Irish Abroad: Moe Dunford selected as European Shooting Star

Following universal praise for his performance in the new Irish film Patrick’s Day, up and coming Irish actor Moe Dunford has been selected as one of the European Shooting Stars at the 65th Berlin International Film Festival, February 5th to 15th.

Dunford is in good company as previous actors selected for the Shooting Star award over the years include Daniel Craig (Skyfall), Andrew Scott (Sherlock), Domhnall Gleeson (Frank), Carey Mulligan (Inside Llewyn Davis),  Daniel Brühl (Rush). Other Irish recipients include Antonia Campbell-Hughes, Sarah Bolger, and Pádraic Delaney.

This year’s class includes Game of Thrones star Maisie Williams, most recently seen in Irish film Gold, Lithuania’s Aist? Dirži?t?,  Denmark’s Joachim Fjelstrup, Switzerland’s Sven Schelker, Germany’s Jannis Niewöhner, Iceland’s Hera Hilmar, Finland’s Emmi Parvainen, Spain’s Natalia de Molina, and  The Netherland’s Abbey Hoes.

A graduate of the Gaiety School of Acting, Moe Dunford was nominated for the prestigious Bingham Ray New Talent Award at this year’s Galway Film Fleadh for his portrayal of Patrick, a patient suffering from schizophrenia, in Terry McMahon’s award-winning Patrick’s Day.  Dunford also plays the recurring lead role of Aethelwulf in the major international TV series Vikings produced in Ireland by World 2000 for History Channel.

Speaking of his selection, Moe Dunford said: [quote]I’m hugely honoured and proud to be chosen to represent Ireland as a Shooting Star in the forthcoming Berlinale in 2015. I would like to specially thank Terry McMahon the writer and director of Patrick’s Day.  I am ferociously proud both on a personal and professional level of Patrick’s Day which has played no small part in winning me this honour. Terry was prepared to take a chance on me as a young actor in the leading role of his inspiring film and I hope he feels that the gamble has paid off for him as well as it has for me![/quote]

The European Shooting Stars honour is an initiative which shines a spotlight upon Europe’s best emerging actors, putting new emerging talent at the forefront for the busy film and entertainment agenda which unfolds each year at the Berlin International Film Festival. The ten award recipients are selected from a highly competitive list of actors from over 25 European countries.

The 2015 Berlin International Film Festival will take place from February 5th to 15th. Patrick’s Day will be released in Irish cinemas from February 2015.