If you are a fan of Irish cinema you are in for a treat this year as we are going to see a whole host of Irish financed and directed films hit the big screen... starting this week with Sing Street.
Sing Street
Sing Street is one of the May movies that we are looking forward to the most, and to celebrate we take a look at some of the other Irish films that you cannot afford to miss going through the rest of this year.
- Sing Street
Sing Street is a movie that I have been looking forward to for some time as it marks the return of John Carney to the director's chair.
Carney has brought us movies such as Begin Again and the fantastic Once in recent years and it is always exciting to see him back. Once again, he will be mixing drama with music for his latest film project.
As well as being in the director's chair for Sing Street, Carney has also penned the film's screenplay. Sing Street mixes elements of musical. comedy and drama and received its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival at the beginning of the year.
Ferdia Walsh-Peelo is set to take on the central role of Conor 'Cosmo' Lalor and is joined on the cast list by Lucy Boynton, Jack Reynor, Aidan Gillen, and Maria Doyle Kennedy; a perfect blend of established actors with up and coming stars.
Sing Street takes us back to 1980s Dublin where an economic recession forces Conor out of his comfortable private school and into survival mode at the inner-city public school where the kids are rough and the teachers are rougher. He finds a glimmer of hope in the mysterious and über-cool Raphina, and with the aim of winning her heart, he invites her to star in his band's music videos.
She agrees, and now Conor must deliver what he's promised -calling himself 'Cosmo' and immersing himself in the vibrant rock music trends of the '80s, he forms a band with a few lads, and the group pours their hearts into writing lyrics and shooting videos.
If you are looking for a movie that is a welcome break from the blockbusters this month, look no further than Sing Street, which has already been charming audiences and critics.
- The Secret Scripture
Jim Sheridan is another exciting Irish filmmaker and he is set to return to the director's chair with his new film The Secret Scripture.
Sheridan had brought us movies such as My Left Foot, In the Name of the Father and In America during his career and The Secret Scripture is his first film since Dream House back in 2011. I don't know about you, but I am thrilled and excited to see him back.
The Secret Scripture is a big screen adaptation of the 2008 novel of the same name by Sebastian Barry and sees Rooney Mara and Vanessa Redgrave play the younger and older version of Roseanne McNulty.
Another fantastic cast list has been assembled as Eric Bana, Theo James, Aidan Turner, and Jack Reynor will star alongside Redgrave and Mara.
The Secret Scripture follows a young woman as she keeps a diary of her extended stay at a mental hospital.
No official UK release date has been announced for The Secret Scripture but it could hit the big screen later this year.
- Love & Friendship
Love & Friendship is an Irish/American movie that is an adaptation of the Jane Austen novel Lady Susan. The movie sees Kate Beckinsale return to the period drama as she takes on the central role of Lady Susan Vernon.
Love & Friendship sees Whit Stillman back in the director's chair - he has also adapted Austen's novel into a screenplay. This is the fifth feature of Stillman's career and his first since Damsels in Distress back in 2011.
Beckinsale is no stranger to the work of Austen, having starred in a television adaptation of Emma back in 1996 - it's great to see her return to the period drama.
However, it is not all about Beckinsale as she is joined on the cast list by Chloë Sevigny, Xavier Samuel, Emma Greenwell, Justin Edwards, Tom Bennett, Morfydd Clark, Jemma Redgrave, James Fleet, and Stephen Fry.
Beautiful young widow Lady Susan Vernon (Beckinsale) visits the estate of her in-laws to wait out the colourful rumours about her dalliances circulating through polite society. Whilst ensconced there, she decides to secure a husband for herself and a future for her eligible but reluctant daughter, Frederica (Clark).
In doing so, she attracts the simultaneous attentions of the young, handsome Reginald DeCourcy (Samuel), the rich and silly Sir James Martin (Bennett) and the divinely handsome, but married, Lord Manwaring (Lochlann O'Mearain), complicating matters severely.
Love & Friendship is promising to be another lavish period drama and it will hit the big screen on 27th May.
- Brain on Fire
Brain on Fire is a joint film project between Ireland, Canada, and the United States, which is based on Susannah Cahalan's memoir Brain on Fire: My Month of Madness.
Brain on Fire sees Gerard Barrett in the director's chair for what is the third feature film of his career; following on from Pilgrim Hill and Grassland. As well as being in the director's chair, Barrett has adapted Cahalan's memoir into a screenplay.
Chloë Grace Moretz is set to take on the role of Susannah Cahalan in the film and is joined on the cast list by Richard Armitage, Carrie-Anne Moss, Thomas Mann, and Tyler Perry.
Brain on Fire follows Cahalan (Moretz), a rising journalist at the New York Post who mysteriously starts having seizures and hearing voices. As weeks go by and Susannah rapidly descends into insanity, she moves inexplicably from violence to catatonia.
Following a series of outbursts, misdiagnoses and a prolonged hospital stay, a lucky last-minute intervention by one doctor finally gives her a diagnosis and hope to rebuild her life.
Brain on Fire is expected to be released later this year but no official UK release date has yet been announced. We are going to be treated to a series of biopic movies this year bur Brain on Fire is one that you really need to watch out for if you are a fan of this genre.
- The Breadwinner
Irish animation studio Cartoon Saloon has already brought us wonderful films such as The Secret of the Kells and Song of the Sea - both of which were Oscar-nominated - and now they are back with The Breadwinner.
The Breadwinner is an adaptation of the best-selling novel by Deborah Ellis and is an animated film collaboration between Ireland and Canada by Cartoon Saloon.
Ellis has teamed up with Anita Doron to pen the film's screenplay while Nora Twomey takes up the director's chair for the film.
While Twomey is no stranger to the director's chair with short films From Darkness and Backwards Boys as well as a co-directing credit on The Secret of the Kells, this is her solo feature film directorial debut.
The Breadwinner follows Parvana, a young girl living in Afghanistan who must disguise herself as a boy and become the breadwinner of the family when her father is unfairly imprisoned. When faced with fear and strife, Parvana weaves a magical fable that gives her family the hope and the strength to persevere until they are all reunited once more.
While we are looking at Irish movies of 2016, I thought I would put this 2017 film on your radar. The Secret of the Kells and Song of the Sea were wonderful animation films and I cannot wait to see what they deliver with The Breadwinner. Filming is under way now.
Sing Street is released 20th May.
