Irish movie sweeps the board at US film festival

AN Irish movie is being tipped for Oscar nominations after sweeping the board at a prestigious American film festival.

Strength and Honour, which was shot entirely in Cork last year, won the best movie award at the Boston Film Festival’s glitzy award ceremony on Thursday night.

The movie’s star, Michael Madsen, led the way by winning the best actor award for his gritty portrayal of an ageing boxer.

The festival honoured American Beauty and Good Will Hunting several years ago, both of which went on to become worldwide box office smash hits.

Starring Madsen, Richard Chamberlain, Patrick Bergin and Vinnie Jones, Strength and Honour tells the story of an ageing boxer forced back into the ring to pay for his son’s lifesaving operation.

Its writer, producer and director, Mark Mahon, said he and his team were “absolutely gobsmacked” with the awards.

“This is absolutely mind-blowing,” Mr Mahon said yesterday from his Boston hotel.

Madsen, who starred in Quentin Tarantino’s iconic Reservoir Dogs, joked: “As great as Tarantino is, he never got me a best actor award.”

Mark Mahon’s 104-minute movie was up against a number of top studio-backed films, including a Warner Brothers film directed by Clint Eastwood’s daughter, Alison.

“This really was the elite of the elite. And I’m particularly delighted for Michael Madsen,” Mr Mahon said.

He also paid tribute to his business partner Olann Kelleher.

The film’s Irish premiere will be held in Cork in November. Mr Mahon promised all the top stars, as well as a few Hollywood celebrities, will attend the star-studded black-tie event.

The movie will go on general release in Ireland about the same time, he said.

His film company, Maron Pictures, has sold the US distribution rights for an undisclosed sum to Slowhand Cinema, headed by Marty Zieman, formerly one of the main players in Miramax and Paramount.

Meanwhile, he said he hopes to start filming his Braveheart-style epic on Brian Boru next summer.