Irish short film Ancient Lights has been selected for the 21st Shanghai Film Festival, which will be held this June in the Chinese city.
Ancient Lights is Made Image Film’s latest fantasy short directed by Cashell Horgan and was adapted from the short story Ancient Lights by Algernon Blackwood, one of the most prolific writers of ghost stories in the history of the genre.
The film is a light comedy terror, with an ‘old school’ feel like the early Hammer films, It tells the story of a surveyor clerk who comes under attack from supernatural forces for trespassing an ancient wood.
Ancient Lights stars Declan Rooney (The Savage Eye, Bridget and Eamon) as the surveyor, supported by Joe Mullins (Pilgrim Hill, The Clockmaker’s Dream). Director of Photography was Russell Gleeson with additional cinematography Paul Shannon, with Makeup by Linda Mooney & Susan Kenny. Louise Stanton provided costume design. The film was post-produced with VFX from Egg Post Production, with animation from Graham Isherwood. Gorilla Post production provided the sound mix, SFX and Foley. Musical Score was composed by Eoghan Horgan and Chris Mcdonald. The 11min film was supported with completion funding from Limerick Arts Office. The film's poster was created by Limerick artist Ken Coleman.
The team are very excited that it's going to screen in China and feel it's a great opportunity for the short to reach a large audience.
Cashell Horgan, Director
The Shanghai International Film Festival (SIFF) is one of the largest film festivals in East Asia.
CinÉireann / May 2018 9
Kildare County Council have announced the winners of the 2018 Short Grass Film commissions. Two awards of €12,500 were made for films to be shot on location in Kildare in the coming months.
The first award was made to Allyn Quigley's Moth, a short film following a taxi driver and mourning father as he comes to terms with the death of a loved one over the course of a busy night. Moth will be produced by Simon Doyle.
I am absolutely delighted to have our project selected by Kildare County Council for funding this year. It’s a massive honour to get the chance to make a film set and shot on location in my home county of Kildare. Our team looks forward to working with Short Grass Films and helping to continue the amazing work they have done over the past few years.
Allyn Quigley, Writer/Director - Moth
The second award is for the short film Shoebox, a short drama developed by writer Carmel Callan in collaboration with director, Gary Duggan and producer Larry Cowan, of Lamb Films. The lead parts of Chris and Mel have been written specifically for Charleigh Bailey and Hilda Fay. Shoebox explores Chris’s fight to provide a home for her young daughter which brings her close to breaking point, but she finds strength from an unexpected source.
I am delighted that Shoebox has been selected for Short Grass Films commission 2018. It means this story, which is one from the heart, gets to go from script to screen. Brilliant!
Carmel Callan, Writer - Shoebox
I'm very much looking forward to bringing a story that we are all very passionate about to the screen. The team that we've assembled all hope to produce a film that is moving, ambitious and cinematic. Thanks to Kildare Arts Service for the belief in the project and the funding to make it a reality.
Gary Duggan, Director
It's very exciting to announce this year's awards, while the 2017 commissioned films Rip to the Rescue and Taking Stock are nearing completion and setting out on the festival circuit. The continued interest in the Short Grass Film commissions and County Kildare as a location for film making is very heartening. We understand that there is a certain prestige associated with getting such an award and we hope that it creates additional leverage for the projects. We look forward to supporting the film makers in their creative endeavours.
Lucina Russell, Arts Officer -Kildare County Council