Irish Film Deals on the Cannes Croisette
There is a strong Irish representation at the Cannes Film Festival and film market this year as Irish Academy Award® nominee director Ruairí Robinson's debut feature sci-fi film THE LAST DAYS ON MARS has its world premiere as part of the prestigious Director's Fortnight section today, May 20th.
Meanwhile Irish producers have been busy negotiating a number of international deals on their slate of film projects at the market. Irish production company Treasure Films (I Went Down, The Eclipse, The Stag) have announced details on their new Irish film WILD, with all international rights on the film being sold to Radiant Films Inc. The film is set to star ‘True Blood' actress Emma Greenwell (US Shameless) and Tom Hughes (Cemetery Junction, The Lady Vanishes). It tells the story of Mary Reynolds, a visionary young garden designer who puts everything on the line in order to compete in the Chelsea Flower show. WILD will shoot in Ireland and Ethiopia over the coming months with finance from Bord Scannan na hEireann/ the Irish Film Board, RTE and the BAI.
Irish director Mary McGuckian has attached Shannyn Sossamon (Mistresses, The End of Love, A Knights Tale), Alanis Morissette and Swiss actor Vincent Perez (Butterfly Kiss) to star in her new Eileen Gray film THE PRICE OF DESIRE. The film is produced by Pembridge Pictures with finance from Bord Scannan na hEireann/the Irish Film Board.
THE LAST DAYS ON MARS is a science-fiction thriller in which a group of astronaut explorers succumb one by one to a mysterious and terrifying force while collecting specimens on Mars. The film is co-produced by Fantastic Films and Qwerty Films with finance from Bord Scannán na hÉireann /the Irish Film Board and the British Film Council. Focus Features are the international sales agent.
This year there are over 20 Irish films screening and selling in the Cannes market including romantic comedy STANDBY directed by Ronan and Rob Burke starring Mad Men actress Jessica Pare along with Brian Gleeson. RUN & JUMP directed by Steph Green which had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival, LIFE'S A BREEZE starring Pat Shortt directed by Lance Daly, THE STAG starring Amy Huberman, Hugh O'Conor and Andrew Scott. FRANK, the latest film from Lenny Abrahamson starring Michael Fassbender and LOVE ETERNAL, directed by Brendan Muldowney and starring Irish actress Emma Eliza Regan.
The Irish Pavilion in Cannes is the focal point for the Irish industry and is set up to promote Irish film to the international community, to market Ireland as a destination for large international film projects and to provide business support for the Irish industry.
More about The Price of Desire
THE PRICE OF DESIRE is an Irish-Belgian co-production between EG Film Productions Limited, A Pembridge Pictures and Lightstream Pictures co-venture in association with Saga Film in Belgium. Production services are provided by Sharkprod of Monaco and the film has the support of The Irish Film Board, Bord Scannan na HEireann, S481 investment, Film Fortis Fund and Audiovisual SGR, a Media Program with Europacorp, Entertainment One on board to release the film in France and Canada. Post-production services will be provided by Windmill Lane Pictures.