Two more Irish films have been added to the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) line-up. Aoife McArdle’s feature directorial debut Kissing Candice will screen in Discovery section at the festival, while Anders Walter’s I Kill Giants will be presented in TIFF’s Kids strand, with both films receiving their world premieres at the festival. The pair join the previously announced IFB-backed films Good Favour, The Cured, The Lodgers, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, The Breadwinner, Mary Shelley and Grace Jones: Bloodlight and Bami, and Disobedience, which is produced by Element Pictures.
Kissing Candice17 year old Candice longs to escape the boredom of her seaside town, only finding solace in her vivid imagination. When a boy she dreams about turns up in real life, she becomes increasingly entangled with a dangerous local gang.
Ann Skelly (Red Rock) stars as Candice, with support from a cast of rising and established Irish stars, including Ryan Lincoln (Cardboard Gangsters), Ryan McParland (Skunky Dog), Conall Keating (Robbie the Rabbit), Tony Doyle (Sing Street), Maghnús Foy (Red Rock), James Greene (Mammal), John Lynch (The Fall), Lydia McGuinness (Sing Street), Lalor Roddy (Lost in the Living), Caitriona Ennis, and Kwaku Fortune.
Northern Irish-director McArdle is best known for her work in the world of television commercials and music video, with her video for the U2 song ‘Every Breaking Wave’ nominated for Best International Music Video at the UK Music Video Awards 2015. In addition to directing, McArdle has also developed the script, and worked with producer Andrew Freedman of Venom Film to bring it to the screen. Freedman has produced a number of award-winning shorts and features, including Ken Wardrop’s IFTA-winning His & Hers and the BAFTA-winning co-production Kelly and Victor. On the production side, cinematography is by Steve Annis and film editing is by Dan Sherwen, both of whom worked with McArdle on ‘Every Breaking Wave’. The film shot in Dundalk, Drogheda, and Dublin.
Kissing Candice is one of three films selected as part of the Irish Film Board’s last Catalyst Project, which provided each filmmaking team with funding to produce a low-budget feature film.
I Kill GiantsI Kill Giants, filmed in Dublin and surrounding areas late last year. Hollywood star Zoe Saldana plays psychologist Mrs. Mollé, who is tasked with helping a young girl (played by True Detective’s Madison Wolfe) battle both real and imagined monsters as she tries to process the fact that her mother is dying from cancer. The pair are joined by Green Room’s Imogen Poots.
The film is the first feature from Helium director Walter, and is adapted by Joe Kelly from his own graphic novel. That book won a Gaiman Award in 2013 and the International Manga Award in 2012. It was also named to the Top Ten Great Graphic Novels for Teens in 2010 by the Young Adult Library Services Association. Director Walter and producer Kim Magnusson won an Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film for Helium in 2014.
Harry Potter and the Philosopher‘s Stone director Chris Columbus is producing through his 1492 Pictures/Ocean Blue Ent, with Man of Action Entertainment, Umedia, and XYZ Films. Parallel Films’ Johanna Hagan is the Irish-based Executive producer on the film. Louise Kiely was involved on the Irish casting front, with Kevin Byrne of TeamFX on special effects.
The 2017 Toronto International Film Festival takes place from 7–17 September and more information can be found here.