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Carmel is floating on air after audience chooses her film

November 28th, 2018 11:02 AM

By Southern Star Team

Hazel Doupe in Float Like a Butterfly, filmed in West Cork.

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The West Cork film, Float like a Butterfly, has won the prestigious audience award at the Cork Film Festival 2018.

BY BRIAN MOORE

 

THE West Cork film, Float like a Butterfly, has won the prestigious audience award at the Cork Film Festival 2018.

Written and directed by Ballydehob resident Carmel Winters, it tells the story of Frances, a young traveller who, inspired by her hero Muhammad Ali, fights for the right to pursue boxing.

‘We’re all absolutely delighted with this award,’ Carmel told The Southern Star. ‘The biggest thing for us is how the audience connects and enjoys our film, and especially here at home and at the Cork Film Festival. The atmosphere at the screening was incredible, the audience really opened their hearts and connected with the film and that for us is what it’s all about.’

Carmel and her wife, production designer, Toma McCullim are no strangers to awards. The film also won the International Federation of Film Critics award for the Discovery programme at the Toronto International Film Festival earlier this year.

‘I am super proud of all the Cork people involved in making this film possible,’ Carmel said. ‘Because of the West Cork connections, Float like a Butterfly is of course very special for us, but having now won the Audience Award at the festival this is the best thing that could have happened for our film.’

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