Reel hopes for The Frontline

GROWING up in Co Limerick, David Gleeson spent most of his spare time helping out in the cinemas his father, Eddie, ran in Cappamore and Kilmallock.

The work involved selling minerals, cleaning out ashtrays, collecting tickets and sweeping up each night.

But it was a labour of love for David.

He said: “I just loved watching movies.”

At the age of 12 he graduated to the projection room where he was in charge of ensuring the reels were always spinning.

Almost unknown to himself, David was developing the educated eye of a skilled and critical movie maker.

And for years he followed his dream to direct films.

Tomorrow night life will come full circle for David Gleeson the movie director, when his latest film, The Frontline opens at cinemas around the country.

David, 39, will spend the big night back where it all started. In the family cinema with his father.

Eddie Gleeson now runs the Ormond Cinema in Nenagh.

The Frontline, which was shot in Dublin cost €2.5 million to make and David is confident that it will do well in the US later this year, after it is shown at the Hampton Film Festival in New York.

David’s first movie, Cowboys and Angels was filmed in Limerick in 2003 and did well in the box office. It cost €1.2 million to make.

On leaving the CBS in Doon, David had only one career in his sights. Cinema.

“I just wanted to make movies. But getting there was a different question, given it was the 1980s and there was no film industry as such in the country,” he said.

A communications course brought him to Aberdeen and after completing that he decided to raise money by going out to work on North Sea oil rigs. He spent five years on the rigs.

As luck would have it, David happened to come across an advertisement for a course at the New York Film Academy (NYFA).

While at the NYFA he met Nathalie Lichenthaeller, who teamed up with him to produce Cowboys and Angels which he directed.

They now have three children, Liam, seven, Aiveen, three, and Sean, 18 months.

David is looking forward to the opening night of The Frontline tomorrow night.

He said: “There is always a great buzz to see your name up there in the poster outside the cinema and then on the screen.”