All-star cast of actors to descend on Cork for Fastnet festival

The Fastnet Film Festival is back to turn Schull into a hub for all things movie-related.

Renowned for attracting top talent from the industry, the festival will feature an array of compelling feature films and an impressive collection of more than 300 shorts.

Attendees can also look forward to engaging panel sessions, insightful interviews, and exclusive masterclasses by industry professionals.

Known as the world’s friendliest film festival, Fastnet has attracted a wealth of great talent. This year’s festival will be visited by actors including Barry Keoghan, Nicola Coughlan, Domhnall Gleeson, and the legendary Bill Pullman.

Keoghan will speak with Maureen Hughes, the casting director, following a screening of his film Calm With Horses.

Hilary McCarthy, the festival’s Head of Communications and Programming, says the Fastnet team looks forward to welcoming Keoghan to Cork.

“Maureen Hughes, so famous for discovering many Irish actors, was one of the first people to spot Barry’s talent. She brought him into the film world, so we thought it would be brilliant for her to host the conversation with Barry.”

Nicola Coughlan, star of Derry Girls and Bridgerton, will also attend the festival and speak with Lenny Abrahamson, director and co-founder of Element Pictures.

“Nicola is filming Bridgerton at the moment, and we are very excited that she has made time to come to Fastnet to participate in the Q&A. She is super; we know audiences will love hearing what she says.”

The festival will also welcome a new talent with film in his blood. Ronan Day-Lewis will be there to talk about his latest film, Behind Anemone, which stars his legendary father, Daniel Day-Lewis.

McCarthy says it is a family affair. “Ronan’s mum, Rebecca Miller, will also be attending. She is the daughter of the renowned writer Arthur Miller and directed a film titled Arthur Miller: Writer, which explores her father’s life and work.

“We will screen her film, and Rebecca will talk about it, followed by a reading in the bookshop. Ronan will share clips from his film and participate in a Q&A session. “

Hollywood actor Bill Pullman, currently filming in West Cork, will participate in a career retrospective moderated by Sarah Hone, the Associate Artistic Director of Bow Street Academy.

The occasion will be marked by a screening of Pullman’s iconic film, While You Were Sleeping.

“It has been 30 years since While You Were Sleeping, so we decided to show the film to tie in with Bill’s attendance. He has had such a long career, and we know he will have plenty to discuss,” McCarthy says.

The Irish language has always played a big part in the festival, with the island of Cape Clear playing host to Irish-language films on Lá Teanga na Gaeilge.

There will be a screening of the recent Irish-language hit Fréwaka followed by a Q&A with its writer-director, Aislinn Clarke, and actor Clare Monnelly.

A programme of Irish-language short films will also be shown at various venues on the island. McCarthy says that the day is also a big hit with non-Irish speakers.

“We have many visitors who don’t speak Irish, but all of the films have subtitles, so it is a great way for people who don’t speak Irish to hear the language.

“They can pop in and out of various venues and watch an hour of Irish language shorts, and there will be gin tasting and flower walks in a mix of Gaeilge agus Béarla.”

As well as big-screen stars, the small screen will be represented by Kin Uncovered: Behind The Scenes Of The Hit Crime Series, at which Kin actors Maria Doyle Kennedy, Aidan Gillen, and Clare Dunne, and Kin’s co-creator and writer Peter McKenna, take part in a panel discussion moderated by writer-director Paddy Breathnach.

Doyle Kennedy will participate in a separate panel focusing on her career as an actor and singer, while Gillen will partake in a post-screening Q&A session about his break-out film, Mojo, which McCarthy says was quite the surprise.

“We asked Aidan to choose which film he would like to screen, and he picked Mojo because it is his break-out film, but he said it is hard to get a copy of it. He gave me a list of other films that we could easily get, but after a couple of months, we were able to secure a copy of Mojo and permission to screen it. He is delighted, and audiences will be too because it is a rare opportunity to see the film.”

There are plenty of masterclasses on themes, including cinematography with Suzie Lavelle, composing soundtracks with Anna Rice, and regional filmmaking with Mairtín de Barra, who will talk about filming in West Cork.

De Barra produced Damian McCarthy’s Hokum, and McCarthy will be on hand after screening his West Cork horror sensation, Oddity.

Patrick O’Neill, CEO of Wildcard Distribution, will offer advice on how to ensure a film reaches the screen. McCarthy says this is an important topic.

“Distribution can be a challenging area for filmmakers to navigate. Many don’t think about what steps to take when it’s time to distribute their films.

“Patrick will share his expertise and help guide filmmakers in developing a plan to attract the attention their work deserves.”

The Fastnet Festival honours outstanding films with awards, including the prestigious Puttnam Script Award, named after the renowned film-maker David Puttnam. Four nominees have been selected, including Cork filmmaker Étáin Nash. The winner will receive €25,000 to produce a 10-minute short film along the Wild Atlantic Way.

Fastnet is a unique film festival. There is no red carpet, and the talent is not treated like celebrities in the traditional sense, which is why McCarthy believes the event has gained popularity among big names.

“Fastnet is about people enjoying themselves. We encourage attendees to bring their families for a mini-holiday in Schull, where there’s entertainment for the kids.

“It’s a chance to relax and catch up with friends, with some casual networking, but it’s not formal work.”

The Fastnet Film Festival runs from May 21-25, 2025. See www.fastnetfilmfestival.com