I was once again delighted to be asked to curate another short film programme for Maynooth Film for All [MFFA], a joint partnership between Kildare Library & Arts Service and the Department of Media Studies in Maynooth University. The film club is also affiliated with access>CINEMA.

Hosted by the University and generally held in the IONTAS Building on the first Wednesday of every month, the short film programme ran from October 2016 to May 2017. Each of the films I selected screened before the main feature. All were very well received and attendance figures were consistently good.

I decided to theme the programme around Animation in Irish Short Film, to further showcase some of the fantastic Irish talent that is out there, but also to take an opportunity to screen a wide variety of different themes and styles of filmmaking. Unfortunately, I couldn’t screen every film I viewed, which is a pity, but here are some of the best!

 

LOVE IS A STING

Struggling children’s book writer Harold Finch gains an unexpected house guest in the form of an ageing, hyper-intelligent mosquito named Anabel.

Written by Benjamin Cleary and directed by Vincent Gallagher.

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ANYA

ANYA is a five-minute animated film, charting twenty years in the life of a Russian orphan. It is a unique initiative with To Russia With Love to help raise funds for the charity. 

Written and directed by Damien O’Connor

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Morgan M. Morgensen’s Date with Destiny

Morgan M. Morgensen nervously survives his first date with the love of his life, Destiny.

Written by Sarah Daly. Directed by Joseph Gordon-Levitt

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THE DUEL

Inspired by Terry Pratchett’s Discworld, the film was created and directed by Giant Animation as part of the Animation Hub, a work experience programme set up for students to work on live projects.

Directed by Alex Sherwood, Ben Harper and Sean Mullen

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DEADLY

The story of Boney, a working stiff who doesn’t care about his dead-end job. That is until, he has a run-in with a spirited old lady named Bridie…

Written and Directed by Aidan McAteer

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SECOND TO NONE

Frederick Butterfield has been second place his entire long life, but when his slightly older twin brother becomes the oldest person alive, Frederick sees an opportunity to finally take first place. ‘Second To None’ follows Frederick’s attempts to make it to number one.

Written and Directed by Vincent Gallagher

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CITY OF ROSES

One Halloween night a smouldering suitcase was pulled off a bonfire in Dublin and thus was saved a true story of love, loss and hope.

Written and Directed by Andrew Kavanagh

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My thanks to all of the featured filmmakers. Astoundingly talented, all of them! Also, big thanks to the enthusiastic audiences who came along to the screenings, and to Brenda Brady and Denis Condon for the continued facilitation of Maynooth Film For All.