PLATFORM Freeway on the world wide web is where film producers can upload their latest for selection to competitive festivals. Enabled by this pool of new works, the panel for the Richard Harris International Film Festival, located in Ireland and overseas, opened out the selection process.
The outcome for the October 24-27 event in Limerick is that at least four feature screenings are Ireland premiers; another two have had no distribution previously here.
“Everything has come together nicely,” admits entrepreneurial festival co-founder Zeb Moore who with his wife Sylvia has taken over creative content. RHIFF director Rob Gill has been co-organiser/ founding member for the last three years and the expanded board claims Harris family members and a five year vision.
Moore is happy too about collaborations: with Dolan’s for burlesque cabaret, with Limerick Writers’ Centre to launch a plaque to Richard at Charlie St George’s on Parnell Street; with Savoy and George Boutique hotels for workshops and parties. This plaque will be the first act in these rich few days of film celebration, its unveiling on Thursday 22 at 5pm.
“Jared Harris [director and actor] has picked out some poetry by his father that has not been published nor seen before to read. Then Stephanie Jollaand, a director with Friendly Films and Sean McConville, producer, will give a workshop. Sean has worked on ‘Star Wars: Phantom Menace’ and some of the Pierce Brosnan Bond movies”.
Their recent feature ‘The Quiet Hour’ starred Dakota Fanning and Zeb himself. Typical of this year’s changes, there will be a Q&A after its screening on Thursday 22, 7pm at No. 69 O’Connell Street.
It’s this ability to attract the teams behind emerging movies to share industry skills that underpins 2015. TV3 ‘Xposé’s team will broadcast from the red carpet and the New York based ‘Out of Ireland’ station, which has millions of viewers, is coming to document the four days.
“Producers and directors of the submissions chosen to screen will host talks or a workshop,” Zeb Moore continues. “‘Love is Now’ is a very strong love movie and Sam Eather, producer, is travelling from Australia. Tom Waller, director of ‘The Last Executioner’ has an Irish background from Nenagh by way of Thailand -he has a Thai mother. His movie came from Thailand.
Photo: Paul Mullins
“‘The David Dance’ is a wonderful little film that has drawn multiple awards internationally. Its writer Don Scim will try to get here and there’s our European premier of “Kandiyohi’ by Nicholas Engen, director.
“‘Patrick’s Day’ is a new movie from Terry McMahon that has won important IFTAs for Best Script, Best Actor, Best Sound. Terry will be in attendance for the entire festival and is giving an acting workshop”.
Finally, City of Culture bursary winners ‘The Clockmaker’s Dream’ and ‘Lost & Found’, made with “a wealth of local talent” are premiered on Saturday 24.
Details are online at site richardharrisfestival.com, and tickets (€8) at www.limetreetheatrie.ie, including the €35 gala screening of Richard Harris’ Oscar nominated ‘A Man Called Horse’ on Friday 25. Jared Harris and Ella Harris are pulling power with movie notables, Sean Cronin of ‘Mission Impossible: Rogue Nation’ and Jack Reynor of ‘Macbeth’ in the mix.
