KFF to screen films at Soho Shorts Festival

The Kerry Film Festival (KFF), which is celebrating 11 years of bringing film to the people of Kerry, has partnered with a number of film festivals across the globe in an effort to promote the best Irish short films. This partnership has paid dividends and is a perfect means for KFF to screen films from the brightest up and coming Irish filmmakers in overseas venues and festivals.

The Rushes Soho Shorts Festival 2010, which is based in London, takes place from Wednesday, 21 July to Friday, 30 July and will screen 6 films from KFF 2009 at a number of venues throughout the city.

"It's great that these films will screen in London as it offers fantastic exposure for both the filmmakers and for the Kerry Film Festival," said O' Mahony. "This is our first year partnering with the Soho Shorts Festival and we're hoping that it's the beginning of a beautiful friendship! We're also delighted for the selected filmmakers because it's a ringing endorsement of their films!"

Filmmakers are also impressed with the work put in by Kerry Film Festival to promote and champion their films abroad.

"Kerry Film Festival is the film festival which just keeps on giving! It was a wonderfully warm experience with the staff and organisers genuinely concerned about ensuring that we, the film makers, had a wonderful time," said Irish Filmmaker, Declan Cassidy.

"The award I won there has commanded a lot of respect in promoting the film to industry and other festivals. But it didn't stop there. Festival Director, Jason O' Mahony, has forged an extremely impressive network with other festivals and he worked tirelessly to promote my film to them. As a result my film played in a number of festivals it would not have otherwise reached and, to my surprise and delight, the film picked up another award at one of these in Italy. Kerry Film Festival is the kind of festival you want to go back to again and again."

The films selected for the Soho Shorts Festival include CARDBOARD BOY, which was directed by young Kerry filmmaker, Kelley O' Sullivan. Also included are UNCLE BILL'S BARREL by Eoin Ryan; the brilliant animated IT'S ALL ABOUT GEORGE by Roy Lecane & Don Field, which recently won a festival award at the Chicago Irish Film Festival; GOD AND NAPOLEON by Ciaran Deeney; LONG IS THE WAY by Eoin Heaney and the Oscar nominated, GRANNY O'GRIMMS SLEEPING BEAUTY, by Nicky Phelan.

The 6 shorts films will screen 3 times over the course of the week on Friday 23 July at 16:00 in Curzon Soho; on Tuesday 27 July at 13:00 in the Tenderproduct Basement and on Thursday 29 July at 14:00 also in Curzon Soho.