Locally shot film An Bronntanas / The Gift will be screened in the Station House Theatre in Clifden, Co.Galway from 10th to 16th September. The film is directed by Tom Collins (Kings) and produced by Ciarán Ó Cofaigh and Tom Collins for ROSG and De Facto Films. Members of the cast and crew will attend the screening of the film on Saturday 13th to present the film and have a chat with the audience.
The film is a contemporary thriller set against the background of a local independent lifeboat crew working off the coast of Connamara. The rescue crew receive a distress call on a stormy night, they go on ‘a shout” to discover a fishing boat, its only passenger a dead woman and its cargo of over a million Euros worth of drugs. The crew is challenged with a moral dilemma – bring the woman on shore and hand the drugs to the authorities or, leave the body, sell the drugs and save their struggling village.
Amongst the cast are local actor Dara Devaney (Na Cloigne), American based actor John Finn (Cold Case, Homeland, Glory, ) and Owen McDonnell (Single Handed, ). Other cast include Pól Ó Gríofa (Ros Na Run), Michelle Beamish, Charlotte Bradley. Finance on the film came from TG4, The Broadcast Authority of Ireland, Bord Scannán na hÉireann. The Irish Language Broadcast Fund and The Irish Republics Film Tax Incentive scheme.
"We really wanted to open the threatrical run of the film in the west of Ireland, the majority of it was shot here so it is only right that this is where we first show it. After that we will broaden it to show the film elsewhere. The landscape out in the west is incredible and I think Cian De Buitléir, captured that so well and it looks tremendous on the big screen" said Collins on the release.
Ciarán Ó Cofaigh co-founder and managing director of ROSG, and producer of Cré Na Cille and the supernatural thriller Na Cloigne produced the film with Collins and this is a continuation of his work in the area, "A lot of local people worked on the film during the 43 day shoot, and now they can come along and enjoy seeing their hard work on the big scene. We built up some great relationships with local fishermen and sea rescue teams and it shows in the care we took with the water scenes".
Cinematographer Cian de Buitléir was responsible for the films difficult sea-based & water scenes. "They were very important scenes", said the award winning cinematographer. "We built the boats locally and we spent many days filming the major rescue. It’s very important that the film is shown where it was shot so I'm delighted to see it the Station House".
"I hope a lot of those that were involved take the chance and come to see us and themselves on screen, at the Station House on the 10th of September" added Collins.
"I showed my last bigger film there Kings in 2008 and think the Station House is a great place to see a film, especially a local one".
An Bronntanas runs at the Station House, Clifden from 10-16th September.
