Irish feature film ‘Man Made Men’ will have its U.S. premiere at the 20th Anniversary Arizona International Film Festival. Other Irish projects being shown as part of the festival include Sean Garland’s feature doc, ‘NokotaHeart’, Risteard O’Domhnaill’s ‘The Pipe’ and Mary Redmond’s short, ‘Cured’.
‘Mad Made Men’ shot in the summer of 2010 and stars Ronan Wilmot (In the Name of the Father), Kevin Cummins, Nick Cummins, Jane Downes and Tom Latchford (Mama and Damian). Produced by Helen Sheridan and Alex Fegan who also directed the film, ‘Man Made Men’ centres around Benjamin Ezekiel, an arrogant young scientist who conducts an experiment which purports to unravel the mysteries of life. Three Rabbis arrive in Dublin to stop his experiment. They soon realize, however, that Benjamin is being protected by powerful forces that want to see the experiment completed.
The film, which screened at the 2010 Galway Film Fleadh, had its premiere in the Lighthouse cinema in October 2010. It was made with a crew of just two people for the majority of the production, both of whom were also working full time in other professions; Alex Fegan as a Solicitor and Helen Sheridan as lecturer. Helen Sheridan produced and took care of the film’s sound whilst Alex Fegan wrote, directed and produced the feature along with acting as the director of photography and editor. The film’s music was provided by John Picardo. ‘Man Made Men’ was made with a budget of just €4,000. The film will have its US premiere at the festival on April 2nd.
Sean Garland (The Wheelhouse) will be in attendance at the screening of ‘Nokataheart’, a feature doc which tells the true story of Leo Kuntz, a Vietnam vet turned horse rancher. Produced by Sean and Lawrence Fee (The Sound of People) who also edited the feature, it examines Leo’s life and loves out on the Great Plains of North America and his fight to save the legendary Nokota horse of Sitting Bull from extinction in the inexorable onslaught of the 21st century.
Another feature length project showing at the festival is Risteard O’Domhnaill’s feature documentary, ‘The Pipe’. The documentary tells the compelling story of Rossport's struggle against the economic might of Shell and the tragic divisions that have split a once-peaceful and close knit community. It is produced by Rachel Lysaght (Underground Films) and edited by Nigel O’Regan for Scannáin Inbhear.
Mary Redmond’s short, ‘Cured’ will screen as part of the festivals Love Shorts section. The short is an unconventional love story with a meaty twist. It was written by Louise Ní Fhiannachta and is produced by Laura Ní Cheallaigh.
The Arizona International Film Festival which runs from April 1st to 20th this year For more information about the event visit www.filmfestivalarizona.com
