Young Americans Film Season at Triskel Christchurch Cork, May 16-20

From Saturday May 16th until Wednesday May 20th Triskel Christchurch in Cork city will play host to a showcase of recent gems from American independent cinema. Presented in association with Cork Film Festival, the Young Americans season consists of six feature films (including five Irish premieres) which are accompanied by a selection of short films, each illustrating tales of disaffected and underground American life.

[quote]I’ve been passionate about programming this season because, frustratingly, many of the films are not getting widely released, if released at all, in Europe[/quote] says Chris O’Neill, Head of Cinema at Triskel Christchurch. [quote]In the last few years there has been a wealth of talent emerging from the independent American movie scene. These comedies and dramas are populated by wonderful actors and they deserve to be seen by a wider audience interested in well-observed and relatable human stories. [/quote]

Young Americans promises to bring a fresh alternative to the established cinema releases from the American market and showcase some lesser known talents as well as established names from the independent genre.

Here are the films that will screen:

Nancy, Please (Irish Premiere) is a psychological drama directed by Andrew Semans and starring Will Rogers as Paul, an aimless PhD student struggling to complete his thesis on Charles Dickens. Paul’s relationship with his girlfriend and his career prospects begin to unravel over a trivial disagreement with his former housemate, Nancy (played by Eléonore Hendricks).

Listen Up Philip (Exclusive Preview) is a complex, intimate, and highly idiosyncratic comedy from director Alex Ross Perry. Starring Wes Anderson regular Jason Schwartzman and Elisabeth Moss of Mad Men, this is a literary look at the triumph of reality over the human spirit which received its world premiere at last year’s Sundance Film Festival.

Gabi on the Roof in July (Irish Premiere) follows recent graduate Gabi (Sophia Takal) as she spends the summer with her brother after their parents’ divorce. Described as “J.D. Salinger meets early Woody Allen” by The Boston Phoenix, this ensemble comedy from Lawrence Michael Levine presents a group of misguided hopefuls trying to negotiate life in New York City.

Joy Kevin (Irish Premiere) features a young creative couple as they both struggle to survive as artists. Joy (Tallie Medel) is a dancer while her stand-up comic husband Kevin (Jordan Clifford), they find co-habitation at odds with their creativity. What starts off as a quirky comedy swiftly becomes a tragic tale of a marriage breaking down in this film from director Caleb Johnson.

Empire Builder (Irish Premiere) from Kris Swanberg charts the life changes of food activist Jenny (Kate Lyn Sheil from House of Cards) as she becomes a mother and moves from urban Chicago to rural Montana. Her independent lifestyle takes an unsettling turn when she embarks on a dangerous relationship with the man hired to fix her isolated property.

City Baby (Irish Premiere) is David Morgan’s amusing, sharp and cynical tale set in the Portland hipster scene. Self-absorbed Cloey (Cora Benesh) finds her comfortable lifestyle starting to collapse when her relationship with her musician boyfriend hits the skids, her best friend (Jillian Leigh) plans to move away and daddy’s cheque book threatens to be closed.

The following short films will also be screened: The Strange Ones, Sleepover L.A., Muck, I Was A Teenage Girl and Super Sleuths.