Bord Scannán na hÉireann / the Irish Film Board has announced that Terry McMahon’s feature Patrick’s Day has been selected to have its world premiere at the prestigious SXSW (South by Southwest) Festival in Texas, from over 6,000 international submissions.
This is director Terry McMahon’s second film after 2011’s controversial Charlie Casanova. It stars New Zealander Kerry Fox (Shallow Grave, Sex & Violence, An Angel at My Table), Waterford actor Moe Dunford (Vikings, Raw, The Tudors) in his first major film role, Catherine Walker (Dark Touch, Leap Year, Critical), and veteran English actor Philip Jackson (My Week with Marilyn, Little Voice, Poirot).
Director Terry McMahon commented: “The Texan embrace of our world premiere of Patrick’s Day is staggering and to be selected for the SXSW Narrative Spotlight category, alongside world premieres from mavericks like Robert Duvall, John Malkovich, Rosario Dawson, Hugo Weaving, Juliette Lewis and Alfred Molina makes us all the more proud to dedicate these SXSW screenings to our own imprisoned maverick, Margaretta D’Arcy.”
Patrick’s Day was produced by Tim Palmer (A Kiss for Jed, The Last of the High Kings, Into the West) and co-produced by Rachel Lysaght (Dreams of a Life, The Pipe) for Ignition Film Productions with support from Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board.
This selection continues the recent trend of Irish films at SXSW, where KELLY + VICTOR and GOOD VIBRATIONS screened in 2013; DOLLHOUSE, DREAMS OF A LIFE, CITADEL, FOXES and JOY in 2012.
TV series Penny Dreadful, created by three-time Oscar nominee John Logan and filmed entirely on location in Ireland, will feature at the festival in a section entitled Episodic, which focuses on innovative new work aimed squarely at the small screen. More films to be announced next week.