Three winners of a short film contest sponsored by Virgin Media and Screen Ireland are to receive €30,000 each to bring their projects to the silver screen.
The three winners are Nell Hensey and Brigid Leahy for ‘Good Chips’, Mary Kirwan and Zoë Brennan-Whitmore for ‘Unhinged’, and Jamie O’Rourke for ‘Calf’.
‘Good Chips’ takes the audience back to Dublin in 1989, as a family of Vietnamese immigrants struggle to keep their takeaway business afloat while their 12-year-old daughter befriends one of the customers, a local Irish boy. After he disappears, she finds him somewhere unexpected.
Comedy ‘Unhinged’ follows a self-deprecating millennial who discovers the love of her life and colleague on Tinder and must find the confidence to swipe right before his leaving party, all while navigating a fat-phobic workplace.
‘Calf’ tells the tale of a near fatal farm accident which leaves teenager Cáit with a terrible decision to make in order to do what she must to protect her family.
Nell Hensey, director and co-writer, and Brigid Leahy, co-writer of ‘Good Chips’ added: “As Asian-Irish women, we wanted to tell the story of our parents, their different cultural values and how they have navigated a new culture.
"The film is set in 1980s Ireland but deals with modern themes that have resonance in today's world, especially as there is a notable increase in crimes against the Asian community in Ireland and around the world, giving rise to the #stopasianhate movement.
“Good Chips is a sweet coming-of-age tale about communication and missed connections, presenting an empathetic view of how we can build bridges and work to understand each other.”
In Association with
The emerging film-makers will each receive €30,000 to bring their script to life in a 10-minute short film, along with mentorship, PR, advertising and marketing support.
The final results will be broadcast and available to stream on Virgin Media Television and shown at the Dublin International Film Festival.
Oscar-winning director Lenny Abrahamson, a member of the assessment panel, commented: “It is great to see Virgin Media stepping up to provide such a substantial set of awards for filmmakers.
“There are so many talented and diverse filmmakers in Ireland who often don’t have the chance to see their films being brought to life on screen. This competition is an opportunity to discover new filmmakers and provide them with support, mentorship and investment they need.”
Virgin Media director of content Bill Malone said: “Our aim with the competition is to support diverse voices with unique stories to tell and to invest in the future of film making in Ireland as a national broadcaster. I eagerly await the screening of the three short films on Virgin Media television and I wish all the winners the best in their future endeavours.”
Screen Ireland’s Andrew Byrne stated: “Supporting new talent and investing in the development of diverse voices and stories is fundamental to a growing and evolving creative industry. These projects reflect Ireland today, are powerful, thought provoking and driven by exciting new talent that have shared their personal stories and truths.”
Photo: Brigid Leahy, co-writer of ‘Good Chips’
