More than 100 films for 'Still Voices' festival

Photo shows, 'I Created You' by Noel McIntyre and featuring Richie Clarke

The Still Voices Short Film Festival takes place in Ballymahon from August 15 to August 18.

The 2019 edition of the festival will showcase more than 100 short films across the weekend, in addition to Irish and international feature films, documentaries, panel discussions, family-friendly and social events.

Ronan O’Toole, festival director, said: “We can’t wait to share our programme with you this year.

“In total, we received 515 films from 52 countries, and once again the quality of cinema is superb.

“Across the weekend, Ballymahon will host some of the best films and talent from across the world.”

In addition to the outstanding selection of short films on display, the festival will also screen feature films and ‘The Lonely Battle of Thomas Reid’ opens the festival in St Catherine’s Church on Thursday 15 August.

It is a gripping David and Goliath story masterfully told by director Feargal Ward.

Other highlights include Carmel Winters’ powerful ‘Float like a Butterfly’, Adrian Duncan and Feargal Ward’s ‘Floating Structures’ and the documentary ‘A mother brings her son to be shot’ by Sinéad O Shea.

Not to be missed is the Still Voices ‘Spotlight’ segment on Saturday afternoon, which will focus on the criminally overlooked American director Abraham Polonsky.

The Saturday of the festival will see industry experts take part in panel discussions on two crucial elements of the film-making process.

‘On the Importance of Sound’ will see three leading sound designers discuss the role of effective sound design in immersive storytelling.

The second panel will dive deep into the essential role screenwriting plays to the success of a film.

These panels are free to attend and are a must for any emerging or established filmmaker.

The popular ‘Made in the Midlands’ will screen short films from Westmeath, Longford and Offaly over the weekend.

There will also be plenty of family-friendly events including Still Voices’ first animation workshop for children on Thursday morning, a selection of family-friendly short films on Saturday morning, and on Sunday morning, festival attendees will have the opportunity to see Ireland’s first stop-motion feature animation ‘Captain Morten and the Spider Queen’.

The short film selection, panels and discussions are all free over the weekend, feature films are the only ticketed events.

Tickets are on sale from the box office at Skelly’s Bar, Ballymahon, or stillvoicesfilmfestival.com/tickets.html

For more, see: stillvoicesfilmfestival.com