Darkness at the Edge of Town is an Irish-made-in-Kerry film which will have its screen premiere during the Galway Film Festival on the coming Wednesday, July 9. The cast and crew of ‘Darkness on the Edge of Town’ will be in the
City of the Tribes for the world premiere of the art house crime thriller.
Castleisland teenager, Nicole Downey is cast in one of the key roles in the film and she plays young Cleo Callaghan.
There is more Kerry involvement on and off -screen as the Lixnaw based, Chris Fitzgerald, his son, Tommy and
daughter, Lorraine form the backbone of the project. Shot in
various locations in Kerry, the film will include scenes done in: Tralee, Lixnaw, Caherciveen, Kenmare and Knocknagoshel itself.
This is the latest film from award-winning writer/director Patrick Ryan from Kenmare. It has been described as a modern-day western revenge drama. The story follows Cleo, a troubled teenage sharpshooter who plots a course for revenge after her sister is found murdered in a public bathroom.
“Darkness on the Edge of Town is a crime genre film with art house sensibilities. It takes the structure of a classical tragedy, emboldened with the visual overtones of a Western. It was our intent to do something different to the current trends of Irish cinema, to make something a little more left-field and stay true to our sensibilites. Our influences on the film were wide and varied; everything from Asian cinema to Shakespeare, from Morricone to Caravggio,” said Mr. Ryan.
“Darkness is an entirely indpendent film, from blank page to festival screener, and to have the backing of the Galway Film Fleadh along with a national platform on which to showcase our film, is invaluable to us. The Fleadh has a well-maintained tradition of supporting new independent Irish cinema and we’re more than proud to join those ranks. Essentially, we’re just thrilled to show our story to an audience and thankful to the Fleadh for the opportunity,” he said.
Ryan’s screenplay was selected for the BBC Writersroom 2012, came second in the Screenwriting Goldmine Competition, and won twice at the ENGAGE European Pitching Forum. The film stars a host of Irish talent including Emma Eliza Regan (Love Eternal, The Shadows, Jack Taylor: Dramatist), Brain Gleeson The Stag; How to be Happy; Love/Hate and up-and-coming Emma Willis – The Christening.
Nicole Downey – as well as being a hugely talented Basketballer and Gaelic Footballer is a fine example of how well the Brosna and Castleisland genes mix.
She attends the Bryan Carr School of Performing Arts in Tralee and was put in touch with the film crew through Mr. Carr’s contacts with that area of the arts.
