There will be no escaping Irish cinema at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival
An impressive four Irish feature films SNAP, MY BROTHERS, ONDINE and ZONAD have been officially selected to screen at the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival which takes place next month from April 21st – May 2nd.
Carmel Winters debut feature SNAP and MY BROTHERS directed by Paul Fraser and written by William Collins have been selected to screen in the World Narrative Competition. Selected from over 5,055 international submissions, they will screen with ten other films created by many first and second time directors in the competition including Joann Sfar’s Gainsbourg: Je t’aime…Moi Non Plus. Meanwhile Neil Jordan’s ONDINE will screen in the Spotlight section and John Carney’s latest feature ZONAD has been selected for the Cinemania section of the festival.
Simon Perry, Chief Executive Bord Scannán na hÉireann/ the Irish Film Board said “As the importance of the Tribeca festival grows, it is heartening to see more and more Irish films selected – and not only films from proven directors like Neil Jordan and John Carney but also work by newer names whose strength of voice the festival has been quick to recognise.”
Originally founded in 2002 by Jane Rosenthal and Robert De Niro, the festival has grown to become one of the biggest film festivals in North America having screened over 1100 films from over 80 countries and attracting an international audience of more than 2.3 million attendees since its first festival. Irish films have had much success at the festival in recent years with The Eclipse, Eden and New Boy all picking up awards.
This year, the festival will screen 45 world premieres, two of which will be SNAP and MY BROTHERS.
SNAP, written and directed by Carmel Winters is a gripping psychological drama about three generations of a family poised to repeat the mistakes of the past. It was produced by Martina Niland and Samson Films (Eden, Once) and was funded by the IFB and Screen Scene.
Paul Fraser’s feature directorial debut MY BROTHERS was written by William Collins. When 17-year-old Noel accidentally breaks his dying father’s most prized possession-a cheap wristwatch-he and his two younger brothers “borrow” the boss’ bread van for a clandestine quest to replace it. But what begins as a quick road trip soon turns into an emotional odyssey for the boys. The film which was produced by Rebecca O’Flanagan and Rob Walpole with Rubicon Films, was funded by the IFB, RTÉ and Windmill Lane.
Neil Jordan’s ONDINE starring the IFTA-winning Colin Farrell will screen in the Spotlight section of the festival, which includes features from critically acclaimed filmmakers, high-profile cast members and timely subjects. Produced by James Flynn for Octagon Films and Wayfare Entertainment, ONDINE had its Irish premiere as the opening film of the recent Jameson Dublin International Film Festival and received funding from the IFB, Wayfare Entertainment, BCI and RTÉ.
ZONAD the light-hearted comedy directed and written by John Carney (Once) and Kieran Carney will be included in the Cinemania section of the Tribeca Festival which is made up of an assortment of eclectic narrative films that push the boundaries of creativity and genre offering smart thrills, horror, imaginative alternative realities and outrageous humour.
The film stars Simon Delaney as an escaped convict whose arrival in a small Irish town coincides with a rare comet sighting. As a result, the gullible local community hail him as an alien from another galaxy. Produced by Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe and John McDonnell for Element Pictures, ZONAD was funded by the IFB, RTÉ and Element Pictures.
ZONAD and ONDINE are now showing at Irish cinemas nationwide