The Fastnet Film Festival, which takes place annually in the picturesque Cork village of Schull, has just celebrated its 10th anniversary. The five-day festival saw more than 300 short and feature films screen across the village, with huge crowds of filmmakers and film fans from all over the world making the trek.
One of the truly unique aspects of Fastnet is the ‘Our Village is our Screen’ motto which is really taken to heart. The village has no cinema, so the festival sees every nook and cranny turned into an exhibition space. In particular The Closet Cinema is a true experience with room for only three people! The village atmosphere makes for a perfect space of filmmakers and enthusiasts to mingle and meet, and the festival offered a host of workshops and intimate events for this interaction to take place. It didn’t hurt that the weather was wonderful which really let Schull shine.
This year’s festival featured a host of Irish films with special previews and screenings of Lance Daly’s famine-western Black 47, Yorgos Lanthimo’s Irish produced drama The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Frank Berry’s masterful prison-drama Michael Inside, Rebecca Daly’s haunting mystery Good Favour, Pat Collins’ beautiful biopic Song of Granite, Ken Wardrop heart-warming documentary Making the Grade, and Nora Twomey’s Oscar-nominated animation The Breadwinner. The festival also included rare chances to see classic Irish films back on the big screen with screenings of Noble, Kisses, Breakfast on Pluto, and War of the Buttons.
Fastnet have big plans for their future with the recent establishment of a new Fastnet Film Centre. This will allow the festival to greater integrate with a number of educational institutes throughout Ireland and as a cultural space for the region. Following the festival a complete refurbishment of the interior of the building will start. The Fastnet Film Centre will be a huge asset to Schull and the entire Mizen peninsula.
The 2018 festival wrapped with the annual Awards Ceremony, hosted by Newstalk’s Chris Donoghue. This saw The Tattoo directed by, Ian Power take home Best Irish Film and Les Misérables directed by Ladj Ly take home Best International Film.
The ceremony also included a special present, in the shape of a 10th anniversary video written, directed and produced by Gerard Stembridge and filmed by Chris O'Dell over 24 hours in Schull. It was screened at the Award Ceremony, accompanied live on piano by Maurice Seezer.
Roll on September 1st when the 2019 festival opens for new submissions. That will take place from May 22nd to 26th.
52 CinÉireann / May 2018