Pat Collins’ Song of Granite, a biopic based on the life of Irish singer Joe Heaney (Seosamh Ó hÉanaí), will have its North American premiere at the 2017 South by Southwest Film Conference and Festival. Irish/US short documentary The Moderators, directed by Ciaran Cassidy and Adrian Chen, will also have its world premiere in competition.
Macdara Ó Fátharta, Michael O’Chonfhlaola, and Colm Seoighe portray Heaney at various stages in his life, which saw the singer move from Ireland to the UK, and on to New York City, where he settled shortly after performing at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965. Heaney is estimated to have recorded hundreds of Irish traditional (sean nós) songs. The Féile Chomórtha Joe Éinniú (Joe Heaney Commemorative Festival) is held every year in Carna, County Galway.
Song of GraniteCollins is a gifted filmmaker, having given us Living in a Coded Land and Silence. Song of Granite is written by Collins, Eoghan Mac Giolla Bhride, and Sharon Whooley. Cinematographer Richard Kendrick shot the film for black-and-white and it is edited by long-time Collins collaborator Tadhg O’Sullivan.
The Moderators follows a group of new employees at a consultancy in India are trained in their responsibilities as the moderating backbone of the Internet.
Song of Granite was funded by the IFB, BAI, TG4, SODEC and Telefilm and will be released in the UK and Ireland later this year by Soda Pictures and Widcard Distribution. The 2017 SXSW Film Festival kicks off on Friday, March 10th and runs through March 19th.