Offaly film to be Screened at international festival

THERE was great excitement in South Offaly last week when news broke that the locally produced film “Unstitching The Shinrone Gown” had been selected to screen at the Lift-Off Global Network Film Festival in the UK, an international showcase for independent short films and features taking place this month.
The Lift-Off Festival is based in the world-famous Pinewood Studios and is part of a Global Network, which runs a series of events in a number of major cities, providing a platform for emerging filmmakers to share their work with international audiences of industry professionals, producers, and cinema enthusiasts.
Ger Murphy of the Shinrone Heritage Group (SHG) told the Tribune that he is “delighted” by the news. He praised Offaly based producer Garret Daly of Mixed Bag Media for his “exceptional work” in bringing the story of the Shinrone Gown to life on screen. “Garret did an amazing job capturing the Shinrone Gown story, and the central role played by Bernie Stapleton and Rosalind Fanning in recreating this nationally important part of our history. The film's inclusion in the screening is really a celebration of Garret's craft as a film maker and producer.”
Ger also highlighted the great support received from the Creative Ireland Team in Offaly County Council, whose backing made both the gown’s recreation and the film possible. “It proves that small partnerships can lead all the way to the big screen."
Anne-Marie Healy of SHG said the news is “a lovely acknowledgement of a small community’s work to bring heritage out from behind the glass case and back into the community.” Joe Cleary of Shinrone National School said the children were “thrilled to see the gown exhibited during Heritage Week at Edenderry Library and to now make the big screen has created a lovely excitement. It is just wonderful to see the gown’s story reach both a national and international audience.”
SHG said the news highlights how local communities can share their stories with the world; and the importance of local events.
Ger added that local filmmaker Nicholas Ryan-Purcell film ’Loughmore To The Front’ has been selected for the 21AM Film Festival in Rome. “Nick produced the wonderful story of Shinrone native Mabel Wallace.”