Rosanna Davison Lands Lead Role in Irish Film

Ireland's Evening Herald newspaper today features a cover story revealing former Miss World (2003) Rosanna Davison, the daughter of legendary songsmith Chris de Burgh, as having landed the female lead role in VENA, a feature film directed by renowned photographer/director Kevin Abosch and co-starring Richard Wall (star of the Oscar-nominated short Whatever Turns You On).

Davison, a model and regular fixture on the Dublin social scene is a familiar face to those who read the gossip rags. In VENA, she plays the role of a romance novelist whose relationship with a botanist played by Wall, is strained by his obsessive research into plant consciousness. Aparently, he is more into plants than he is into her. Science-fiction it seems. In the Herald article director Abosch gushes about her "natural talent" and ability to take direction so well. VENA, was shot entirely in Dublin and marks an exciting new turn for Irish film. From what we gather, it seems to be an artistic, sci-fi film with international appeal. It will surely play well on the festival circuit and perhaps launch the career of one of Ireland's most beautiful women. - Click on the image above to read the Herald article.

"Wide Open Spaces" World Premiere Edinburgh

Wide Open Spaces to have World Premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival

06/05/2009

WIDE OPEN SPACES, directed by Tom Hall and starring Ardal O'Hanlon (Father Ted) is having its world premiere at the 63^rd Edinburgh International Film Festival which will take place from June 17 - 28.

Written by Arthur Matthews (Father Ted), it has been officially selected to screen in the Rosebud Discovery section of the festival which features "first and second works from the directors to watch".

Ewen Bremner (Fool's Gold) and Owen Roe (Alarm) also star in this belated coming of age comedy with a unique take on male friendship and how sometimes it is easier to break up with a girl than with your best straight male friend.

Wide Open Spaces is produced by Irish company Grand Pictures (The Race) and Scottish company Mead Kerr (Night People) with funding from Bord Scannán na hEireann / the Irish Film Board, Scottish Screen, RTÉ and BBC Scotland.

The Edinburgh International Film Festival will take place June 17^th - 28^th.

Ciarán Hinds Wins Best Actor Award at Tribeca

Irish Actor Ciarán Hinds Wins Best Actor Award For ‘The Eclipse’ At The Tribeca Film Festival

01/05/2009

Last night the Irish film industry continued its successful relationship with the Tribeca Film Festival as Irish actor Ciarán Hinds (Harry Potter, Munich) scooped the Best Actor award for his performance in Conor McPherson’s new film THE ECLIPSE.

This is the second year running that the Irish film industry has picked up a major award at Tribeca. Last year Irish actress Eileen Walsh picked up the Best Actress for her performance in Declan Reck’s film EDEN, while the Oscar nominated short film NEW BOY scooped the award for Best Narrative Short Film.

Written by McPherson and Billy Roche, the supernatural drama screened as part of the World Narrative Feature Competition category during the 12-day festival, and has received very positive reviews from the critics to date. The New York Times said the film was one of the four strongest candidates in competition, the Associated Press highlighted it as one of three films in competition "worthy of attention", Variety said that it was a film “of seductive grace” and the New York Magazine said that it was the best competition film reviewed this year.

Rob Walpole, the producer of the film, said “We have had such a fantastic reaction to THE ECLIPSE here in Tribeca. The film has really resonated with audiences and Ciarán Hind’s performance has been central to that. This award is a great recognition of his work in this film and his powerful skills as an actor. We are delighted for him”.

Simon Perry, Chief Executive, Bord Scannan na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board said “Bravo to Ciaran Hinds who is a great actor, and bravo to Conor McPherson for writing another great part for this great actor.”

THE ECLIPSE tells the story about a widower (Ciarán Hinds) who is haunted by nightmarish visions. When he volunteers at an international literary festival, his life converges with a beautiful author of supernatural fiction (Iben Hjejle) and a self obsessed novelist (Aidan Quinn) drawing them into a life-altering collision between the living and the dead. The acting talent in the film has been particularly applauded with Variety describing both Quinn and Hind's performances as "brilliant" and the Village Voice saying "the acting was just superb".

Hinds made his feature film debut in John Boorman's Excalibur (1981) and has a long list of feature film credits to his name including Munich, Miami Vice, Mickybo & Me, December Bride, Road to Perdition, Calendar Girls and Race to Witch Mountain. He has also worked widely in both theatre and television.

Produced by Rob Walpole for Treasure Entertainment with funding from Bord Scannán na hÉireann / the Irish Film Board, RTE and the BCI, THE ECLIPSE shot on location in Cobh, Co. Cork last September. Sales for THE ECLIPSE are being handled by Submarine and Irish audiences will have an opportunity to see THE ECLIPSE when it is broadcast on RTE 1 later this year.