KERRY FILM FESTIVAL CELEBRATES AS WINNING FILMS HIT LONDON’S WEST-END

Director David Freyne on the set of PASSING which will screen at RSSF

Kerry Film Festival is celebrating the inclusion of six of last year's winning short films in the Rushes Soho Shorts Festival (RSSF). The shorts will form an entire programme, curated by Kerry Film Festival, at the RSSF which will be held in London's West-End from the 20^th to the 29^th of July.

“We're constantly pushing for our winning directors’ work to be screened at as many international film festivals as possible, and it's fantastic to see a festival like the Rushes Soho Shorts Festival dedicating an entire programme to KFF shorts,” said KFF Director, Jason O' Mahony. “While we’ve always been committed to bringing film and film makers to Kerry, one of the world’s most beautiful locations, we’re equally as enthusiastic about bringing the fantastic short films that screen here to as wide an audience as possible.”

Kerry Film Festival is continuing to forge partnerships with film festivals across the world to find outlets for emerging Irish film makers. Over the last four years an extensive network has developed and continues to help promote the work of Irish film makers abroad. “We absolutely love the films that we screen and we want the world to love them as much as we do. One of the hardest things for film makers to do is to create an audience for their films and at KFF we try to make that task a little bit easier,” continued O’ Mahony.

Anna Rodgers, Director of IF THESE WALLS COULD TALK, which won Best Documentary Short at KFF 2010 said, “I'm absolutely thrilled that my film is to be screened at this year's Rushes Soho Short Film Festival. It's a great credit to Kerry Film Festival that a screening there can lead to so much more exposure,” she continued.

The news of the KFF programme being included at RSSF comes only weeks after it was announced that winning Irish shorts from KFF 2010, RUNNERS and PASSING are also to screen at the Nickel Film Festival in Canada this month.

Kerry film maker, Keith Mannix, who directed the Audience Award winning short film at KFF 2010 is similarly thrilled to have his film screen in London. His film, THE CHRISTMAS SWIM, which documents the traditional Christmas dip in the sea at Banna Strand, Co. Kerry is a real crowd-pleaser. Keith said “I'm delighted that my film will be shown at the Rushes Soho Short Film Festival. It was quiet an experience making the film and I wonder what the reaction in London will be to our Christmas tradition.”

Rushes Soho Shorts Festival is a not-for-profit festival celebrating the wealth of talent working across all genres of short film including live action drama, documentary, animation, music video, and broadcast design including online or mobile content, title sequences, and idents. Productions entered consistently feature a host of recognisable names and faces alongside gifted ‘unknowns’, showcasing global filmmaking talent. The work of newcomers and established film makers is promoted by screening work at cinemas, screening rooms and cafes throughout Soho and London’s West End.