Award-winning movie for outdoor screening in Schull during festival

The award-winning feature documentary Breaking Out is being screened outdoors this May, as part of the Schull-based Fastnet Film Festival.

Directed by Michael McCormack, the film celebrates the remarkable life of Schull native, the latemusician Fergus O’Farrell. His band, Interference, will play a tribute concert to him following the screening.

The Fastnet festival’s head of communications, Hilary McCarthy told The Southern Star: ‘We plan to screen Breaking Out on a large screen in the park beside the playground at 4pm. It will be free for all to view. In the afternoon before Breaking Out we will screen the kids’ movie, Moon Man.’

Breaking Out was a very personal labour of love for over 16 years for director Mike McCormack. It features the incredible talent of Fergus, whose song Gold is one of the showstoppers of Glen Hansard’s Oscar-winning film Once.

Fergus was also the charismatic voice of Interference, one of the most influential bands of the Irish music scene in the 1990s.

Despite being diagnosed with muscular dystrophy at a young age, Fergus had to keep singing. His unique talent and love of life inspired a generation of songwriters, even as his own was slipping away.

Fergus was also a great friend and supporter of the Fastnet Film Festival. The film won the George Morrisson best feature documentary at the 2021 IFTAs and best Irish feature documentary at the Galway Film Fleadh 2019.

The festival has also announced this week that   the award-winning actor Stephen Rea will be coming to Schull.

Stephen formed the Field Day theatre company in 1980 with playwrights Brian Friel and Seamus Heaney and he is most closely associated with his collaborations with director Neil Jordan, particularly The Crying Game (1992), which earned him Oscar and Bafta nominations.

He will take part in an acting masterclass, and join the Big Interview with former BBC boss Greg Dyke. His movies Angel, V for Vendetta and The Crying Game will also be screened.

The festival will run from May 25th-29th, with feature films, workshops, masterclasses and seminars in various pop-up venues, live music, drama, a movie quiz, family entertainment and café viewings in town. There will be over 50 expert guests and 300 screenings, as well an Irish language day on Cape Clear.