Mark O’Connor’s urban-drama Cardboard Gangsters (★★★★) has achieved the biggest opening of any Irish film so far this year at the Irish Box Office. Despite the high temperatures of the weekend, crowds flocked to the cinemas to see Cardboard Gangsters open in 4th position at the Box Office, where it was the best performing new release. The film earned €46,123 in the Republic of Ireland over the weekend, beating out Handsome Devil‘s €44,299. The latter film opened in Northern Ireland on the same date, so it still holds the 2017 record for the island of Ireland . More screens are being added across the country this coming Friday, including in Northern Ireland.
It’s a very positive start to Cardboard Gangster’s Box Office journey, and with the film expanding to more sites from Friday, and the weather set to break, it is on track to be the biggest Irish film of the year. It was the number one film in several Dublin cinemas, and audience reaction has been excellent.
Patrick O’Neill, Managing Director – Wildcard Distribution
Directed by Mark O’Connor, Cardboard Gangsters follows a group of wannabe gangsters as they attempt to gain control of the drug trade in Darndale, chasing the glorified lifestyle of money, power and sex. Jay Connolly (Connors) is a part-time DJ and low-level drug dealer. When his welfare is cut off he decides it’s time for him and his gang to enter the big leagues. This attracts the attention of the local King Pin and sets Jay down a violent and bloody path.
Connors is joined on the acting side by Jimmy Smallhorne, Kierston Wareing (Fish Tank), Fionn Walton (What Richard Did), Damien Dempsey (Between the Canals), Denise McCormack (Love/Hate) Paul Roe (Adam and Paul), Stephen Clinch (Between the Canals), and Corey McKinley (’71), with support from Aaron Blake O’Connell (Bully), Gemma-Leah Devereux (How to Be Happy), Toni O’Rourke (Noble), Fiona Hewitt Twamley, Paul Alright, Ryan Lincoln, and Ciaran McCabe (Bully). UFC fighters Cathal Pendred and Nathan Kelly also make cameo appearances.
The film was produced for Stalker Films and Five Knight Films in association with Filmbase and with the support of the BAI, Egg Post Production and TV3.
It continues to screen in cinemas across Ireland this week. To find out where Cardboard Gangsters is showing near you visit www.cardboardgangsters.com.