Fastnet Film Festival: Impressive roster for annual event in Schull 

Aidan Quinn is the special guest, and numerous Oscar-nominated Irish figures will make the trip to the West Cork town 

Tom McCarthy, chairman, and programme manager Hilary McCarthy at the Crane Lane in Cork for the launch of the programme for the Fastnet Film Festival in Schull. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

Schull will again become the centre of the Irish film world later this month when stars and filmmakers gather for the Fastnet Film Festival. Taking place in the West Cork village on May 24-28, the event was launched on Wednesday night at the ‘Cinematographers’ Party’ at the Crane Lane in Cork.

While launching the event, filmmaker Gerry Stembridge and festival chairperson Tom McCarthy revealed that special guest for 2023 will be actor Aidan Quinn, who’ll be in interview with former director-general of the BBC, Greg Dyke (also an ex-director of Manchester United), along with screenings of Legends Of The Fall and two more of the star’s films.

Aidan Quinn in Song for a Raggy Boy.

Celebrated director Lenny Abrahamson will also return to Schull, while Catherine Clinch of An Cailín Ciúin will attend a screening of her much-lauded film on Cape Clear. There will be more Oscar-nominated figures in Schull on the Friday night when the team from An Irish Goodbye - writer/directors Tom Berkeley and Ross White, and actor James Martin – will attend a screening and public discussion of their short film.

 Glanmire actor Éanna Hardwicke.

Rising Cork-born star Eanna Hardwicke will take part in Q+A’s following screenings of two of his films, while the other 60 industry guests over the weekend include such figures as Paddy Breathnach and Ed Guiney. The beleaguered nation of Ukraine will also be in focus with several major figures in that country’s film industry travelling to Schull.

• See https://www.fastnetfilmfestival.com/

Out and about at the Crane Lane launch 

Conor Dineen, Adam Byrne and James Young at the Crane Lane. Picture; Eddie O'Hare

Leah Barrett at the launch of the Fastnet Film Festival. Picture; Eddie O'Hare

Martin Levis, Stephanine Power and Jack Levis at the launch of the Fastnet Film Festival. Picture; David Creedon

Herbie Macken, Hannah Macken, Seán Griffin, Áine and Bernard O' Sullivan at the launch of the Fastnet Film Festival. Picture; David Creedon

Sean Breathnach and Helen Wells at the launch. Picture; Eddie O'Hare

Barry Monahan, Gerry Stembridge, and Donal Beecher at the Crane Lane. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

Alyanya Massey, Steve Park and Michelle Donovan at the launch of the Fastnet film festival at Crane Lane. Picture; Eddie O'Hare