The Irish films screening and selling at Cannes 2015

The world’s most prestigious film event, the Cannes Film Festival, and its market, Le Marché du Film, begins on Wednesday, May 13th. The Irish film industry is represented with a film selected in Official Competition and a wide range of others screening and selling in the market.

The Lobster, directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, will have its world premiere at the festival. The film, which was funded by Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board (IFB), was shot in Co. Kerry in the Spring of 2014 and stars boasts a cast including Colin Farrell (Intermission), Rachel Weisz (The Constant Gardener), John C. Reilly (Chicago), Ben Whishaw (Skyfall), Olivia Colman (Broadchurch), Léa Seydoux (Spectre) and Michael Smiley (The World’s End).

The Lobster is a blackly funny love story set in a near future where finding love is a matter of life or death. The film is due for release this autumn and was produced by Ed Guiney, Lee Magiday, Ceci Dempsey and Yorgos Lanthimos. Executive Producers are Andrew Lowe, Tessa Ross and Sam Lavender. The film was developed by Element and Irish finance for the film came from the IFB.

Ireland will also be represented at the Cannes Film Festival by talent including Michael Fassbender (Frank) and Jack Reynor (Glassland), who star in a new adaptation of Macbeth, in addition to Gabriel Byrne (Quirke) who stars in Louder Than Bombs.

Irish film industry professionals will be attending the festival market in order to finance and sell their films. Among the films screening and selling at the festival are You’re Ugly Too starring Aidan Gillen (Game of Thrones) which premiered at Berlinale this year, Gerard Barett’s hard-hitting drama Glassland starring Jack Reynor (What Richard Did), Song of the Sea from Cartoon Saloon which was nominated for an Academy Award®, Sing Street from director John Carney (Once), the critically acclaimed Brooklyn starring Saoirse Ronan (Atonement) and Domhnall Gleeson (Frank) and Whit Stillman’s Love & Friendship starring Kate Beckinsale (Underworld) and Chloe Sevigny (American Psycho).

Terry McMahon’s Patrick’s Day, Lenny Abrahamson’s Room, Vivienne deCourcy’s Dare to Be Wild, Rebecca Daly’s Mammal, David Keating’s Cherry Tree, Ivan Kavanagh’s The Canal, Brian O’Malley‘s Let Us Prey, Lisa Mulcahy’s The Legend of Longwood, and Mary McGuckian’s The Price of Desire will also attempt to sell international distribution at the Marché. Co-productions selling include Kim Farrant’s Strangerland, Loic Jourdain’s A Turning Tide in the Life of Man, Fiona Tan’s History’s Future, Billy O’Brien’s I Am Not a Serial Killer, Petri Kotwica’s Absolution, Corin Hardy’s The Hallow, Michael Madsen’s The Visit, Tobi Baumann’s Ghosthunters – On Icy Trails, and Tony Genkel and Sean McCormack’s animation Two By Two – Ooops… The Ark is Gone.

Irieland will also be represented by 16 short films, which were accepted to take part in the Cannes Short Film Corner. We previously featured these on our short film subsite GearrScannain. (Batch 1, Batch 2)

Speaking on The Lobster’s selection to the Cannes Film Festival, IFB CEO James Hickey said: “Films such as The Lobster prove that films developed and produced by an Irish company can proudly stand shoulder to shoulder with the very best in the world. With a brilliant cast including Colin Farrell and the magnificent backdrop of county Kerry, Yorgos Lanthimos has crafted a remarkable film which is certain to be enjoyed by audiences around the world.”

The Irish Pavilion in Cannes is the focal point for the Irish industry and is set up to promote Irish film to the international community, to market Ireland as a destination for large international film projects and to provide business support for the Irish industry.