Irish Stars Jack Reynor, Andrew Scott, Ruth Bradley Along with Directors Neil Jordan and John Crowley in the Spotlight at Major Focus on Irish Cinema in France
Irish stars and directors will be in the spotlight as Ireland becomes the country of focus at this year's Les Arcs European Film Festival, kicking off on Saturday, December 13th.
A host of Irish stars from both in front of and behind the camera will be in attendance. This includes actors Jack Reynor (Dollhouse), Liam Cunningham (Perrier's Bounty, Game of Thrones), Andrew Scott (The Stag, Sherlock), Richard Dormer (Good Vibrations), Ruth Bradley (Grabbers), David Wilmot (Good Vibrations), Hugh O'Conor (The Stag), Peter McDonald (The Stag), Rupert Evans (The Canal) and Moe Dunford (Patrick's Day), who was selected this week to receive the European Shooting Stars award at the Berlinale Festival.
The event will screen a wide range of Irish films and events with Q&A's from Irish directors attending the festival which include Neil Jordan (Michael Collins), John Crowley (Intermission), Ian Fitzgibbon (Perrier's Bounty), Terry McMahon (Patrick's Day), Lisa Barros D'Sa and Glenn Leyburn (Good Vibrations), John Butler (The Stag) and Ivan Kavanagh (The Canal). Writer Kevin Lehane (Grabbers) and producer Michael Garland will also attend.
The jury for the festival includes rising Irish star Jack Reynor, who won acclaim for his performance in What Richard Did and who recently received international attention with a starring role in Transformers: Age of Extinction.
The festival also hosts a busy co-production market where a teaser from the new Irish film My Name is Emily, directed by Simon Fitzmaurice and starring Evanna Lynch (the Harry Potter series), will be presented as a Work in Progress. A number of Irish films have also been selected to be presented in the co-production market which aims to raise international finance for films in early stage development.
The festival will feature a panel on the upcoming Irish fantasy film The Lobster. Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, the film was shot on location in Co. Kerry and stars Colin Farrell, Rachel Weisz, John C. Reilly and Ben Whishaw.
The event will also put the spotlight on Ireland's thriving animation industry with screenings of Song of the Sea, as well as the improved Irish tax incentive for film and television which comes into effect in January 2015.
Irish groups Kíla and up and coming Irish band Slow Skies will perform live music at the festival and take part in the festival Music Village focus. Kíla contributed to the soundtracks of animated films Song of the Sea, which will screen at the festival, as well as the Academy Award®-nominated The Secret of Kells.
The event takes place on the ski resort of Les Arcs from December 13th to 20th 2014 and is supported by Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board, Culture Ireland and the Irish Film Institute.
Films Screening at Les Arcs
Bloody Sunday (2002); directed by Paul Greengrass; starring James Nesbitt, Tim Pigott-Smith
Dollhouse (2012); directed by Kirsten Sheridan; starring Seána Kerslake and Jack Reynor; screening will be attended by actor Jack Reynor
Frank (2014); directed by Lenny Abrahamson; starring Michael Fassbender, Domhnall Gleeson and Maggie Gyllenhaal
The General (1998); directed by John Boorman; starring Brendan Gleeson, Jon Voight; screening will be attended by actor David Wilmot
Good Vibrations (2013); directed by Lisa Barros D'Sa, Glenn Leyburn; starring Richard Dormer, Jodie Whittaker, Dylan Moran, Liam Cunningham; screening will be attended by directors Lisa Barros D'Sa, Glenn Leyburn and actors Richard Dormer, Liam Cunningham and David Wilmot
Intermission (2003); directed by John Crowley; starring Colin Farrell, Cillian Murphy, Colm Meaney; screening will be attended by director John Crowley and actor David Wilmot
In the Name of the Father (1993); directed by Jim Sheridan; starring Daniel Day Lewis, Emma Thompson, Pete Postlethwaite
Michael Collins (1996); directed by Neil Jordan; starring Liam Neeson, Alan Rickman, Julia Roberts; screening will be attended by director Neil Jordan and actor David Wilmot
Once (2007); directed by John Carney; starring Glen Hansard, Markéta Irglová
Patrick's Day (2014); directed by Terry McMahon; starring Moe Dunford, Kerry Fox; screening will be attended by director Terry McMahon and actor Moe Dunford
Perrier's Bounty (2009); directed by Ian Fitzgibbon; starring Cillian Murphy, Jim Broadbent, Brendan Gleeson; screening will be attended by director Ian Fitzgibbons and actor Liam Cunningham
Song of the Sea (2014); directed by Tomm Moore; starring Brendan Gleeson and Fionnula Flanagan
The Stag (2013); directed by John Butler; starring Andrew Scott, Hugh O'Conor, Peter McDonald; screening will be attended by director John Butler and actors Andrew Scott, Hugh O'Conor and Peter McDonald
Midnight Screenings
The Canal (2014); directed by Ivan Kavanagh; starring Rupert Evans, Antonia Campbell-Hughes; screening will be attended by director Ivan Kavanagh and actor Rupert Evans
Grabbers (2012); directed by Jon Wright; starring Richard Coyle, Ruth Bradley, Russell Tovey; screening will be attended by actor Ruth Bradley and writer Kevin Lehane