Irish Cinema - What's on in LA
Discover the best of Irish cinema in Los Angeles! We're thrilled to spotlight an exceptional array of Irish film on show in Los Angeles. These films are celebrations of Ireland's rich storytelling tradition and cinematic excellence. From gripping dramas to inspiring tales, each film is a testament to the creativity and talent of Irish filmmakers. Don't miss this unique opportunity to experience the very best of Ireland's contribution to the world of film!
North Circular
In the Shadow of Beirut
TWO FOR THE ROAD
Two For The Road
The Oscar Qualifying Irish short film TWO FOR THE ROAD is For Your Consideration at the 2024 Oscars. This heartbreaking short film is written and directed by Lochlainn McKenna and is based on his own childhood driving around Ireland with his vagabond father in the late 90s.
www.twofortheroadfilm.com | Instagram
The film brings Ewan Morris to the screen for the very first time and stars Steve Wall (The English, Raised by Wolves).
It was produced by Natalie Britton and Gráinne Dwyer for Heritage and was funded and supported by Screen Ireland.
Two For The Road was shot all along the Beara Peninsula in West Cork/Kerry on gorgeous 16mm Kodak film stock.
Lochlainn McKenna said this about the film:
"My weekends with my father were packed to the brim with adventures, strangers, chaos, endless car-journeys, a superabundance of illegalities and to be honest, an awful lot of fun! And, as I’ve slowly metamorphosed into a proper filmmaker I can finally see with some perspective the abnormality of it all and I understood now the importance of turning it into a film. Not just for my own catharsis but also because the film itself is a vessel for people to ponder their own relationships with their parents. To look at the scenarios that have maybe enveloped them through their lives. The trauma that has perhaps shaped them as adults and, in fact, made them into people they should, actually, be quite proud of. ‘Two For The Road’ I think was as important for me to make as it might be for you to see. I think it explores the malleability of children and the influence our parents have on us and that love really can triumph… and that that, perhaps, isn’t always a good thing. We shot the film on glorious 16mm Kodak stock on the Beara Peninsula in West Cork and for me the whole film looks and feels like a 90s memory. When you watch it, I hope that you can experience this memory with me but I also hope it invokes some memory in you and, who knows, you too might find yourself healing unexpectedly."
NORTH CIRCULAR
GRAB YOUR LA SCREENING TICKETS HERE
North Circular is a multi award-winning documentary musical that travels the length of Dublin's North Circular Road, from the Phoenix Park in the west to Dublin Port in the east. On the way it encounters some interesting characters and explores contemporary and historical narratives of the city and the nation.
The winner of eight festival awards, including the Denton Thin Line Festival Best Sound on Screen award, the American Cinematographer Award at Salem Film Festival 2023 and the FIPADOC 2023 Grand Prix for Best Musical Documentary.
Music is one of the storytelling devices of North Circular and the film stars many of the leading lights of the new Irish folk scene including Lisa O'Neill, John Francis Flynn, Ian Lynch, Willa White, Eoghan Ó Ceannabháin, Séan Ó Tuama & Gemma Dunleavy.
North Circular is written & directed by Luke McManus
Edited by John Murphy, Produced by Luke McManus & Elaine Gallagher
Reviews:
The Guardian called it "a resonant, vivid, beautifully shot film" (https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/nov/29/north-circular-review-resonant-portrait-of-a-historic-dublin-thoroughfare)
Film Threat said it was "strikingly perceptive and uncannily intelligent" https://filmthreat.com/reviews/north-circular/
Actor Gabriel Byrne said "I absolutely loved it. Beautifully cinematic"
For Your Consideration Screenings:
Free to AMPAS Members - RSVP to [email protected]
Los Angeles at Lumiere at Music Hall 9036 Wilshire Blvd, Beverly Hills 90211, Saturday December 9th 2023 at 6pm followed by discussion with director Luke McManus. - Tickets Here
New York at Maysles Documentary Centre in Harlem in New York City Sunday December 10th at 730pm - Tickets Here
In the Shadow of Beirut
From the makers of GAZA (Sundance 2019), comes a new cinematic odyssey that penetrates deep below the surface of Beirut, a still beautiful, yet deeply troubled city on the brink of financial collapse. In Sabra, one of Beirut’s toughest urban slums, sectarianism and violence is a permanent way of life. Despite the inhumane conditions and enormous challenges, the areas’ inhabitants possess unfathomable reserves of resilience and even hope, as they go about their daily lives in the struggle to forge a brighter future for their families.
Through intimate, character driven and cinematic storytelling, the stark reality of life for the protagonists of the film is symbolic of the hundreds of thousands of others who fight for survival in the most diverse country in the Middle East, which has the highest per capita refugee numbers in the world. This is a nation suffering one of the worst global financial meltdowns on record, a country and a city that many now are trying desperately to flee.
In the Shadow of Beirut has been included in the Official Selection for: Docs Ireland, IFI Documentary Festival, Galway Film Fleadh, Red Sea International Film Festival, Heartland International Film Festival, Woodstock Film Festival, and DocEdge Festival, where it won the competition for Best International Feature.
In the Shadow of Beirut is long-listed for both Best International Feature and Best Documentary Feature at the Oscars.
Reviews:
"...a required viewing that has the potential to evolve into a rallying cry for anyone with the power to act and aid the situation — which should be all of us." - Matthew Roe, FilmThreat
"...there’s no beauty to show here, despite former cinematographer Kelly’s accomplished work. There’s always love, though. If only there was more to go around." - Fionnuala Halligan, ScreenDaily