Visual feast as Fastnet Film Festival gets underway in West Cork

Petrina Shortt, Trish Shalloe, and Anne Murphy at the opening party for the Fastnet Film Festival. Picture: Johannes Eisele

There was a hint of Cannes in the air, but none of the formality and stuffiness, as the first films began rolling overlooking the ocean at one of Ireland’s top film festivals.

As the sun beamed down on yachts bobbing on sparkling azure seas, Oscar-winning actors and academy award-nominated directors mingled with film industry executives and film enthusiasts at the star-studded launch of the Fastnet Film Festival in Schull, West Cork — an event which prides itself on its casual approach yet sharp focus on the craft of film-making.

“There are no red carpets here and we have no dress code. And that’s part of its appeal,” festival spokesperson Hilary McCarthy said.

Hollywood star Aidan Quinn, who has starred in over 80 feature films, including Desperately Seeking Susan, The Mission, Legends of the Fall, Michael Collins, Song for a Raggy Boy and Unknown, James Martin, who starred in the Oscar-winning film An Irish Goodbye, and Catherine Clinch, one of the stars of An Cailín Ciún, were among the high-profile guests at Wednesday’s launch, which was addressed by former director general of the BBC, and senior Bafta executive, Greg Dyke.

Academy Award nominee, Ciarán Hinds, who has starred in big-screen blockbusters including Road to Perdition, The Sum of All Fears,  Munich, and Belfast, as well as in several major tv series, including Game of Thrones and most recently, The Dry, is expected to attend events at the weekend.

Actor Aidan Quinn at the Fastnet Film Festival opening party in Schull, West Cork. Picture: Johannes Eisele

Others guests will include the director of Oscar-winning Room, Lenny Abrahamson, who co-directed the smash tv hit Normal People, Ed Guiney, Eanna Hardwicke, Nancy Harris and Carmel Winter.

Mr Abrahamson, who will host a Q&A session at the festival, told the Irish Examiner: “Cannes is on at the moment but you couldn't have a bigger difference. There wouldn't be a dress code now in Schull.

“The atmosphere is incredibly warm in the town and the whole town gets involved because as they say, the town is the screen.

“They're projecting films in cafes and pubs and there's this lovely proper festival atmosphere that just makes it great.

“Then you just have really interesting people turning up partially because people have formed relationships with the festival over the years."

Almost 200 films, including 10 feature-length films, will be screened between now and Sunday’s wrap party, with workshops and masterclasses covering action filming, directing, acting, casting, auditioning, foley artistry, shorts to feature, and how to finance your film.

With a series of free public events also taking place, organisers expect some 7,000 people to attend over the next four days, with the good weather forecast expected to boost numbers.

One of the highlights is set to be the public outdoor screening in the town park on Sunday evening of An Cailín Ciún, which will be attended by Catherine Clinch.

A full list of events and ticket information is available at www.fastnetfilmfestival.com.