by Rose Rushe
Picture: Don Moloney / Press 22
INTEREST from emerging and confirmed film makers is piqued by the €30,000 to fund two films that ‘make the cut’ for Film Limerick. This is the creative scheme co-run by Limerick City of Culture and Behind the Scenes, our film makers’ network.
“On the scale of what is current, €15K is large enough for each project,” observes Ronan Cassidy, manager of Film Limerick. “Signature, the scheme run by the Irish Film Board, is now €65K per film, down from €75K. Film Base, a support agency, offers €9K or €10K and Film Offaly’s grant, run by the local authority, is at €8.5K”.
Back from Galway Film Fleadh, he reports relevant tweets from Chris O’Dowd and Lenny Abrahamson; Film Limerick Team met with Fionnula Flanagan, Adian Gillen and Domhnall Gleeson while doing the rounds.
On Ronan Cassidy’s appointment, he devised criteria for the mooted Shorts (short films) using Limerick as a location but belonging to any genre.
Two successful winners – deadline for application is September 1 and films to be wrapped by January 31 – will be encouraged to submit for selection overseas and to boost our bid for European City of Culture 2020 (http://behindthescenes.ie/index.php/film-limerick)
From a background principally in Sound himself, training at Dun Laoire Art College, Ballyfermot Senior College and DIT, this Limerick man knows the scene, the score and the slog.
The documentary he directed, ‘Munster Rugby, a Limerick Love Affair’, was picked up internationally.
“Each film applicant will send in four copies. The one with his or her name on it will be read by me. The anonymous scripts will be sent for reading to three readers, each of them of the best in their field and none from Limerick.
“We’ll pick a shortlist of up to 20 projects to narrow down for interview” – and according to ability to deliver.
Of this mission, this Cassidy (nephew to composer Patrick, LA based) is delighted to advocate. “It’s not only a great opportunity, this is something I have always wanted to do – film development, get it up and running in Limerick”.
“There is a lot of good locations. Look at where ‘Fuerze Brute’ was, in Culture Factory. That would make a great sound stage like Ardmore Studios”.
He cites the international airport, hotels, the medieval city’s allure during this era of fixation with period dramas. “Few countries can compete”. We’ll see more of Cassidy’s strategy when Limerick Film ultimately screens these Shorts that will showcase the city at optimum dimension, as plot/ backdrop and as a film maker’s destination.
