The Irish Film Institute will welcome director Darren Thornton and actress Seána Kerslake to the partake in a Q&A hosted by arts–writer and presenter Eithne Shortall following the opening night screening of their new film, A Date for Mad Mary on Friday, September 2nd at 6.30 p.m.
Upon release following a six month prison sentence, Mary returns home to Drogheda, eager to reunite with best friend Charlene (Charleigh Bailey), for whom she is about to act as maid of honour. Annoyed by Charlene’s assumption that she won’t have a date for the wedding, Mary joins a dating agency, embarking on a series of disastrous encounters before events take an unexpected turn.
Darren Thornton made his television debut directing the IFTA award-winning series Love is the Drug in 2004. His first short film Frankie won the Prix UIP award at the Berlin film festival in 2008 and the European Academy Award for best short film in the same year. His second short film Two Hearts also won the Prix UIP award in 2011 and was nominated for a European Academy Award in 2012. A Date for Mad Mary is his debut feature film, and shared Best Irish Feature Film at the recent Galway Film Fleadh.
Seána most recently filmed the lead role of Aisling in the forthcoming RTÉ drama series Can’t Cope, Won’t Cope. Further screen credits include Kirsten Sheridan’s Dollhouse; Lance Daly’s Life’s a Breeze and The Lobster directed by Yorgos Lanthimos. Seána’s theatre work includes the lead role in The Bruising of the Clouds directed by Jim Culleton, Hooked! directed by Don Wycherley, and From Eden directed by Karl Shiels.
Tickets for the screening and Q&A are available now at www.ifi.ie or by calling the IFI Box Office on 01 – 6793477.