18 October 2017
By Mary Bermingham
mary@TheCork.ie
Entertainment Update
“Gustav”, an intriguing short film by a Cork filmmaking duo about 19th Century composer Gustav Holst, has been officially selected to screen at the 62nd International Cork Film Festival this November.
This curious tale about a man with Gustav Holst trapped in his head had its world premiere at the Galway Film Fleadh earlier this year. Writer/director Ken Williams and director Denis Fitzpatrick who both hail from Carrigaline, Cork are delighted with the announcement of this latest selection.
The mind of the films’ protagonist Will is hi-jacked by the tune Jupiter: The Bringer of Jollity from Gustav Holst’s orchestral movement The Planets. In a coincidental turn of events, just over a week after Gustav’s screening in Galway, two lost manuscripts from Holst, which have not been seen or heard in over a century, showed up in the library of the Bay of Plenty Symphonia in New Zealand. They will be performed in New Zealand later this year before being returned to England.
For “Gustav”, their sixth film together, Ken and Denis have gathered an impressive ensemble cast and crew. Sean T. O’Meallaigh (Vikings, An Klondike) plays the protagonist Will with Charlene Gleeson (Sarah & Steve, Penny Dreadful) as his weary partner Dee. The cinematography is by James Mather (Frank, Adam and Paul), edited by Shane Callan and the film was produced by Steven Daly of Brainstorm Productions.
Deirdre deGrae in her a piece in Film Ireland, described Gustav as “Very funny….this is a laugh-out-loud, cleverly edited short. O’Meallaigh is perfectly cast and he is in his element playing this comedic role. As with all successful comedies, this film juggled the essentials of good editing and comedic timing with a sharp script”.
The writer/director pair are working on a number of new projects one of which is a fascinating documentary about Cork woman Karen Barry, who discovered powerlifting at the age of 48 and won a gold medal at the world championship in Minsk this summer.
