US award for film shot locally

BY DYLAN MANGAN

AN Oscar-longlisted short film shot in West Cork recently added to its trophy cabinet with an award at the Newport Beach Film Festival in America.

Two For The Road, written and directed by Lochlainn McKenna, is a short film set in 90s Ireland and follows the story of a young boy named Oscar who 'finds himself navigating the true essence of adventure and chaos with his father, one spirited weekend away at a time'.

Write/director Lochlainn McKenna. (Photo: Edelle Kenny)

Having won best short drama at this year’s Galway Film Fleadh – an award that qualified it for consideration at next year’s Oscars – the film picked up the audience award for best narrative short at the American film festival.

‘We were really excited to bring Two For The Road to the US,’ said writer/director Lochlain McKenna. ‘To have it premiere at the incredible Newport Beach Film Festival was one thing, but, for the film to have picked up the audience award for best narrative short, that was something else entirely!’

A still from the film.

The film was shot along the Beara peninsula, and was produced by Skibbereen woman Gráinne Dwyer and Natalie Britton.

‘Newport Beach Film Festival, hosted in Los Angeles, was such a taster of Hollywood, and to see our beautiful film shot in the Beara Peninsula in the States was a dream come true,’ said Gráinne.

Gráinne Dwyer, Heritage ceo. (Photo: Faolán Carey)

‘To win the audience award and now be Oscar longlist-qualifying after winning best short drama at the Galway Fleadh in July, its a real testament to the love that is out there for the film.

‘We received an incredible response from the US audience, which is a testament to the story, and the beautiful landscapes we presented, the story is a universal one, and showcases a beautiful nostalgia for a 1990s Ireland which clearly resonates with a worldwide audience.

‘Our film also won Best of Kerry at the Kerry International Film Festival, and had its Cork premiere at the Cork International Film Festival this week. We were really excited to be able to bring the film back home to Cork.’

The production company behind the film, Heritage, was set up by Gráinne Dwyer and Fiona Dwyer in Skibbereen and is now one of the leading female-led and net zero production companies in Ireland, specialising in film, commercials, and music videos.

Co-producer Natalie Britton.

The company has created commercials for brands like Microsoft, Heineken, GQ Magazine, FreeNow, Visa and international campaigns for US-based Codex Beauty, Bird, Cisco and films throughout Europe and the Middle East.