Mattress Men takes Toronto

Last week, I went over to Toronto for the Hot Docs Film Festival where the film I spent last year cutting ‘Mattress Men’ had its world premiere. Among everything else it also provided me with an opportunity to take a bit of a break and to visit Canada for the first time. The week away was a great success and the film went down an absolute storm.

The week started with Máire and I attending a really fun literary event on Bloor Street near where we were staying while the director Colm Quinn and the producer David Clarke making a somewhat unique appearance on morning television promoting the film.

The film played three times over the course of the festival, each screening was different and memorable in its own right. The first screening took place in the beautiful surroundings of the Hart House Theatre right in the middle of the city’s University. Despite everyone being nervous about attracting a crown on a Tuesday evening at 9:45 we ended up getting a great crowd down and the audience did what they were supposed to, they laughed, they cried and gave the film a great reception after. No matter how confident you are in a film, you never know how it’ll go down until you put in front of an audience and it couldn’t have gone much better.

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The second screening was in the TIFF Lightbox where so much of the festival was based, this screening played to a full house of over 300 people who once again all loved it. The stars of the film were genuinely touched by all the positivity towards them and to the film. There was a que of people after wanting their photo taken with Brian the Mattress Man. This was a screening unlike other I had experienced in my career thus far. Its something I won’t forget in a while.

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The third screening was a bit further out in a really cool district on the Friday night. It was again a full house and we were all a bit more ‘relaxed’ going into the film. It turns out the film is even funnier and more emotional when you’ve had a few jars. I also had the best burger of my life just prior to the screening but thats a different story. Seriously, that burger.

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The rest of the week was taken up with catching some great documentaries, exploring a really great city with Máire and just taking it easy. Heading to Niagara Falls with Mattress Mick and the crew is a memory I will cherish. We had a total blast.

Here’s what some of the reviews of the film looked like.
Toronto Film Scene said…
“Most people will probably go into Mattress Men expecting some hearty laughs based on its premise, and while they’ll get just that, they’ll also probably be surprised by how moving it all is. It’s the most unexpected tearjerker of the festival.”

And here are what some of the public had to say about it.

https://twitter.com/shelbymonita/status/728342388372951040
https://twitter.com/mareemartinez/status/728363897439268864
https://twitter.com/lpincente/status/728375258714128385
https://twitter.com/shelbazore/status/728779839981944833

Paidi wins top prize at Celtic Media Festival

I’ve been in the edit all week so I haven’t had a chance until now to blog some news from last weekend As I reported last week Arkle won the Best Sports Documentary at last weeks Celtic Media Award but at the final awards the top prize of the festival, the Spirit of the Festival Award was given out to Páidi Ó Sé: Rí an Pharoiste. This makes something of a clean sweep for the documentary, having already won the Oireachtás Award for TV Programme of the Year and also winning the IFTA for Best Sports Documentary in 2014. Delighted for Director Louise Ni Fhiannachta and Producers Paddy Hayes and Laura Ni Cheallaigh (pictured here with the Torc)

Laura with the Torc for Paidi

For more information on the doc visit its page on my site

Here’s the trailer

Full list of Celtic Media Award 2015 Winners here, looking forward to next years event in Dungarvan which I shall definitely head to. There is no excuse not to after all.

Screenings Tonight

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The Weather Report screens tonight in Galway as part of Culture Night. An Taibhdhearc tonight plays host to a series of short films, kicking off at half seven. If you are in Galway you should definetly head down. The selection of shorts plays at 7.30pm, 8.15pm, 9pm and 9.45pm. The line-up is: Rubaí, The Weather Report , Somewhere Down the Line , The Usual and Rival Chivalry.

This screening marks the beginning of a busy few weeks for my brothers short, TWR will be screening at a host of festivals at home and abroad. It has its North American premiere also today at The San Francisco Irish Film Festival as part of a very select bunch of shorts.

Also included on that list and screening at that festival is The Last Days of Peter Bergmann, which is continuing to screen at festivals.

As well as the screening in California, it is screening in Athens as part of the Athens International Film Festival. Director Ciaran Cassidy is in the greek capital for the event as a guest of honour by invitation of the Irish Ambassador. He’s probably reading this eating some feta right now…

Showrunners to Screen in Edinburgh on Friday

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Described by The Hollywood Reporter as “an intriguing behind the scenes expose of the men and women responsible for TV’s recent revolution” Showrunners will have an exclusive presentation at this year’s Guardian Edinburgh International Television Festival. Showrunners is the first ever feature length documentary film to explore the fascinating world of U.S. television showrunners and the creative forces aligned around them. These people are responsible for creating, writing and overseeing every element of production on one of the United State’s biggest exports – television drama and comedy series.

The film shows audiences the huge amount of work that goes into making sure their favourite TV series airs on time as well as the many challenges that showrunners have to overcome to make sure a new series makes it onto the schedules at all!

Featuring contributions from J.J. Abrams, Joss Whedon, Ronald D.Moore, Damon Lindelof, Bill Prady, Hart Hanson, Jane Espenson, Jonathan Nolan and many more!

Scriptwriter, Journalist and Broadcaster Andrew Collins will be chairing this screening and it will be followed by a Q&A with the film’s director Des Doyle and special guest showrunner Ronald D.Moore (Outlander, Battlestar Galactica,Carnivale, Star Trek: The Next Generation)

 

The Film is on at the Filmhouse at 2 this friday Aug 22

Paul Murphy: Film God

Last weekend The Limerick Film Festival was held in that fair city. The short film ‘The Weather Report’ that my brother Paul directed and that I edited screened at the festival and was nominated for 3 awards in the festival’s showpiece short film awards night. I couldn’t make it down on the night but my brothers trip to the city was well worth it. The film picked up 2 awards, best camera for the DP on the project Ivan Marcos and best director for Paul himself. I’m delighted for Paul, this was his first drama project and to see him and it get some recognition so early in its festival life is really something great. Here’s hoping the award and screening are the first of many for the film on its adventures around the world.

There is a full list of winners here

Here are some pictures of the awards night

dp Ivan Marcus Picks up his award
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Paul Murphy takes his places among the Film Gods
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Paul and Ivan at the show
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Photos by Caleb Purcell for ILoveLimerick.com 2014. All Rights Reserved.

Peter Bergmann is going to SUNDANCE!

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I am absolutely delighted to say that the short film I cut earlier this year, The Last Days of Peter Bergmann has been selected for the Sundance Film Festival in January. The film was directed by Ciaran Cassidy, produced by Morgan Bushe for Fastnet Films, beautifully filmed by Kate McCullough and edited by my good self. The film had its world premiere at IFI Stranger Than Fiction this year, where it picked up the audience award for Best Short Film. The short film was funded under the IFB’s Reality Bites scheme and tells the story of a man calling himself Peter Bergmann who arrived in Sligo Town in the summer of 2009. Over his final three days, he went to great lengths to make sure that no one would ever know who he was or where he came from.

Being selected is a huge achievement for Ciaran. Only 66 shorts from over 8000 entries were selected and of those only 14 were short documentaries, so to be in that final 14 is massive. Personally it’s a huge thing for me to have a film I worked on screen at such a prestigious film festival. I’m also delighted for everyone involved, as it was a real delight to work on the film. Everyone involved, Morgan, Ciaran, Collie, Guillaume Eugene, Kate and the rest of the gang are all really good people to boot.

Here is the new Trailer for the film

Follow the film on Twitter

Like the film on Facebook

Here is the list of the other short documentaries, it includes some heavy hitters like Lucy Walker whose film The Crash Reel is long listed for the Oscar documentary award, Kevin Jerome Everson who has had several exhibitions of his works in top US Museums and star of community, comedian Danny Pudi who made an ESPN 30 for 30 short which was selected

Choreography / U.S.A. (Directors: David Redmon, Ashley Sabin) — Donkeys gaze at those who gaze at them.

Fe26 / U.S.A. (Director: Kevin Jerome Everson) — Two gentlemen make a living hustling metal in Cleveland, Ohio.

Godka Cirka (A Hole in the Sky) / Spain, France, U.S.A. (Directors: Alex Lora, Antonio Tibaldi) — Young Alifa looks up at the Somali sky and thinks about her daily life as a shepherdess. She knows the day that will change her life forever is about to come.
http://vimeo.com/64763485

Hacked Circuit / U.S.A. (Director: Deborah Stratman) — This circular study of the Foley process portrays sound artists at work constructing complex layers of fabrication and imposition.

I Think This Is the Closest to How the Footage Looked / Israel (Directors: Yuval Hameiri, Michal Vaknin) — A man with poor means recreates a lost memory of the last day with his mom. Objects come to life in a desperate struggle to produce a single moment that is gone.

The Last Days of Peter Bergmann / Ireland (Director: Ciaran Cassidy) — In 2009, a man claiming to be from Austria arrived in the town of Sligo, Ireland. During his final days, Peter Bergmann went to great lengths to ensure no one ever discovered who he was and where he came from.

The Lion’s Mouth Opens / U.S.A. (Director: Lucy Walker) — A stunningly courageous young woman takes the boldest step imaginable, supported by her mother and loving friends.

Love. Love. Love. / Russia (Director: Sandhya Daisy Sundaram) — Every year, through the endless winters, her love takes new shapes and forms.

https://vimeo.com/63401797

Notes on Blindness / United Kingdom, U.S.A., Australia (Directors: Peter Middleton, James Spinney) — In 1983, writer and theologian John Hull became blind. To help make sense of his loss, he began keeping an audio diary. Encompassing dreams, memories, and his imaginative life, Notes on Blindness immerses the viewer in Hull’s experience of blindness.

Of God and Dogs / Syrian Arab Republic (Director: Abounaddara Collective) — A young, free Syrian soldier confesses to killing a man he knew was innocent. He promises to take vengeance on the God who led him to commit the murder.

One Billion Rising / U.S.A. (Directors: Eve Ensler, Tony Stroebel) — In 2013, one billion women and men rose and shook the earth through dance to end violence against women in the biggest mass action ever. The event was a radical awakening of body and consciousness. This is what it looked like.

Remembering the Artist, Robert De Niro, Sr. / U.S.A. (Directors: Perri Peltz, Geeta Gandbhir) — Robert De Niro, Sr., was a figurative painter obscured by the powerful pop art movement. His work has returned to the spotlight because of his son, who happens to be one of the world’s most famous actors.

Tim and Susan Have Matching Handguns / U.S.A. (Director: Joe Callander) — Love is swapping clips with your spouse in the middle of a three-gun problem.

Untucked / U.S.A. (Director: Danny Pudi) — This documentary explores the iconic “untucked” jersey worn in 1977 when Marquette University won its first and only national college basketball championship. It was designed by one of Marquette’s players, Bo Ellis, under the fearless leadership of Coach Al McGuire.

Irish Film New York is on this weekend

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This weekend as part of the excellent Irish Film New York festival they are showing not one but two films I edited as part of their showcase of Irish work. King of the Travellers plays tomorrow at 4, followed immediately by When Ali Came to Ireland at 6. ‘Ali’ director Ross Whitaker and producer Aideen O’Sullivan are going to the event which is run by Niall McKay and in that company a weekend in New York would have been amazing but I just couldn’t make it happen.

The films are screening in NYU’s Cantor Film Centre on 8th Street. If you know anyone in New York, you should tell them to go as they will enjoy a great festival and see some quality films including the US premiere of Silence, Run & Jump and Made in Belfast.

here’s a great piece from the hollywood reporter on the festival

and another from Indiewire about the Irish New Wave

and here’s a clip from the Ali doc

I’m HUGE in Finland apparently.

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So this happened yesterday, 2 films I worked on screened in Northern Finland in the city of Oulu as part of the Irish Festival of Oulu. King of the Travellers and Men at Lunch were both among an eclectic mix of Irish Films.

The films screened in a pretty cool looking cinema. Located at 65 degrees North, the city is one of the northernmost larger cities in the world and is home to the world Air Guitar Championships.

Thanks to Men at Lunch director, Sean O’Cualain for sending on the pictures.

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Cork French Film Festival March 4-11


It’s never a bad time to enjoy some French Cinema, but perhaps with the Artist winning at the Oscars this week, the timing of next weeks Cork French Film Festival couldn’t be better. As usual, this excellent little festival has a really superb line-up, programmer Paul Callanan has been doing a wonderful job down there for some time now. Its an exciting mix of Film screenings and events with music, exhibitions and theatre thrown in the mix as well.

The highlight has to be a screening of Carl Dreyers classic “The Passion of Joan of Arc” with a live score.

This is one of the greatest films ever made and it is well worth the effort go trying to catch it.

Other highlights include a stage adaptation of “Belleville Rendez-vous” in the Triskel, screenings of Mr. Hulot’s Holiday in the English Market and “Seven Years of Bad Luck” at Ballymaloe House.
There is of course an excellent selection of new French cinema as well, include Finish director Aki Kurismaki’s latest “Le Harve”

Its on all next week in various parts of Cork City, see their website for details