Rushes Film Festival Call for Entries

The entry form for this year' Rushes Soho Shorts Festival can now be downloaded at www.sohoshorts.com

The festival celebrates the previous year's best director in each of the six competition categories Short Film, Animation, Documentary, Music Video, Newcomer and Broadcast Design.

2009 includes additional out-of-competition programmes highlighting work from abroad along with numerous guest programmes showcasing amazing work produced in the UK and overseas. These include experimental film programmes, commissioned music videos from the BBC and RADAR, independent shorts from Australia, competition entries from 'straight 8', award programmes from Think Sync, commissioned short science films, commissioned documentaries, the list goes on. You can download the 2008 festival brochure from the website (go to the Previous Years pages).

The 10 day event will also see a large range of seminars, lectures, networking events, receptions, Bar-B-Q's, boat parties and live music performances with yet more events being planned for the Autumn. In 2008, post festival, the finalist's films and selections of work from the festival shortlist were screened not only to Ad agencies, festivals and film organisations in London but also at events in Denmark, Australia, USA, Turkey, and Jersey (to name a few).

"We've been very lucky to have such great support over the last decade and we're very excited by the possibilities presenting themselves for the coming year and the years ahead. We're planning the usual guest programmes, lunchtime seminars and late afternoon panels for 2009, if anyone is interested in getting involved it'd be great to hear from them" commented Joe Bateman, Festival Director.

The festival provides many programmes and events for free, intending to encourage, inspire and promote talented filmmakers to the public and the huge number of production companies and creative organisations in and around London and the UK.

It's free to enter, just send in your film on DVD along with an entry form to:

Rushes Soho Shorts, 66 Old Compton Street, London, W1D 4UH, UK.

Films can be submitted up until 23^rd April with the shortlisted films being announced early June and the full programme available from 1^st July.

The festival will open on Wednesday 22^nd July and will culminate, as is tradition, with the Rushes Awards hosted by Terry Christian on Thursday 30^th July 2009.

Further Information can be found at www.sohoshorts.com

Success for Irish Films at Sundance

	FIVE MINUTES OF HEAVEN Double Win at Sundance 26 Jan 2009 The Northern Irish shot feature Five Minutes of Heaven has picked up two awards at the 25th Sundance Film Festival in Utah. more
	HELEN and PEACEFIRE Win at Premier Plan Fest 26 Jan 2009 Helen, the feature by Irish film making team Christine Molloy and Joe Lawlor, has scooped two awards at the Festival Premiers Plans in Angers France. Peacefire produced by MayFly Entertainment also picked up an award. more

Arts Council Congratulates Irish Oscar Nominees
26 Jan 2009
Pat Moylan, The Chairman of the Arts Council, has sent her congratulations to the Irish nominees for the Academy Awards, wishing them the best of luck on at the Awards night. more

IFTN Newsletter

Cinemagic Host Short Film Comp for Schools 21 Jan 2009 Cinemagic, in association with BT Vision, are hosting a competition for five school groups to get the chance to make their own short film in February 2009, which will then be screened and voted for online. more

Northern Ireland Scriptwriting Fest 21 Jan 2009 BBC Northern Ireland and Tinderbox Theatre Company in conjunction with the Tony Doyle Bursary 2009 will host a four-day festival of script writing workshops and talks from Wednesday 28th - Saturday 31st of January 2009. more

Kildare County Council Film Bursary Award 21 Jan 2009 Kildare County Council Arts Service is inviting applications for their Film Bursary Award from filmmakers living in or from County Kildare. The closing date for receipt of applications for each scheme is Wednesday 18th March 2009. more

IFB & IFTA Reveal 2009 Rising Star Nominations 20 Jan 2009 Actors Sarah Bolger, Michael Fassbender, director Lance Daly, and scriptwriter Enda Walsh have been announced by Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board (IFB) and the Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA) as the nominees for the Rising Star Award 2009 - the winner of which will be announced at the Irish Film and Television Awards Ceremony on February 14th. more

Clive Owen to Discuss Graphic Novel Genre at JDIFF 20 Jan 2009 British actor Clive Owen (Children of Men, Closer) is set to attend The Jameson Dublin International Film Festival next month. The ‘Sin City’ actor will participate in the festival’s Graphic Novel event taking place on Tuesday 17 February 2009. more

US Premiere of ‘Waveriders’ Ahead of Irish April Release 20 Jan 2009 IFTA nominated feature documentary 'Waveriders', directed by Joel Conroy, will receive its US Premiere at the 24th Santa Barbara International Film Festival on the 28th Jan '09. The film is set to be released by Element Pictures Distribution across nationwide cinemas in Ireland and the UK on 3rd April 2009. more

IFB Promotional Activities at Berlin 20 Jan 2009 The Irish Film Board will arranging a number of activities for the promotion of Irish films at the upcoming 59th Berlin Film Festival running from February 5th - 15th. more

Production Depot & Connect Ethiopia Call for Equipment 19 Jan 2009 The Production Depot, leading Equipment supplier, in association with the Irish business initiative, 'Connect Ethiopia', are looking to the Irish Film and Television Industry for help to assist them source equipment to use in developing training and employment in the film and television sector in Ethiopia. more

The Element Completes Post on Greatest Haunts 19 Jan 2009 Post production house The Element has just completed work on new six part paranormal series ‘Northern Irelands Greatest Haunts’ to begin airing on Wednesday, January 21 on BBC One NI at 10.45pm. more

Busy Start to 2009 for High Wire 16 Jan 2009 High Wire Post Production has had a busy start to the New Year with several high profile television programmes recently completed and more currently in production. more

KFF Award Winner in Oscar Race

	'New Boy', McDonagh & Crowley In Oscar Race 22 Jan 2009 The Irish short film New Boy, screenwriter Martin McDonagh, producer Redmond Morris and production designer Nathan Crowley have all been nominated for the 81st Academy Awards, set to take place on Sunday, February 22, 2009. more
	Record Ratings for Nationwide 21 Jan 2009 An unprecedented 543,000 people watched Nationwide on Monday which evening included items on Barack Obama's Irish ancestry. This made up a record rating for the show with 36 per cent of the available television audience watching. more

Kerry Film Festival Announces Spring 09 Film Club Line Up

BEFORE THE DEVIL KNOWS YOU'RE DEAD, 8.00 pm, Wed, Jan 14th

Director: Sidney Lumet

When two brothers organize the robbery of their parents' jewelry store the job goes horribly wrong, triggering a series of events that sends them, their father and one brother's wife hurtling towards a shattering climax. Starring: Phillip Seymour Hoffman, Ethan Hawke, Albert Finney, Maresa Tomei

You can watch a trailer here:

JIGS ON REELS, 8.00 pm, Fri, Feb 6th

A wonderful night of traditional musical entertainment with a screening of a short film followed by 90 minutes of the very best in West Kerry Trad with Máire Begley and friends.

THE POPE'S TOILET, 8.00 pm, Wed, Feb 11th

Director: Cesar Charlone

A small South American village is in a flurry over the Pope's 1988 visit, directed by Cesar Charlone, who was the cinematographer on CITY OF GOD, the biggest South American hit of all time.

You can watch a trailer here:

PERSEPOLIS, 8.00 pm, Wed, Mar 11th

Directors: Vincent Paronnaud, Marjane Satrapi

An Oscar nominated, poignant coming-of-age story of a precocious and outspoken young Iranian girl that begins during the Islamic Revolution told using beautiful animation.

You can watch a trailer here:

HAPPY GO LUCKY, 8.00 pm, Wed, Apr 8th

Director: Mike Leigh

A look at a few chapters in the life of Poppy, a cheery, colorful, North London schoolteacher whose optimism tends to exasperate those around her. An unusually upbeat and hilarious from the multi-Oscar nominated Leigh.

You can watch a trailer here: