Kevin Henry's new film opens tonight in his native Castlebar

CASTLEBAR native Kevin Henry is the writer and director of Soulsmith, which opens at Mayo Movieworld, Castlebar, this evening. He met with Darina Molloy to chat about his new film

 

KEVIN Henry has been dreaming of films since he was only a young lad in St. Gerald’s College. He loved everything about them – watching them, reading about them and studying how they were made. He also loved writing.

But he did his Leaving Cert. in 2003, and went on to study science at college, as you do. The degree, he recalls, didn’t do it for him, and he left it, eventually moving on to do a film degree at DIT. There he learned more about the craft (and graft) of making a film.

A few short films followed: “I wouldn’t show them to anyone,” he laughs.
 On leaving college, he discovered fairly quickly that film is a very tough industry to break into. But he was driven, had a basic idea for what became his first feature length film, and happened to be working in a DIY shop with his college friend Séamus Waters.

The pair would hide in the aisles while they plotted and planned making a movie together. “I do think it was fitting that it was a DIY shop and we went off and did it ourselves,” jokes Kevin. 


Fast forward to 2015, and the plotting and planning has translated into a real live cast and crew, with Séamus producing and Kevin directing the script he has written, and six weeks of filming in and around Castlebar and other parts of Mayo.

The main character is playwright Ed, who is struggling with a serious case of writer’s block. He returns to the west of Ireland for his father’s funeral, meets up with friends from school, and … well, you’ll have to go and see it if you want to know any more.

One spoiler alert, however, it’s far from being a serious Irish film – there are plenty of very funny moments which provide a perfect counterpoint to the more poignant moments.
 “A lot of my generation have emigrated,” says Kevin. “So that’s why it’s focused on the people who did stay.”

The film also deals with an often-discussed aspect of Irish society – the young males who have trouble communicating. “It’s not that we don’t talk,” says Kevin.

“We talk, but we talk a lot of rubbish. But sometimes, underneath the soft talk, there is something in there, you know.”

He is quietly spoken, but is clearly someone who thinks deeply about things, and has equally strong opinions about social media, and the pressures of presenting a perfect face to the world.

How did it feel to be back filming in his hometown?

Kevin can’t speak highly enough about the experience. Businesses opened their doors to him very willingly, and various scenes were shot in the Linenhall Arts Centre and Johnny McHale’s pub, among others.

A scene shot in Café Rua had to be scrapped during post-production as the story was refined and rejigged, but the restaurant was equally accommodating and opened for midnight filming. “I was so proud of the town, because my crew were from all around the country and they had such a positive experience filming down here,” he says.

His parents, Jerry and Carmel Henry, also had to put up with a chaotic home for a while, as some key scenes were shot there.


The scenery and locations aren’t the only things that should play well with a local audience, however, as Kevin points out. Some of the stars are people you could meet walking down Main Street or across the Mall, or in the fruit and veg aisle of any of the local supermarkets.

“All the main roles feature trained actors,” says Kevin, “but for any of the smaller roles, I asked friends and family because they look more real and the accent is genuine. Because that’s the kind of thing people call you on!”

Having had the privilege of attending an earlier pre-screening, I don’t think there’ll be too much to call him on. It’s too entertaining a film for that.

Mayo itself is as much a character as any of the lead actors, and the cinematography is absolutely stunning in parts.

It wasn’t conceived as a promotional tool, but it certainly shows off this beautiful county to great effect.

“It does make Mayo look very well,” Kevin agrees. “A big portion of that is luck, because we filmed two weeks in April and there were blue skies every day of the week. Everywhere we shot looked gorgeous.

“And it also helped me, because my crew were just very happy – every day out in the sun.” Kevin Henry, writer and director. May it stay fine for him and any future film endeavours. We’ve not heard the last of him.

Soulsmith premieres at Mayo Movieworld, Castlebar, tonight (Friday), September 1, with a cheese and wine reception.

Tickets available from the cinema or from Downtown Records. The film will run for three weeks