Irish short films ‘Bean Sí’ and ‘Luna’ will screen as part of a special Halloween themed event at the Cultúrlann Irish Culture Centre in Belfast this Saturday.
Both films focus on haunting Irish folklore tales, making them the perfect fit for the Halloween Horrors Film, Music and Storytelling fright night the Cultúrlann centre has in store.
‘Bean Sí’ is a 14-minute folklore period drama that explores the myth behind one of Ireland’s best-known fables – The Banshee.
The film was developed and shot on location in Glenties, Ballbofey and Carrick in Co Donegal, with pick-ups shot in the Dublin/Wicklow Mountains last February.
Sorcha Bannon, Michael McCabe and Bríd Ní Chumhaill (Ros na Rún) all star. Traditional folk band Kíla provide music for the short.
‘Luna’ is a visual telling of the well-known Irish tale of ‘faery ring’. It focuses heavily on character performance and movement and features a contemporary dance sequence.
The film stars Danny McColgan (All Is By My Side), and was shot in Stepaside in Dublin in September last year.
Aoife Kelly and Ben Murphy from Alfie Productions produced both films, with Anthony Robinson directing. All three are graduates from the National Film School, Institute of Art, Design and Technology (IADT).
Murphy said the trio are “delighted” to have their films screen at the event in Belfast, adding that he hopes the films will inspire Irish people to have an interest in Irish folklore: “Our aim at Alfie Productions has been to produce compelling and engaging films based on distinctly Irish folk tales. We believe that people in Ireland are losing touch with old Irish tales and through our films we hope to bring these old stories to a new audience via new medium.
“We hope that ‘Bean Sí’ and ‘Luna’ will spark a revived interest in folk stories by introducing these old tales to a contemporary audience. As well as being of local interest in Ireland, we feel strongly that the films will appeal to an international niche audience including the Irish diaspora, folklore enthusiasts and tourists to Ireland”.
