Last week as part of the Audi Dublin International Film Festival we had the Irish premiere of ‘Photo City’ the film I co-directed with Traolach Ó Murchú. The film played to a full house and it went down a storm. We were delighted with the reaction the film got and are looking forward to the next part of its adventure!
Here is some of the best reaction to the film from twitter
Today is the big day, Mattress Men is finally available for Irish audiences to see after its successful trips to HotDocs in Toronto and to Sheffield DocFest. Its on today and all this week in the Lighthouse, the IFI, The Eye Cinema Galway, movies at Dundrum and in Swords and coming to other cinemas after that. Its also available on demand from Virgin media and from Volta.ie
I’m really hoping people get out and support the film as I’m ridiculously proud to have cut and to be associated with it. I think its really a special film, a unique picture of a Dublin rarely seen and an endearing tale of friendship that’ll make you laugh and make you cry. Colm Quinn, the films director has a unique skill at building a level of trust and empathy which is reflected back in the honesty and openness with which the films subjects Mick and Paul approached their story. It was a privilege to work with Colm on the film, one of the best and most challenging creative working experiences I’ve ever had. Honestly, I hope I’ll get to work on films as good as this again but if I don’t I’ll be happy to know that this film is out there.
Now of course I have a slightly biased opinion on this, I did spend six months cutting the film and have a lot emotional capital invested in its success. Not everyone is going to like it, that is true but thus far the reaction has been overwhelmingly positive. Lets take a look…
★★★★ The Irish Times
“A very humane story about poverty, ambition and everyday struggle. Mattress Men feels like an essential snapshot of an ignored urban sector. Buy, buy, buy before all the tickets are gone!” – Donald Clarke
★★★★ Entertainment.ie
“A charming and uplifting documentary, this one is a real surprise. Bursting with heart, this touching and funny story will warm the cockles.” – Gavin Burke
★★★★ Scannain.com
“Mattress Men is a terrific and ultimately quite moving film that shows how austerity eats at the soul of people who we don’t generally see on screen. The direction by Quinn is light and the editing brings a fluid story together with both grace and a grin. Highly recommended.” – Jason Coyle
★★★★ Movies.ie
Mattress Men tells the story of the Irish recession and the devastating effect it had and still has on the country but it is hard not to root for the plucky, charming and flawed people at the heart of this film. – Brogen Hayes
Film Ireland
“This story is as human as it gets, Colm Quinn’s film is more than the success story of a salesman turned internet star/national treasure, it’s a warm and familiar story of nationhood and success” – Grace Corry
And heres just a sample of what some people have been saying online about the film
So yesterday it was announced that ‘Mattress Men’, the feature documentary I spent a large part of last year editing for director Colm Quinn will have its world premiere at North America’s largest documentary film festival, HotDocs.
The film takes a peak behind the mattress telling the true story the man who made the legend that is Mattress Mick.
In an attempt to save his struggling mattress business during the recession, sixty-something Michael Flynn teams up with aspiring filmmaker Paul Kelly to reinvent himself as the eccentric online persona ‘Mattress Mick’. Through Paul’s zany videos and creative use of social media Mattress Mick quickly becomes an unlikely local celebrity. However, as the business and Mick’s profile begins to grow, their friendship comes under increasing pressure.
Mattress Men is directed by Colm Quinn and is the first feature-length film from Dublin-based independent production companies El Zorrero Films and Faction Films. Mattress Men was funded by the Irish Film Board. The Film was produced by Dave Clarke and Ciaran Deeney with myself cutting, Colm shooting and Michael Fleming composing.
Earlier this year the same team (except me) produced one of the ‘After 16’ shorts Baring Arms which you can watch now on the RTE Player here. Its a great short, beautifully edited by Jordan Montminy that you should definitely check out.
Mattress Men will screen at HotDocs on the 3rd, 4th and 6th of May as part of the “Future Cult Classics” programme.
The announcement yesterday created quite a bit of buzz with the world clearly hungry for as much Mattress Mick as they can handle. Articles about the great mans forthcoming Toronto adventures appeared in Hot Press, the Daily Edge, Film Ireland and beyond.
Other Irish titles playing the festival include ‘The Land of the Enlightened’ and ‘Booby Sands:66 Days’. I’m looking forward to catching them at the festival.
In the meantime, why not watch The Mattress Mick music video which features in the documentary ‘Back With a Bang’ to get a sense of what it is that Paul and Mick are all about…
Delighted to be heading to Galway today for the world premiere of ‘An Klondike’, the first western film to be shot in Ireland. The film is directed by one of my favourite people in the world, my old housemate and my oldest friend in this crazy of ours, Dathai Keane. I’m thrilled for him that his film is not only screening at the Fleadh but has been chosen as the prestigious closing film for Ireland’s premier Film Festival.
Can’t wait to see it on the big screen and catch up with some old friends.
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)
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.
Earlier this week, director Luke McManus went to the Celtic Media Festival in Inverness where he picked up the gong for Best Sports Show for the Arkle documentary I cut for him last year. Luke was naturally delighted with the win, as am I obviously. I’m very proud of the work and I’m delighted its getting the recognition I think it deserves. Well done again Luke
Over the past few months I’ve been working on a series which debuts tonight and i’m very excited about people finally getting the chance to see it. Its a cracking series with some great stories in it that I think people will really like.
‘GAA USA’, a new four part series produced by the IFTA winning Sónta Films which chronicles the largely unknown history of Gaelic games in the United States, will air on TG4 on Wednesday, March 18th at 9.30pm and continue for 4 weeks.
Presented by former All-Ireland winning Kerry captain and award-winning broadcaster Dara Ó Cinnéide, the series reveals the remarkable passion and resourcefulness of the men and women who brought Gaelic Games west across the Atlantic to the USA.
Last weekend we travelled to New York city to launch the series in the Irish Consulate in the company of the new GAA President. It was a great night and I’m very grateful to have gotten the invite to attend.
Some historical artefacts that turned up on the night
The GAA USA crew
Eamonn, Dara, Gaa President Aogan O’Fearghail and Seán
crowd at the consulate watching clips
presenter Dara O’Cinnedide
Diarmuid and Marissa
The series is a Sónta Production funded by TG4, and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and was produced by Éamonn Ó Cualáin and directed by Sean Ó Cualáin.
The DOP on the project was Réamonn Mac Donnacha, Location sound was by Seamus Ó Flatharta, and it was edited by John Murphy with Darragh Dukes doing the music.
In the series, Dara Ó Cinnéide travels across the US to GAA clubs in Boston, Chicago, New York, Milwaukee, and San Diego, to give the audience an entirely new perspective on the Irish emigrant experience as lived through Gaelic games. In conversation with Irish people who have made a home for themselves in the States, he encounters an enduring love of Gaelic games, a deep respect for their past and a great hope for their future. He also explores the struggle of the guardians of Gaelic Games over the years to ensure the survival of the GAA.
Presenter Dara Ó Cinnéide said: ‘Gaelic games in America have always held a strange fascination for me. There were so many furrows to be ploughed and stories to be told that I was drawn to the series from the outset. Like many other Gaels, I have a particular affinity with the Unites States because generations of relatives and neighbours from home have immigrated to its cities and neighbourhoods.’
‘Their story was worth recounting and, having played there I believe I had a particular insight that would help me present that story.’
Showrunners was released last week on VOD and it has been going down a storm thus far, I decided to grab a few tweets from the ether to illustrate some of the reaction. I’ve probably missed loads of the better ones but anyways here we go…
If you haven’t seen the film you can watch the film here
From Volta in Ireland Itunes in the US/Canada Itunes in the UK
Also gives me an oppurtunity to repost this awesome pic of Des from the Television Academy Screening
The day is finally here, Showrunners, the feature documentary I spent a good chunk of 2013 cutting is being released into the wild. Slightly nervous about it but also very proud of the work as well. I just hope people like it and indeed support it.
Irish Audiences can catch the film in the Lighthouse Cinema in Dublin and the Eye Cinema in Galway for this coming week. The film will be available in Ireland on Volta and on itunes in 2 weeks time but if you have the chance to see it on the big screen, its definitely worth it.
Here’s our new trailer
This was among the hardest things I’ve ever had to cut, there is no doubt that feature documentaries are TOUGH but I would be happy enough spending the rest of my career doing them. In this case, I would not have been able to do it without the help from obviously both Des Doyle the director and John Wallace the producer but also Michael Higgins. Anyone you works with Michael know he can do just about anything, he was a great assistant to have on this film and helped us out of a hole on many, many occasions. Also big shout out to Mick Mahon, Shane Callan and everyone at EMC Post and Avatar for their contributions in the post process and indeed all those other people who helped the film out along the way. I think we’ve managed to make something that we can all be proud of.
“Showrunners” is the first ever feature length documentary film to explore the fascinating world of US television showrunners and the creative forces aligned around them. These are the people responsible for creating, writing and overseeing every element of production on one of the United State’s biggest exports – television drama and comedy series.
Often described as the most complex job in the entertainment business, a showrunner is the chief writer / producer on a TV series and, in most instances, the show’s creator. Battling daily between art and commerce, showrunners manage every aspect of a TV show’s development and production: creative, financial and logistical.
The film will be getting a limited cinema release in the USA from Oct 31, playing in selected cinemas in New York and Los Angeles and will be available to but from itunes as well. In fact it is already available on pre order in the US and Canada. That can be done here.
If that wasn’t enough showrunners, you can also order the companion book from amazon here. Its a really great book that compliments the film very well and is well worth a purchase. The book is also available to buy in Ireland from most good bookstores.
The Last Days of Peter Bergmann
It’s been a great start to the week with the news that the short documentary I cut ‘The Last Days of Peter Bergmann’ has won the Best Documentary Short Film Award at this year’s Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF), the largest film festival in the southern hemisphere. This is the second time the film has attained Oscar® eligibility through winning at an accredited international film festival.
The film’s director Ciaran Cassidy, said “We are honoured with the win in Melbourne and thrilled that it is connecting with an audience so far away from home. It’s a testament to the work of the team and everyone involved in making the film.”
The film which was produced by Morgan Bushe for Fastnet Films follows a man who arrived in Sligo in the summer of 2009. Over his final three days, he would go to great lengths to ensure no one would ever discover who he was or where he came from. The film which was funded as part of the Irish Film Boards Reality Bites Scheme has so far screened at over 25 festivals worldwide after its premiere at the Sundance Film Festival. It has gone on to win the Audience Award at Stranger than Fiction, the Grand Jury Prize at Nashville Film Festival and the IFTA for Best Short Film.
MIFF is the largest film festival in both Australia and the southern hemisphere, and is Australia’s largest showcase of new Australian cinema. As of 2013, the festival is accredited by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the Australian Film Institute and the British Academy of Film and Television Arts.
The films director, Ciaran Cassidy, is currently in pre production on feature documentary Jihad Jane: Dangerously Seeking Marriage, a film about three ‘fundamentalist terrorists’ seeking love and marriage in a one bedroom apartment in a small town in Ireland. The film will be produced by Fastnet Films along with Silverosa Film in Sweden and Helsinki Film in Finland.
John Murphy 