Irish Abroad: Ken Loach’s Jimmy’s Hall to screen at Tribeca

The Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board (IFB) funded feature film Jimmy’s Hall has been selected to screen at the prestigious Tribeca Film Festival, founded by Robert De Niro.

The film joins Irish short film Personal Development, which receives its North American premiere at the event, as well as Stephen Fingleton’s The Survivalist, which makes its world premiere.

Directed by Ken Loach and written by Paul Laverty, Jimmy’s Hall tells the true story of Jimmy Gralton, who set up a dance hall on a rural crossroads in an Ireland on the brink of civil war. The film is receiving its North American premiere at the festival and previously screened at Cannes and Busan.

The Tribeca Film Festival is seen as a gateway to the Academy Awards® and is an Academy-accredited festival. Irish short film The Crush, which screened at Tribeca in 2010, went on to be nominated for an Oscar the following year. The 2014 winner of the Best Narrative Short award – UK film The Phone Call  – later won the Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film at this year’s ceremony. Previous Irish films to screen at Tribeca include shorts Rubaí, Fear of Flying and Noreen, as well as feature films Byzantium directed by Neil Jordan, What Richard Did directed by Lenny Abrahamson and The Guard directed by John Michael McDonagh.

Jimmy’s Hall received funding from Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board. The Tribeca Film Festival will be held from April 15th to 26th 2015.