice Sweeney, "Saving the Titanic" tells the story of the ship's engineering crew, who fought to keep the ship afloat following the collision with the iceberg.

The British Independent Film Festival showcases independent films from around the world with a focus on British and Irish talent. The festival gives independent filmmakers the opportunity to have their films screened at red carpet-style venues in front of a passionate audience of film professionals, journalists, film students and the general public.

"Saving the Titanic" will receive this treatment when it is screened at The Empire Cinema, Leicester Street and The Tricyle Theatre in London on 4^th May 2013. The film will also be shown in selected cinemas in Edinburgh, Canterbury, Yorkshire, Harwich, Malvern, South Shields, Woodhall Spa, Worksop, Wisbech and Hunstanton.

The film also recently won a major award at the New York Festivals. In a ceremony held at NAB in Las Vegas earlier this month, the film was presented with a coveted Gold World Medal Award for best docudrama.

For Stephen Rooke, this is another important recognition of what this production has achieved: "For a small Irish production company like ourselves to win a Gold World Medal Award at the New York Festivals is just fantastic.  It again proves that Irish films can punch above their weight on the international stage."

Director Maurice Sweeney was similarly enthusiastic: "As a director, this is wonderful.  With the budget we had, I felt that we told a great story with a big production value.  It was a wonderful ensemble cast helped by great writers and a brilliant Irish crew.  So it's a real acknowledgement of the talent in this country."

"Saving the Titanic" was produced by Tile Films in Dublin and is a co-production with Gebrueder Beetz Filmproduktion in Germany, produced in association with Bord Scannán na hÉireann/Irish Film Board, RTÉ, Broadcasting Authority of Ireland - Sound and Vision Broadcasting Funding Scheme, Windmill Lane Pictures Ltd., Section 481 - Ireland's Film Investment Scheme, AETN/History UK, ZDF and ZDFE Enterprises. International distribution is handled by ZDF Enterprises.

"Saving the Titanic" is now available on DVD.