Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones among stars heading to film festival in West Cork
Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones in a scene from Normal People. They are both taking part in the Fastnet Film Festival in Cork this month.
THE world’s friendliest film festival is back, and this year, it is bigger than ever.
The Fastnet Film Festival will take place in various venues throughout Schull and Cape Clear from May 22. Famed for attracting top talent from the industry, it will showcase 18 feature films and 200 short films. Prominent professionals will also lead panel sessions, in-depth interviews, and industry masterclasses.
This year’s line-up boasts a wealth of acting talent, including Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones, and legends like Stephen Rea.
Hilary McCarthy, the head of Communications & Programming, says the festival gets bigger every year.
“We are so fortunate to run a festival that not only the audience wants to return to, but also the talent enjoys coming to.
We are thrilled to have Paul Mescal come to participate in a conversation with his Normal People co-star, Daisy Edgar-Jones.
Lenny Abrahamson, who made the show, will also take part in the interview.
Each year, Fastnet introduces a new element to the festival, and this year, horror comes to West Cork thanks to the success of recent Irish films in the genre.
“Irish horror is very strong at the moment, so we decided to put a horror programme together. We are screening three major Irish horrors. We have Lenny Abrahamson’s Little Stranger, Ian Hunt-Duffy’s Double Blind, and Lee Cronin’s Evil Dead Rises. We are excited to show all three films, especially the latter, which has become the highest-grossing film ever written and directed by an Irish person.”
The programme also includes Gridlock, a short by Darach McGarrigle who wrote Double Blind, starring Moe Dunford, Peter Coonan, and Steve Ward.
Abrahamson, Cronin, and McGarrigle will also participate in a panel discussion about the horror genre, hosted by the director Gerry Stembridge.
Horror and music fans will be treated to a special screening of Nosferatu, the 1922 silent film. Cork composers and sisters Irene Buckley and Linda Buckley will perform their original score for it alongside Rhoda Dullea on the organ, Ilse de Ziah on cello and Karen Dervan on viola.
McCarthy says it will be a highlight of the festival.
“It will be a really special experience, not just for film fans but for anyone who enjoys music. The Buckleys’ original score is very beautiful, and the three accompanying artists are all experts who will really add to the experience.
“The event will take place in the Holy Trinity Church, adding to the atmosphere.”
There will be a focus on Northern Irish films, with a screening of Bloody Sunday, revolving around the events of the 1972 Bogside massacre in Derry. The film stars James Nesbitt, who will be in attendance and is set to take part in a big interview.
Alan Gilsenan’s documentary, The Irish Question, mediates on what a united Ireland would be like. McCarthy says both films will appeal to fans of politics and history.
It is a big year for Cork film, and the programme has three films with big Rebel connections. Andrew Gallimore (inset right) will take part in a panel discussion after a screening of his documentary One Night In Millstreet, which charts the epic 1994 showdown between boxers Steve Collins and Chris Eubank at the Green Glens Arena. Collins will also be there to answer questions.
Rebel Wife is a documentary that focuses on the story of Mary Jane O’Donovan Rossa, a revolutionary and activist whose work for Irish independence has been overshadowed by that of her husband, Jeremiah O’Donovan Rossa. The documentary shines a light on the importance of her work, bringing her legacy to the forefront.
Pat Collins’ award-winning That They May Face The Rising Sun will have an outdoor screening. The West Cork filmmaker will be in attendance, and McCarthy says outdoor events are a big draw for audiences. “We were delighted to have Rising Sun. The screening is in the park, so no matter how many turn up, we have space for them.
Last year, we screened An Cailín Ciúin in the same place, and about 400 people turned up with blankets and picnics. Hopefully, the weather will hold for this year’s film, but we have a contingency if it does rain.
Oscar winners Ross White and Tom Berkeley, who made the gorgeous An Irish Goodbye, will present their latest short film, The Gold West, set in famine-era Ireland. The film stars Cork actor Eileen Walshe. McCarthy says she is delighted to welcome White and Berkeley back, who will also host the annual Fastnet table quiz.
“Ross and Tom came to Fastnet with An Irish Goodbye and ran our big quiz. They were phenomenal and so funny, so we asked them to come back and host again this year, and we are delighted that they are bringing their latest film, too.”
The festival opens with Ransom ’79, a fascinating documentary focusing on an investigation by the late Charlie Bird into a case in 1979 about a ransom note that was given to the state that said they would release foot and mouth disease in Ireland unless they were given £5million. The story was kept a secret for 40 years and Bird set out to discover who was behind the ransom note.
McCarthy says the documentary is two stories told side by side. “Not long after Charlie began to investigate, he was diagnosed with motor neurone disease, but it didn’t stop him from working on the story. It is a super film with lots of intrigue but also features Charlie’s poignant journey with his illness. We are so happy to open the festival with this tribute to a great man.”
The festival runs from May 22nd to 26th -
