New festival will showcase Achill as location for making films

A NEW film festival is set to showcase Achill as a location for future film-making.

An engaging line-up of events will capture the imaginations of locals and visitors when the Achill Island Film Festival 2022 is staged next May, in association with Achill Tourism.

There are a number of awards categories as part of the festival and submissions for films are now open.

Festival director Emily O'Callaghan said the thinking behind it is to work with the locals to make small cinemas and projection houses around the island, bringing enjoyment, togetherness and excitement to the community through the universal love of film, along with a boost to the area.

Taking place from May 20 to 22, planned activities include film screenings and premieres, guest speaker workshops and talks, an awards ceremony/grand finale night, with events for young people, free fringe activities with musicians performing, and events/screenings of interest for older people.

Archive screenings of old Achill footage and history talks are also being planned.

Emily explained: “In creating this festival, my intention is to put together a thoroughly well organised and engaging events programme, that is thoughtfully executed by drawing from past experience in the film and event industries.

“There is an existing line of great Irish film-making that unfortunately can't reach the more remote places in this country, especially where there is no existing cinema screen.

“While there are great artists residing and working in Achill, its remoteness doesn't always serve it when it comes to art, be it film or other forms. My belief is that when it comes to something like film, we can transform spaces to make them accommodate the joy of shared cinema.”

Emily has already worked on an Achill project, as she set out: “Years ago I helped the artist Joe Caslin do just that sort of transformation when he created his murals on what is known as Achillhenge.

“Bringing art to unlikely places and shaping it in new ways is something that runs through my own artistic track record through the years. One example is my efforts over the past few years in the comedy world. From putting on comedy shows, to running these events in book shops, parks and residential places, all the way to being invited to put together and manage the comedy side of many artistic festivals.”

Emily was asked to produce the Hazel Wood comedy stage at Electric Picnic in 2019 and 2020. Last December she produced a two-night online comedy show for the new Dublin International Comedy Film Festival.

“I have always had a deep admiration for the arts and artists and even hosted an interview series featuring many of my favourite Irish creatives and thinkers for my personal podcast Green Rebel.

“I hope to make use of long forgotten social venues on the island and work with the community to bring out the best of the area,” she said.

To date, several actors, directors, screenwriters, producers and art directors have expressed an interest in being involved in some capacity, though the details are yet to be ironed out.

On what the festival will deliver for Achill, Emily says: “I expect to run a high quality, thoughtfully produced festival which brings together the local community and the film industry who will see what a gorgeous place Achill is to film in for future projects.

“I hope that the events will inspire the younger generation of locals to realise that they can make films or work in that industry, having attended some of the specialised talks and workshops we will produce. We aim to run children-focused workshops encouraging them to get involved and make their own films along with meeting experts in the industry to guide them.

“I believe that showing the island to many filmmakers from abroad and indeed from Ireland will increase awareness of the stunning locations that can be used in film-making in future.

“I think the easy going and medium sized festival in such a community will foster strong relationships between people and evolve into more collaborations in the industry. I am certain that the workshops and talks that we run will aid the industry and the community to unite over the shared love of film and that it will bear fruit in future based on connections made in Achill before, during and after the festival.”