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One Billion Still Rising!

Posted in Share the Joy, tagged , , , , on 14/02/2014| Leave a Comment »

Still looking for something to do today or tired of the “usual” Valentine’s Day activities? If you answer “Yes!” to either of these questions, then perhaps you’ll want to  join one of the many flash mobs participating in the global  One Billion Rising movement.

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You may remember from my Valentine’s Day post of 2013, One Billion Rising is a global movement promoting an end to violence against woman and girls, initiated by the American playwright Eve Ensler, author of The Vagina Monologues .

Ireland's Mary Robinson lends her support to One Billion Rising.

Ireland’s Mary Robinson lends her support to One Billion Rising.

Ensler introduced her anti-violence V-Day campaign in 1998, when UN figures showed one in three women was beaten or sexually assaulted in their lifetimes, which amounted to one billion women worldwide. Sadly, 16 years later, the casualty count remains pretty much unchanged. In response, last year locally organised events on Valentine’s Day saw one billion women and men from 200 countries gather to promote action and awareness.

If you’re in Ireland, a One Billion Rising flash mob will be meeting shortly on Grafton Street (outside St.Stephens Green Shopping Centre) at 5pm. The event is being organised by Amnesty International UCD. Check out the dance moves here:

Another event is being held tomorrow from 6.00-10.00pm at Tai Chi Ireland. More details here:

Screen Shot 2014-02-14 at 8.44.07 AMTo find an event in your part of the world, please visit the One Billion Rising website.

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Notes:

One Billion Rising Irish Website here: https://www.facebook.com/VDayOneBillionRisingIreland

UCD Amnesty International Website here: https://www.facebook.com/amnestyinternational.ucd

Hilary Fannin’s article in the Irish Times mentioning One Billion Rising event in Ireland here: http://www.irishtimes.com/life-and-style/people/happy-loved-up-lemmings-day-here-s-your-card-1.1690678

One Billion Rising blog posts at: http://www.jackizehner.com/2014/02/13/one-billion-rising-for-justice-rise-release-dance/ and http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kristi-york-wooten/eve-ensler-more-than-a-bi_b_4775067.html .

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Valentine’s Day Ideas

Posted in Share the Joy, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 10/02/2014| Leave a Comment »

With Valentine’s Day right around the corner, there’s a rush in our Irish home to get decorations up and plans made. I don’t know about you, but we don’t buy into the whole commercial-ness of the celebration. We prefer, instead, to get back to our roots and do it “old style”.

Banish the over-priced roses and bring back the free-flowing bouquets of long ago. Forgotten flowers  like calla lilies, peonies, hydrangea, ranunculus, astilbe, and dahlias are simply stunning and less expensive too.

Valentine's Day Flowers 2

Photo Credit: The Knot

Write a letter and fill it with love. Whether it’s you doing the writing or it’s your kids making a card, a personally penned poem or heart-felt sentiment is so much nicer than a Hallmark card.

Great Kids Crafts from Pinterest.

Great Kids Crafts from Pinterest.

Turn up the tunes and dance in your sitting (living) room.  When was the last time you stopped everything and took your beloved in your arms for a good old-fashioned waltz around the kitchen? It may sound silly but it’s those little moments, when we step outside of our comfort zones, that we remember most. A dance is free but the memory is priceless.

Check out this playlist from 8 Tracks Radio. Photo Credit: 8tracks.com.

Check out this playlist from 8 Tracks Radio.
Photo Credit: 8tracks.com

If the weather allows, gather up some comfy blankets, fill up those hot water bottles, grab a bottle of your favourite bubbly (nonalcoholic for the kids…of course!) and head out to the back garden for a bit of stargazing. If you have a small fire pit, all the better, stoke it up and share stories of days gone by and roast marshmallows while you’re at it.

Champagne from Brown Thomas, Blankets from Avoca Handweavers and Hot Water Bottle from Dunnes Stores.

Champagne from Brown Thomas, Blankets from Avoca Handweavers and Hot Water Bottle from Dunnes Stores.

And finally, for a bit of long-forgotten romance with a spiritual twist, attend mass on Valentine’s Day at the Catholic church on Whitefriar Street. The mass in honour of St. Valentine, whose relics have been enshrined in the church since 1836, and a special blessing of wedding rings immediately following is one way to pay homage to the vows you made on the day you wed…and it’s great historical trip for families with young children too.

Photo Credit: The Irish Province of the Order of Carmelites

Photo Credit: The Irish Province of the Order of Carmelites

Notes:

Just in case you couldn’t see the links, here they are again:

Love song playlist at 8tracks.com

Heart-shaped hot water bottle from Dunnes Stores

Details of Valentine’s Day mass at Whitefriar Street Church

Champagne and Lauderee Macarons at Brown Thomas

Gorgeous throws and blankets at Avoca Handweavers

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Calvary

Posted in Sundance Film Festival, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 27/01/2014| 4 Comments »

Last Sunday week I attended the world premiere of the Irish film Calvary at the Sundance Film Festival. This highly anticipated movie, from John Michael McDonagh, has received nothing but rave reviews and has already been snapped up by Fox Searchlight, for a reported $2.5 million, for distribution in the U.S. and select international territories.

Que for the world premiere of Calvary.

Queuing up for the world premiere of Calvary.

Audience waiting for Calvary to start.

Audience waiting for Calvary to start.

Set in Sligo, Calvary is the story of a tough-minded but good-hearted Irish priest marked for death by one of his parishioners and tormented by the cynical, spiteful members of his village. Given a week to make his peace with God, he ministers to lost souls ~ visits that double as a guided tour of suspects ~ and makes peace with his adult daughter, a child from his marriage before entering the priesthood.

This darkly comedic, and brilliantly layered, drama exposes the ugly side of Catholicism’s contemporary woes (from sexual abuse to waning influence). It is a masterful follow-up to The Guard for writer-director John Michael McDonagh. And, it firmly secures Brendan Gleeson’s place as Ireland’s hottest actor.

John Michael McDonagh, Chris O'Dowd, and during the Q&A session after the film.

John Michael McDonagh, Kelly Reilly, Chris O’Dowd, and Isaach de Bankole taking questions during the Q&A session after the film.

There are so many great things to tell you about this movie but better writers than I have already done so. Please check out Variety’s comments here, The Hollywood Reporter’s comments here, and Collider.com’s comments here. What I’d like to focus on in this post is what has not really been said or written about Calvary.

For starters, thanks to the Director of Photography, Larry Smith, Calvary shows off Ireland in the most beautiful of ways. McDonagh’s script writing is reminiscent of great Irish theatrical productions that still show in the Gaiety, the Abbey, and the Olympia. The gallows humor peppered throughout perfectly relieves the otherwise tense subject matter of child-sex abuse by the Catholic hierarchy that is the focus of the film. Chris O’Dowd, Kelly Reilly and all the cast were ideally suited to each role and played off one-another in ways that pull you back and forth between delight and disgust. And, though the opening line is absolutely repugnant, it draws you into the story so quickly that you are vested long before you realise.

A light moment during the Q&A session.

A light moment during the Q&A session.

Now, all these things being true…I still have something to say that may not be very popular and it is this: though I thought this was a terrific film and would encourage people everywhere to see it, I found myself {about half-way through} wondering…”Why are ALL the characters (bar one) in Calvary caricatures of the worst kind of Irish people?”

Let me give you a run-down of the main characters: There’s the town butcher who is suspected of beating his wife. His slut-wife who is sleeping with her black immigrant lover from the Ivory Coast. There’s the sinister police officer and his saucy male lover; a doctor with violently atheist views; a snobbishly wealthy man who’s part of the recent Irish banking debacle; a sex-starved young Irishman; and an imprisoned-rapist-murderer-cannibal. Even the priest himself has a drink problem, and his poor daughter has recently tried to commit suicide. The minor characters are also grossly exaggerated in the most ugly of ways. For example, there’s the two airport workers callously lounging on a casket before it’s put aboard a plane to France and a man who prejudges and accuses Gleeson’s character of inappropriate behaviour with a minor only because he is a priest walking with a child along a lonely stretch of road leading to a beach.

Maybe it’s hard for me to be impartial {given that my husband is Irish, my children are Irish and most of my friends are Irish…not to mention that my family tree is firmly rooted in Ireland} but I found the total stereotyping of the characters in this film to be somewhat offensive and distracting to the storyline, which is both powerful and moving.

There was also an exchange during the Q&A between McDonagh and a film-goer that was off-putting. McDonagh was asked, “Does this film in any way represent the current feeling in Ireland towards the Catholic church?” To which he replied, “I think if you go to Ireland now the Church, the Roman Catholic Church, is actually dead in Ireland. There’s hardly anyone at Mass….I think it’s almost dead in Ireland.” Personally, I feel McDonagh allowed this viewpoint of Catholicism to colour the personality of all his characters (except a French woman whose husband is killed in a drunk driving accident) and I believe the film would have been better served with a more balanced reflection of the Irish society.

John Michael McDonagh at the Q&A session.

John Michael McDonagh at the Q&A session.

To this, I can only counter with my own experience of Catholicism in Ireland…the Church is not dead. Our Church, in a suburb of Dublin, is standing room only on Sunday mornings and on Holy Days. My children have been Alter Servers, as have many of the boys and girls living in our village.

And, I am sure my brother-in-law, who gave up a successful career in the technology industry to become a priest 15 years ago, would disagree with McDonagh’s comment about the Church. Sure, during the heat of the child-sex-abuse scandal, my brother-in-law would have found himself feeling the outrage of strangers and passersby while wearing his cleric attire, but he would say today that people of faith have stayed true to their beliefs and have not painted him or the whole Catholic Church with the same wicked paint brush. Perhaps like the French woman in Calvary says…{and I am paraphrasing here} “perhaps those who gave up their faith so easily, never had it be begin with.”

I think Calvary would have been better served if it had had less caricatures of ill-tempered, poor mannered, drunken Irish people in it. I also feel the film would have been better served if McDonagh had been more realistic about “faith in Ireland” by showing that while it has been tarnished, battered and bruised, it continues on.

Calvary is a beautifully crafted film. Visually, emotionally and intellectually it is superb. I encourage you to see it. And, I would love to know what other Sundancers thought/felt about it…are my comments ridiculous or valid? Lastly, I wonder how well Calvary will be received at the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival next month. I suppose, we shall see.

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2014 Sundance Film Festival Announces Award Winners

Posted in Sundance Film Festival, tagged , , , , , , on 27/01/2014| Leave a Comment »

Last night, the Sundance Institute announced the Jury, Audience and other special awards of the 2014 Sundance Film Festival at the feature film Awards Ceremony, hosted by Nick Offerman and Megan Mullally.

The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was presented by Tracy Chapman to:
Rich Hill / U.S.A. (Directors: Andrew Droz Palermo, Tracy Droz Tragos) — In a rural, American town, kids face heartbreaking choices, find comfort in the most fragile of family bonds, and dream of a future of possibility.

The U.S. Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented by Leonard Maltin to:
Whiplash / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Damien Chazelle) — Under the direction of a ruthless instructor, a talented young drummer begins to pursue perfection at any cost, even his humanity. Cast: Miles Teller, JK Simmons.

The World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Documentary was presented by Andrea Nix Fine to:
Return to Homs / Syria, Germany (Director: Talal Derki) — Basset Sarout, the 19-year-old national football team goalkeeper, becomes a demonstration leader and singer, and then a fighter. Ossama, a 24-year-old renowned citizen cameraman, is critical, a pacifist, and ironic until he is detained by the regime’s security forces.

The World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic was presented by Nansun Shi to: To Kill a Man / Chile, France (Director and screenwriter: Alejandro Fernández Almendras) — When Jorge, a hardworking family man who’s barely making ends meet, gets mugged by Kalule, a neighborhood delinquent, Jorge’s son decides to confront the attacker, only to get himself shot. Even though Jorge’s son nearly dies, Kalule’s sentence is minimal, heightening the friction. Cast: Daniel Candia, Daniel Antivilo, Alejandra Yañez, Ariel Mateluna.

The Audience Award: U.S. Documentary Presented by Acura, was presented by William H. Macy to: Alive Inside: A Story of Music & Memory / U.S.A. (Director: Michael Rossato-Bennett) — Five million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s disease and dementia—many of them alone in nursing homes. A man with a simple idea discovers that songs embedded deep in memory can ease pain and awaken these fading minds. Joy and life are resuscitated, and our cultural fears over aging are confronted.

The Audience Award: U.S. Dramatic Presented by Acura, was presented by William H. Macy to: Whiplash / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Damien Chazelle) — Under the direction of a ruthless instructor, a talented young drummer begins to pursue perfection at any cost, even his humanity. Cast: Miles Teller, JK Simmons.

The Audience Award: World Cinema Documentary was presented by Felicity Huffman to: The Green Prince / Germany, Israel, United Kingdom (Director: Nadav Schirman ) — This real-life thriller tells the story of one of Israel’s prized intelligence sources, recruited to spy on his own people for more than a decade. Focusing on the complex relationship with his handler, The Green Prince is a gripping account of terror, betrayal, and unthinkable choices, along with a friendship that defies all boundaries. 

The Audience Award: World Cinema Dramatic was presented by Felicity Huffman to: Difret / Ethiopia (Director and screenwriter: Zeresenay Berhane Mehari) — Meaza Ashenafi is a young lawyer who operates under the government’s radar helping women and children until one young girl’s legal case exposes everything, threatening not only her career but her survival. Cast: Meron Getnet, Tizita Hagere.

The Audience Award: Best of NEXT <=> was presented by Nick Offerman to:
Imperial Dreams / U.S.A. (Director: Malik Vitthal, Screenwriters: Malik Vitthal, Ismet Prcic) — A 21-year-old, reformed gangster’s devotion to his family and his future are put to the test when he is released from prison and returns to his old stomping grounds in Watts, Los Angeles.Cast: John Boyega, Rotimi Akinosho, Glenn Plummer, Keke Palmer, De’aundre Bonds.

The Directing Award: U.S. Documentary was presented by Morgan Neville to:
Ben Cotner & Ryan White for The Case Against 8 / U.S.A. (Directors: Ben Cotner, Ryan White) — A behind-the-scenes look inside the case to overturn California’s ban on same-sex marriage. Shot over five years, the film follows the unlikely team that took the first federal marriage equality lawsuit to the U.S. Supreme Court.

The Directing Award: U.S. Dramatic was presented by Lone Scherfig to:
Cutter Hodierne for Fishing Without Nets / U.S.A., Somalia, Kenya (Director: Cutter Hodierne, Screenwriters: Cutter Hodierne, John Hibey, David Burkman) — A story of pirates in Somalia told from the perspective of a struggling, young Somali fisherman. Cast: Abdikani Muktar, Abdi Siad, Abduwhali Faarah, Abdikhadir Hassan, Reda Kateb, Idil Ibrahim.

The Directing Award: World Cinema Documentary was presented by Sally Riley to: Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard for 20,000 Days On Earth / United Kingdom (Directors: Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard) — Drama and reality combine in a fictitious 24 hours in the life of musician and international culture icon Nick Cave. With startlingly frank insights and an intimate portrayal of the artistic process, this film examines what makes us who we are and celebrates the transformative power of the creative spirit.

The Directing Award: World Cinema Dramatic was presented by Sebastián Lelio to: Sophie Hyde for 52 Tuesdays / Australia (Director: Sophie Hyde, Screenplay and story by: Matthew Cormack, Story by: Sophie Hyde) — Sixteen-year-old Billie’s reluctant path to independence is accelerated when her mother reveals plans for gender transition, and their time together becomes limited to Tuesdays. This emotionally charged story of desire, responsibility, and transformation was filmed over the course of a year—once a week, every week, only on Tuesdays. Cast: Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Del Herbert-Jane, Imogen Archer, Mario Späte, Beau Williams, Sam Althuizen.

The Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award: U.S. Dramatic was presented by Peter Saraf to: Craig Johnson & Mark Heyman for The Skeleton Twins / U.S.A. (Director: Craig Johnson, Screenwriters: Craig Johnson, Mark Heyman) — When estranged twins Maggie and Milo feel that they’re at the end of their ropes, an unexpected reunion forces them to confront why their lives went so wrong. As the twins reconnect, they realize the key to fixing their lives may just lie in repairing their relationship. Cast: Bill Hader, Kristen Wiig, Luke Wilson, Ty Burrell, Boyd Holbrook, Joanna Gleason.

The Screenwriting Award: World Cinema Dramatic was presented by Sebastián Lelio to: Eskil Vogt for Blind / Norway, Netherlands (Director and screenwriter: Eskil Vogt) — Having recently lost her sight, Ingrid retreats to the safety of her home—a place she can feel in control, alone with her husband and her thoughts. But Ingrid’s real problems lie within, not beyond the walls of her apartment, and her deepest fears and repressed fantasies soon take over. Cast: Ellen Dorrit Petersen, Henrik Rafaelsen, Vera Vitali, Marius Kolbenstvedt.

The Editing Award: U.S. Documentary was presented by Jonathan Oppenheim to: Jenny Golden, Karen Sim for Watchers of the Sky / U.S.A. (Director: Edet Belzberg) — Five interwoven stories of remarkable courage from Nuremberg to Rwanda, from Darfur to Syria, and from apathy to action.

The Editing Award: World Cinema Documentary was presented by Sally Riley to: Jonathan Amos for 20,000 Days On Earth / United Kingdom (Directors: Iain Forsyth & Jane Pollard) — Drama and reality combine in a fictitious 24 hours in the life of musician and international culture icon Nick Cave. With startlingly frank insights and an intimate portrayal of the artistic process, this film examines what makes us who we are and celebrates the transformative power of the creative spirit.

The Cinematography Award: U.S. Documentary was presented by Kahane Cooperman to: Rachel Beth Anderson, Ross Kauffman for E-TEAM / U.S.A. (Directors: Katy Chevigny, Ross Kauffman) — E-TEAM is driven by the high-stakes investigative work of four intrepid human rights workers, offering a rare look at their lives at home and their dramatic work in the field.

The Cinematography Award: U.S. Dramatic was presented by Peter Saraf to:
Christopher Blauvelt for Low Down / U.S.A. (Director: Jeff Preiss, Screenwriters: Amy-Jo Albany, Topper Lilien) — Based on Amy-Jo Albany’s memoir, Low Down explores her heart-wrenching journey to adulthood while being raised by her father, bebop pianist Joe Albany, as he teeters between incarceration and addiction in the urban decay and waning bohemia of Hollywood in the 1970s. Cast: John Hawkes, Elle Fanning, Glenn Close, Lena Headey, Peter Dinklage, Flea.

The Cinematography Award: World Cinema Documentary was presented by Caspar Sonnen to: Thomas Balmès & Nina Bernfeld for Happiness / France, Finland (Director: Thomas Balmès) — Peyangki is a dreamy and solitary eight-year-old monk living in Laya, a Bhutanese village perched high in the Himalayas. Soon the world will come to him: the village is about to be connected to electricity, and the first television will flicker on before Peyangki’s eyes.

The Cinematography Award: World Cinema Dramatic was presented by Carlo Chatrian to: Ula Pontikos for Lilting / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Hong Khaou) — The world of a Chinese mother mourning the untimely death of her son is suddenly disrupted by the presence of a stranger who doesn’t speak her language. Lilting is a touching and intimate film about finding the things that bring us together. Cast: Ben Whishaw, Pei-Pei Cheng, Andrew Leung, Peter Bowles, Naomi Christie, Morven Christie.

A U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Use of Animation was presented by Charlotte Cook to: Watchers of the Sky / U.S.A. (Director: Edet Belzberg) — Five interwoven stories of remarkable courage from Nuremberg to Rwanda, from Darfur to Syria, and from apathy to action.

A U.S. Documentary Special Jury Award for Intuitive Filmmaking was presented by Charlotte Cook to: The Overnighters / U.S.A. (Director: Jesse Moss) — Desperate, broken men chase their dreams and run from their demons in the North Dakota oil fields. A local Pastor’s decision to help them has extraordinary and unexpected consequences.

A U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Musical Score was presented by Dana Stevens to: The Octopus Project for Kumiko, the Treasure Hunter/ U.S.A. (Director: David Zellner, Screenwriters: David Zellner, Nathan Zellner) — A lonely Japanese woman becomes convinced that a satchel of money buried in a fictional film is, in fact, real. Abandoning her structured life in Tokyo for the frozen Minnesota wilderness, she embarks on an impulsive quest to search for her lost mythical fortune. Cast: Rinko Kikuchi.

A U.S. Dramatic Special Jury Award for Breakthrough Talent was presented by Dana Stevens to: Justin Simien for Dear White People/ U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Justin Simien) — Four black students attend an Ivy League college where a riot breaks out over an “African American” themed party thrown by white students. With tongue planted firmly in cheek, the film explores racial identity in postracial America while weaving a story about forging one’s unique path in the world. Cast: Tyler Williams, Tessa Thompson, Teyonah Parris, Brandon Bell.

A World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award for the Delightful Ensemble Performance, and How the Director Brought His Own Unique Universe into Cinema was presented by Carlo Chatrian to: God Help the Girl / United Kingdom (Director and screenwriter: Stuart Murdoch) — This musical from Stuart Murdoch of Belle & Sebastian is about some messed up boys and girls and the music they made. Cast: Emily Browning, Olly Alexander, Hannah Murray, Pierre Boulanger, Cora Bissett.

A World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award for Cinematic Bravery was presented by Caspar Sonnen to: We Come as Friends / France, Austria (Director: Hubert Sauper) — We Come as Friends is a modern odyssey, a science fiction–like journey in a tiny homemade flying machine into the heart of Africa. At the moment when the Sudan, Africa’s biggest country, is being divided into two nations, a “civilizing” pathology transcends the headlines—colonialism, imperialism, and yet-another holy war over resources.

The Short Film Audience Award, Presented by YouTube, based on web traffic for 15 short films that screened at the Festival and were concurrently featured on www.youtube.com/sff, was presented to: Chapel Perilous / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Matthew Lessner) — Levi Gold is paid an unexpected visit by Robin, a door-to-door salesman with nothing to sell. The ensuing encounter forces Levi to confront his true mystical calling, and the nature of reality itself. A metaphysical comedy trip-out with Sun Araw.

The following awards were presented at separate ceremonies at the Festival:

Jury prizes and honorable mentions in short filmmaking were presented at a ceremony in Park City, Utah on January 21. The Short Film Grand Jury Prize was awarded to Of God and Dogs / Syrian Arab Republic (Director: Abounaddara Collective). The Short Film Jury Award: U.S. Fiction was presented to Gregory Go Boom / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Janicza Bravo). The Short Film Jury Award: International Fiction was presented to The Cut / Canada (Director and screenwriter: Geneviève Dulude-Decelles). The Short Film Jury Award: Non-fiction was presented to I Think This Is the Closest to How the Footage Looked / Israel (Directors: Yuval Hameiri, Michal Vaknin). The Short Film Jury Award: Animation was presented to Yearbook / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Bernardo Britto). A Short Film Special Jury Award for Unique Vision was presented to Rat Pack Rat / U.S.A. (Director and screenwriter: Todd Rohal). A Short Film Special Jury Award for Non-fiction was presented to Love. Love. Love. / Russia (Director: Sandhya Daisy Sundaram). A Short Film Special Jury Award for Direction and Ensemble Acting was presented to Burger / United Kingdom, Norway (Director and screenwriter: Magnus Mork).

The winning directors and projects of the Sundance Institute | Mahindra Global Filmmaking Awards, in recognition and support of emerging independent filmmakers from around the world, are: Hong Khaou, Monsoon (Vietnam/UK); Tobias Lindholm, A War (Denmark); Ashlee Page, Archive (Australia); and Neeraj Ghaywan, Fly Away Solo (India).

The Sundance Institute/NHK Award, honoring and supporting emerging filmmakers, was presented to Mark Rosenberg, director of the upcoming film Ad Inexplorata.

The 2014 Red Crown Producer’s Award and $10,000 grant was presented to Elisabeth Holm, producer of Obvious Child.

The 2014 Alfred P. Sloan Feature Film Prize, presented to outstanding feature films focusing on science or technology as a theme, or depicting a scientist, engineer or mathematician as a major character, was presented to I Origins, directed and written by Mike Cahill. The film received a $20,000 cash award from the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.

 

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Irish Films at Sundance 2014: Just the Facts

Posted in Trips/Holidays, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 22/01/2014| 2 Comments »

Today I’m giving you the facts, and just the facts, regarding Irish films at Sundance 2014 as they are reported across various media outlets. None of these are my own opinions.

There are four films at Sundance that have an Irish connection. They have either received funding from the Irish Film Board (IFB), have been filmed in Ireland, have been in post production in Ireland, star Irish actors, or some combination of the above. The films are: Lenny Abrahamson’s Frank; John Michael McDonagh’s Calvary; Ciaran Cassidy’s The Last Days of Peter Bergmann; and Jack Paltrow’s Young Ones.

Currently there are trailers for only three of the films:

http://vimeo.com/84321394

Press coverage, as of today, for the films at Sundance {good, bad and indifferent} includes the following:

Calvary from The Hollywood Reporter: “John Michael McDonagh’s 2011 debut, The Guard, provided the wonderful Brendan Gleeson with a vehicle for some of his best screen work, playing an Irish West Country cop unencumbered by diplomacy skills. But the follow-up collaboration of the writer-director and lead actor is in a whole different league. Gleeson’s performance as a man of profound integrity suffering for the sins of others is the lynchpin of this immensely powerful drama, enriched by spiky black comedy but also by its resonant contemplation of faith and forgiveness. Representing a considerable leap in thematic scope and craft for McDonagh, Calvary deserves to reach the widest possible audience.”

Calvary from Variety: “McDonagh and his collaborators have delivered a technically immaculate work that feels appropriately austere by comparison. D.p. Larry Smith’s widescreen compositions are framed with unfussy precision; as stunning as the rugged landscapes are to behold, particularly the shots of waves breaking against cliffs (the production shot on the east and west coasts), the lighting and color balancing of the interior shots are no less exquisite.”

Calvary from The Guardian: “Calvary boasts a sharp sense of place and a deep love of language. It’s puckish and playful, mercurial and clever, rattling with gallows laughter as it paints a portrait of an Irish community that is at once intimate and alienated.”

Frank from The Hollywood Reporter: “Whimsy and madness mix for an very unappetizing cocktail indeed in Frank, a gently eccentric account of an avant-garde band whose leader wears a large artificial head with a cartoon face painted on it. Irish director Lenny Abrahamson clearly means to beguile with this weird mix of moods and methods — goofy comedy here, sudden slashes of tragedy there, momentary eruptions of musical inspiration overshadowed by admitted mediocrity — but the mash-up of elements combine with a singularly unpleasant roster of characters to create a work of genuinely off-putting quirkiness. Particularly gullible younger audiences and fringe music fans might synch up with the sensibility here to create a modest cult following, but on any serious level this oddball creation doesn’t cut it.”

Frank from Variety: “Of all the acting challenges Michael Fassbender has faced, none quite compares to performing without the use of his face. That’s precisely what’s required in “Frank,” a weird and wonderful musical comedy about an oddball outsider band whose mentally ill frontman insists on wearing an expressionless plaster mask at all times — both onstage and off, in the shower and even to bed. It’s the sort of affectation that gets films labeled as “quirky,” although this one happens to be inspired by a true story. Luckily, helmer Lenny Abrahamson (“Garage,” “Adam & Paul”) puts the pic’s eccentricity to good use, luring in skeptics with jokey surrealism and delivering them to a profoundly moving place.”

Frank from Collider: “Lenny Abrahamson’s Frank is a funny, warm, thoughtful story about crafting an artistic identity, and needing to seize on to someone else’s expression when you don’t have one of your own.  It also provides an insightful look at the fault in trying to forge an identity based on the acceptance of others instead of embracing one’s own oddities and shortcomings even if the world at large sees them as “insane”.”

Young Ones from Collider: “Jake Paltrow’s Young Ones is remarkable in how it does so much right, and yet it leaves the viewer completely cold.  Its strengths are undeniable and its flaws are subtle, so subtle that it can be confusing as to how such a technically superb picture can be so ineffective.

Young ones from Variety: “A hodgepodge of Western, sci-fi and Greek tragedy, “Young Ones” is certainly one of the more unique films at this year’s Sundance Film Festival. But the sophomore effort from Jake Paltrow (“The Good Night”) gets so bogged down in its primal tale of murder and revenge that the most intriguing elements become little more than futuristic window dressing. Unfolding in three distinct chapters, each featuring a different protagonist, the visually rich and dramatically spare pic plays a bit like a cinematic graphic novel. A cult following could be in the offing, but commercial prospects otherwise appear limited.”

Young Ones from The Hollywood Reporter: “Ponderous, self-important and thematically narrow, Jake Paltrow’s dystopian future Western set in a Dust Bowl where water is controlled by the state and monopolized by industry is all oppressive mood and atmosphere with not much on its mind beyond an old-fashioned tale of murder, retribution and a robo-cow. Young Ones is visually commanding and not without inventive ideas, plus its pared-down narrative at least rescues Michael Shannon from the thudding memory of Man of Steel. But otherwise this lethargically paced, dehydrated update on There Will Be Blood will be strictly for artsy minimalist sci-fi enthusiasts.”

Commenting back in December on the early Irish line-up for Sundance 2014, James Hickey, Chief Executive, of the Irish Film Board said: “Irish film has performed very well at Sundance over the last number of years. Films such as The Guard, Once, His and Hers, and The Summit have all been discovered at the festival and have gone on from there to be distributed internationally.” “Both Frank and Calvary showcase the excellent work happening right now in the Irish industry and they include a world-class line-up of Irish stars including Michael Fassbender, Brendan Gleeson. Chris O’Dowd, Domhnall Gleeson, Aidan Gillen and Killian Scott. It is a very positive start to 2014 for the industry and a great representation for Ireland internationally.” 

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Whiplash and Camp X-Ray

Posted in Trips/Holidays, tagged , , , , , , , , , , on 18/01/2014| Leave a Comment »

Screen Shot 2014-01-18 at 10.55.34 AM

Photo Credit: Daniel McFadden

Yesterday was tough. I’m not used to partying into the wee hours of the night…but that Day One Sundance kick-off event sure was fun!! After only four hours sleep, I dragged my sorry self out of bed and dressed quickly for the 9.00am premiere of Whiplash.

Here’s what the Sundance catalogue says about Whiplash:

Andrew, a promising 19-year-old drummer at a cutthroat Manhattan music conservatory, has little interest in being just a musician. Haunted by his father’s failed writing career and plagued with the fear that mediocrity just might be genetic, Andrew dreams of greatness. Determined not to follow in his father’s footsteps, he practices daily until his hands literally bleed. The pressure of success ratchets into high gear when he is picked to join the school band led by the infamous Terence Fletcher, a brutally savage music instructor who will stop at nothing to realize a student’s potential. Under Fletcher’s ruthless direction, Andrew begins to pursue perfection at any cost—even his humanity.

The truth is, this film is so much more than the description above lets on…which is part of why Sundance is so great…you never know what you’re going to actually get until you sit through a film.

The Audience Waiting for Whiplash to Start

The Audience Waiting for Whiplash to Start

The Cast and Crew Taking Audience Questions

The Cast and Crew Taking Audience Questions

Gripping, electrifying, potent, and emotionally engaging are words I would use to describe it. Damien Chazelle, the film’s 28-year-old writer-director, drew from his own personal experience for the story. {No wonder he’s not a professional musician!} His short film of the same title and subject won an award at Sundance last year. Actors Miles Teller and J.K. Simmons relationship on screen as student and teacher locks you in immediately and keeps you there the entire time. I won’t give anything away but do want to say two things…1) Towards the end of the film, the plot turns and twists like a wicked roller coaster ride. 2) At the very end, I found myself wanting to shout, “don’t give in, don’t give in!”, it was that damn engaging. When you see Whiplash, and you should, I think you’ll find it a fascinating movie. There’s no surprise it was chosen as the World Premiere Film to kick-off the 2014 Sundance Festival {though I believe in previous years the kick-off film hasn’t always been as good}. I, for one, think it has a very good chance of winning the U.S. Dramatic Competition award.

Two hours later, and back at the Eccles Theatre, I was at the world premiere of Camp X-Ray. This highly anticipated first feature-film from writer-director Peter Sattler sets aside the political controversy surrounding Guantanamo Bay and instead focuses on the personal relationship between an unlikely pair: a recently arrived young female MP (Kristen Stewart) and a long term uncooperative male “detainee” (Payman Maadi). It is the film that has had everyone abuzz for weeks and the speculation was that this would be the box office smash of Sundance.

Photo Credit: Beth Dubber

Photo Credit: Beth Dubber

The truth is that while the film is very good…it is not great. It lacks a certain “refinement”, feels slow at times, and could benefit with some minor tightening, particularly in scenes where Kirsten Stewart’s character, Amy Cole, is interacting with characters other than the those living on the base.

Many of the online reviews for Camp X-Ray say the film received a standing ovation but, the fact is that it was only those sitting immediately around Stewart who were standing. Her performance {and that of Payman Maadi, Lane Garrison, John Carroll Lynch, and others} is good…very good. For Stewart, in particular, this role confirms she is an actress to watch and elevates her far and above the Twilight series she became famous for.

The Line to see Camp X-Ray World Premiere

The Line to see Camp X-Ray World Premiere

The Cast and Crew of Camp X-Ray Taking Audience Questions

The Cast and Crew of Camp X-Ray Taking Audience Questions

Overall, Camp X-Ray is a very good film…one to see…but don’t expect to walk out having been bowled over by it.

Today I am all about The Case Against 8 film, which is having its world premiere at Sundance. I am fortunate to be attending as a guest of Paul Katami and Jeff Zarillo, two of the plaintiffs (along with Kris Perry and Sandy Stier) in the challenge to California’s Proposition 8 case.

Diana Walker

Photo Credit: Diana Walker

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Day One Party Sundance 2014

Posted in Trips/Holidays, tagged , , , , , , , on 17/01/2014| 1 Comment »

Oh good Lord! I just rolled in from the Sundance 2014 Day One Party and just have to say…it was AMAZING! No, I did not go to the An Artist at the Table event up at Stein Erikson Lodge in Deer Valley, where the meal was prepared by celebrity chef Giada De Laurentiis. At $1,500 per person it was a little too rich for my pocketbook. Nor did I go to the Eccles Theater, where guests were welcomed by Robert Redford and then watched the opening night premier movie, Whiplash. Nope…though I did hear both events were very well done this year.

Day One Party 2014

DSC02442

Instead, I was over at the Legacy Lodge at Park City Mountain Resort having an absolutely brilliant time dancing my heart out and sipping on ice cold beverages courtesy of Stella Artois and Ketel One. Billed as “annual celebration where filmmakers and Festival friends reunite or meet for the first time” it didn’t disappoint.

I was thrilled to say “hello” to Michael Rossato-Bennett, Director/Producer of the film Alive Inside, right off the mark, and many other people I met today {or is it yesterday?} while walking on Main Street. And, as I was leaving the party, I had a lovely chat with Ryan Patrick McGuffey about raising the Irish presence a wee bit higher at Sundance next year {Ryan, I’m not letting you off the hook…you said you were “in” and I have witnesses!}.

All in all, it was great craic (fun)…just sorry I didn’t get more/better photos!

Film news to follow tomorrow…from Sundance 2014…goodnight.

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It’s Here…Sundance 2014 Begins!

Posted in Trips/Holidays, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , on 16/01/2014| 4 Comments »

Screen Shot 2014-01-16 at 12.27.05 AMToday is Day 1 of the 2014 Sundance Film Festival and like so many others (50,000 give or take a few!), I am excited and delighted to be in beautiful Park City, Utah during the 30th Anniversary year of this prestigious event.

In his own words, Founder and President of the Sundance Institute, Robert Redford has said, “I started Sundance to provide a home for independent storytellers and inspire a community of people to experience their work. Three decades later, this simple idea continues to drive all that we do.”

It was a simple idea…give independent filmmakers a place to showcase their work and let’s see what happens.

Now, 30 years later, the Sundance Film Festival has become an institution that reaches out to the four corners of the world and brings filmmakers, movie lovers, industry-types, celebrities, everyone together for ten days of watching and learning. It is, in two words…simply terrific.

To get a brief overview of the past 30 years, check out this interactive timeline the Sundance Institute has posted on their website. And, see John Cooper, Director Sundance Film Festival, and Trevor Groth, Director of Programming Sundance Film Festival, talk about the 2014 event and looking back at three decades at The Wall Street Journal.

For a full listing of films at this year’s Sundance, check out the online version of the Film Guide. And, last but not least, to read about the Irish entries check out Calvary, Frank, and The Last Days of Peter Bergmann.

Cheers!

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Next Stop…Sundance 2014

Posted in Trips/Holidays, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 14/01/2014| 2 Comments »

The Irish are headed to Park City, Utah for the Sundance Film Festival and, for the third year in a row, so am I!

The Irish films Calvary and Frank will have their world premiere at Sundance and The Last Days of Peter Bergmann, which premiered at the IFI (Irish Film Institute) Stranger Than Fiction event last September, will be competing in the Documentary Shorts Programme.

Calvary is a black-comedy-drama telling the story of a Catholic priest who has one week to put his life in order after being told, during confession, that he will be murdered. The film reunites Brendan Gleeson with The Guard director John Michael McDonagh, and also stars Marie Josée Crozé, Isaach De Bankolé, Aidan Gillen, Domhnall Gleeson, Dylan Moran, Chris O’Dowd, Kelly Reilly, Pat Shortt, and David Wilmot.

Frank is an offbeat comedy from Irish director Lenny Abrahamson. It tells the story of “a wannabe musician who finds himself out of his depth when he joins a maverick rock band led by the enigmatic Frank – a musical genius who hides himself inside a large fake head”. It is loosely inspired by Frank Sidebottom, the persona of the late cult musician Chris Sievey. It stars Michael Fassbender, Domhnall Gleeson, Maggie Gyllenhaal, and Scoot McNairy.

The Last Days of Peter Bergmann, directed by Ciaran Cassidy and produced by Morgan Bushe, tells the story of a man (calling himself Peter Bergmann) who arrives in Sligo town in the summer of 2009. Over the last few days of his life, he goes to great lengths to make sure no one will ever know who he was or where he came from. It won the audience award for Best Short Film at the IFI Stranger Than Fiction event.

All three films were supported by Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board (IFB). James Hickey, Chief Executive of the Irish Film Board recently said, “Irish films have performed very well at Sundance over the last number of years. Films such as The Guard, Once, His & Hers, and The Summit have all been discovered at the festival and have gone on from there to be distributed internationally.”

Having three films this year at Sundance is a roaring start for the Irish film industry. I, for one, can’t wait to see each one and promise to report all the happenings of Sundance 2014 in the coming days.

Press release from the Irish Film Board at http://www.irishfilmboard.ie/irish_film_industry/news/Major_Irish_feature_films_Calvary_and_Frank_to_screen_at_Sundance_Film_Festival_2014/2340

Blog from John Murphy, editor of The Last Days of Peter Bergmann at http://johnmurphyeditor.com/2013/12/11/peter-bergmann-is-going-to-sundance/

Follow Irish director Ciaran Cassidy’s Twitter feed at https://twitter.com/CiaranCass

Praise for Irish film maker Lenny Abrahamson on Variety at http://variety.com/t/lenny-abrahamson/

Follow John Michael McDonagh, director of Calvary, on Facebrook at https://twitter.com/ReprisalFilms

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Pigeons in Stout: A Recipe for Survival in Ireland

Posted in Recipes, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on 07/01/2014| 4 Comments »

Feral pigeon (Columba livia).

Photo credit: Wikipedia

Have you heard the one about the Irishman hunting and grilling pigeons in order to survive the recession?

No…this isn’t a joke. It is a true story that was covered by reporter Liz Alderman for The New York Times in December.

The article entitled “Hardships Linger for a Mending Ireland” was presumably written as a piece of hard-hitting journalism but, from the very start, it read more like a fluff-piece for a less reputable rag.

The first bit of shoddy journalism reared its ugly head when Ms. Alderman referred to Ireland’s capital city as “downtown Dublin”. {For the record, the correct terminology is “City Centre” or “Town”. It’s never, ever, known as “downtown”}. But that wasn’t what irked people. Even her grossly misstated data attributed to the Irish Central Bank wasn’t enough to cause public outrage.

No, what really got up the Irish nose was Ms. Alderman’s story about how one Irishman was surviving the economic crisis by shooting pigeons for food and grilling them outdoors to reduce his gas and grocery bills.

To make matters worse, the man at the centre of the story, 55-year-old John Donovan, wasn’t just any Irishman. He was and is an educated man. A man with degrees in law and business. A man who went from owning a five-bedroom home, and boats, and cars {note the “plural”} to living with his mum after his hardware supply business buckled. He is a man who sent out 1,583 resumes and only got for 4 interviews. A man who lives a short 10 minutes away from Bono (a point Ms. Alderman makes in her story).

But I don’t know…I read this story…and with a wee bit of time and distance to reflect on it…I am more than a little skeptical about the whole thing.

It’s not that I doubt John Donovan has struggled in the last few years or that before our economic meltdown he used to live a life that included more big-boy-toys and a big fancy home. I don’t even doubt that he holds advanced degrees. No, what I find hard to believe is that he’s been walking around one of Dublin’s suburbs with a gun shooting pigeons for his supper.

If you know Shankill, Mr. Donovan’s village, you know this story seems all the more outrageous. I’ve driven through it many times over the years and can’t, for one second, ever imagine anyone firing a gun at anything without it causing a stir. And by that, I mean “quite a stir”. The kind of stir that involves irate neighbors and the Guardi {police} racing in with their sirens blaring. This is, after all, Ireland…not America…we’re talking about.

Getting a gun is not easily done. Even if you can get one, you wouldn’t walk around leafy neighbourhoods firing at birds…not even if you are starving! And if, by some very rare-one-in-a-million-chance, you lost the plot altogether and did so, you can surely bet the incident wouldn’t be reported first in The New York Times. It would first be told in Ireland, by Irish people, many times over. It would be discussed on the radio, on television, and in our newspapers.

So, upon mature reflection, here’s what I think about the whole wretched story…”Good on you, John Donovan!”

Somehow the angels above smiled down on this man and a reporter at The New York Times appeared in his life at a time when he most needed help. He gave an interview that was read around the world and hopefully it has helped him get back on his feet, get a job, move out of his mammy’s home, or, at the very least, given him a good story to tell his friends at the pub on a Friday night. Whatever the case, I wish him the very best going forward.

To Ms. Alderman and The New York Times, I’d like to add…shame on you for writing and publishing such a badly researched, shoddy, article. You both should know better.

Now, with that off my chest, I’d like to end this post on an upbeat note. I phoned my local food emporium, Cavistons {of course}, and inquired about pigeon breast. Mark Caviston was only too happy to say that it is readily available at €3.99 each. Sure, at that price, why would you shoot your own?!

The recipe that follows is from Biddy White Lennon and Georgina Campbell’s new book, The Food & Cooking of Ireland: Classic Dishes from the Emerald Isle. I haven’t made the dish myself {personally, I’m not mad about gamey meats.} but I’m sure it’s wonderful. Enjoy!

Pigeons in Stout

Serves 6

Ingredients

175/6oz thick streaky (fatty) bacon

2 medium onions, finely chopped

2 or 3 garlic cloves, crushed

seasoned flour, for coating

50g/2oz/1/4 cup butter

15ml/1 tablespoon olive oil

6 pigeon breasts

30ml/2 tablespoons Irish whiskey (optional)

600ml/1 pint/2 1/2 cups chicken stock

300ml/1/2 pint/1 1/4 cups stout

175g/6oz button (white) mushrooms

beurre manié, if needed (see Cook’s Tip below)

15-30ml/1-2 tablespoons rowan jelly

sea salt and ground black pepper

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 150°C/300°F/Gas Mark 2. Trim the streaky bacon and cut it into strips. Cook gently in a large, flameproof casserole until the fat runs out, then add the two chopped onions and crushed garlic and continue cooking until they are soft. Remove from the casserole and set aside.

2. Coast the breast portions thickly with seasoned flour. Add the butter and oil to the pan, heat until the butter is foaming, then add the meat and brown well on all sides. Pour in the Irish Whiskey, if using. Carefully set it alight and shake the pan until the flames go out – this improves the flavor.

3. Stir in the stock, stout and the mushrooms, and bring slowly to the boil. Cover closely and cook in the preheated oven for 11/2 -2 hours, or until the pigeons are tender.

4. Remove from the oven and lift the pigeons on to a serving dish. Thicken the gravy, if necessary, by adding small pieces of beurre manié, stirring until the sauce thickens. Stir in the rowan jelly to taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve the pigeons with the gravy while hot.

Cooks Tip: To make the beurre manié mix together 15g/1/2oz/1 tablespoon of butter with 15ml/1 tablespoon flour. Add small pieces of the mixture to the boiling gravy or sauce and stick until thickened.

Related Articles

*Cavistons Food Emporium Facebook Page

* Speaking of Pigeons over at Irish Language Blog

*How the Irish Really Cook Pigeon over at Newsvine

* A Recipe for Pigeon with Pommes Mousseline and Pancetta Peas over at Georgina Campbell’s Ireland website

* A Recipe for Pigeon Breast with Elderberry Sauce by Biddy White Lennon over at Irish Food Writer’s Guild

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