The most recent Director's Club event screening which took place in the Director's Screening Room on April 28th featured 'Cherrybomb' co-directored by Lisa Barros D'Sa and Glenn Leyburn.
As is customary visiting directors Lisa and Glenn took part in a Q&A session following the screening moderated by SDGI member Ruth Meehan. Lisa & Glenn explored their reasons for selecting the script and the choice of cast members, which includes: Rupert Grint, Robert Sheehan and Kimberly Nixon. This coming of age story revolves around three Belfast teenagers, Malachy (Grint), Luke (Sheehan) and Michelle (Nixon). When Michelle arrives to stay with her father (James Nesbitt) she sends the boys into hormonal overload resulting in disastrous consequences.Lisa explained that Grint was interested in the role immediately as it represents a more gritty departure from his role as Ron Weasley in the Harry Potter franchise. Lisa explained that although set in Belfast there is no reference to its troubled past and that she and Glenn were determined to make the film colourful and lively with a contemporary sound track.
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Aaron O’Reilly is mentored by George Gently Director Daniel O'Hara.
SDGI Director in Focus
Lisa Mulcahy
The Big Red One
An article on the new camera
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Director Ciarín Scott talks about making her George Morrison biography Waiting for the Light.
The next Director's Club screening will feature 'Cherrybomb' by co-directors Lisa Barros D'Sa and Glenn Leyburn on April 28th in the Sony Director's Screening Room.
As always the event will kick off at 6pm with tea/coffee and some light refreshments allowing members to catch up with each other before the screening with will start promptly at 6.30pm.Women's Committee Chair Neasa Hardiman will act as moderator for the Q&A which will follow the screening.
If you would like to attend this event please email liz@sdgi.ie. Places are limited and will be allocated on a first come first served basis.
The Screen Directors Guild of Ireland, in association with the Directors Guild of America, is delighted to announce the 5th Annual Directors Finders Series 2009
The Directors Finders Series Award presents an Irish director with an opportunity to showcase their film in the state-of-the-art Director’s Guild of America Theatre, Sunset Boulevard, L.A, to an audience of American distributors & industry personnel with a view to securing a U.S distribution deal.
The Directors Finders Series spotlights works of fiction, documentary or drama feature submissions from Irish directors who have not secured U.S distribution for their films.
An international panel of experts, which includes a representative from Pathe U.K, will select the winning director & film. The film & the director will then travel to L.A where an official screening will take place on Friday 7th August 2009 in the DGA Theatre.
SDGI will launch the winning film on Thursday 16th July in Dublin in The Morrison Hotel at a special awards ceremony hosted by internationally acclaimed directors Neil Jordan & Jim Sheridan.
Last year, 15 Irish directors submitted their films and the panel of judges decided on ‘The Secret of Kells’ by Tomm Moore as the winner. Tomm travelled to LA, where he had meetings with highly regarded distributors, studios & agents. This culminated in the screening of his film to an invited audience of major U.S film agents, distributors, press & other industry professionals & was followed by a Q&A session chaired by international director, Paul Quinn.
Tomm is in still in communication with a number of distributors regarding ‘The Secret of Kells,’ as well as with a number of companies in regards to collaborating on new projects. Meanwhile ‘The Secret of Kells’ has gone onto screen as the gala closing presentation of the Jameson International Film Festival 2009 & has just opened in Irish cinemas to great critical acclaim.
'Even though I’ve been working within the film sector for the last 10 years or so, SDGI, with The Directors Finders Series has opened a door to a whole new world & to opportunities which I would never have got otherwise.' (Tomm Moore).
Overall, last years series was outstandingly successful, with overwhelming industry attendances at both the Dublin & L.A events & hence the Screen Directors Guild is very excited about the 2009 Directors Finders Series.
The deadline for applications for this years’ event is 27th April 2009.
Applications are available to download here
For further information contact the Production Manager, Michelle Connolly on michelle@sdgi.ie
This award is supported by:The Irish Film Board, The Directors Guild of America, Culture Ireland, American Airlines, Paulaner & The Morrison Hotel.
March will see the official launch of the SDGI ‘friends’ scheme, an initiative developed to help raise the profile of the Guild, its members and funding. The scheme, which is a long-term endeavour will help to ensure that the dynamic SDGI programme of work for and on behalf of members continues to be implemented at its current level. It will also enable the SDGI to broaden its project work, which involves creating more industry related events for members.
Please help promote the scheme by letting people know it exists; it’s a great way for others to get involved with the Guild and support Irish directors.
