Pól's journey from Mayo village to the international film stage
THE Banshees of Inisherin might be the movie of the moment in Mayo, but there’s another film with a local connection that’s up for an award at the prestigious Toronto Short Film Festival.
Pól Seoige from Islandeady produced and stars in the film Butterfly, which has already netted a slew of awards.
Pól, son of Bríd and Padraig, Keelogues, Islandeady, has been based in Toronto, Canada, for the last few years, working in the movie industry. Toronto is a hub for international film and a popular choice as a set for the biggest US film makers.
His interest in the silver screen began at an early age when he was on set during the filming of John McGahern’s Amongst Women.
“I loved the hustle and bustle of it all,” said Pól. “Farms and houses belonging to our friends became movie locations and I was fascinated by the big cameras and the dollys, the artificial buildings and sets. I was hooked.”
Around the same time, the Joyce family won Family Farm of the Year which saw TV cameras descending on the area and Pól’s first RTÉ appearance.
Despite his creative leanings, Pól took the ‘sensible approach’, completing a business degree and a masters in science before beginning a career in the bank. At the same time, he worked as an extra on sets around Dublin.
He built on some solid experience in Dublin, moving to Toronto to further his career. “I had a busy year in 2022, creating and acting in many music videos internationally,” he explained. “Toronto is a great place to work with talented people and hone my craft.
“So far 2023 has blessed me with some great opportunities in television and I’m currently working on a film called Journeyman. Once again I was chosen to produce and star, this time as a professional boxer called ‘Fran’. It will be shot on location in both Canada and Ireland, which is exciting.”
So far the only way is up for Pól, working on auditions for Young Offenders with Vico Films and Bouncer Diaries, with a large cast from the hit Netflix show Yellowstone. His role as Detective Phil O’Reilly in crime drama Push resulted in a Best Supporting Actor award.
The lead in Butterfly has landed him on shortlists for Best Actor in two upcoming film festivals.
Butterfly, a psychological thriller, is a gritty take on a police interrogation gone wrong. It is a telling story of one aspect of the real world of law enforcement and the interaction with criminals. It has been described as ‘a truly skilful piece of filmmaking on multiple levels’ and ‘an amazing piece of noir art’, winning awards in Canada and the USA, and was a finalist in the Cannes World Film Festival.
Pól hasn’t lost touch with his roots, especially in a sporting sense. He cheered on his three cousins and Islandeady teammates as his club won its first county final since he played on the 2011 team, glued to the online broadcast.
Appropriately enough, the Toronto Short Film Festival opens on the St. Patrick’s festivities and if the rub of the green is with Pól Seoige both he and Butterfly will claim yet another accolade.