Originally published in Movies Plus Magazine, 2004
Calipo, a Drogheda based theatre company, recently launched an innovative project: They brought together four youth groups from around Ireland and teamed them with a screenwriter, a director and two drama facilitators. The aim was to produce four new short films and in the process, teach those involved about film production and hopefully, as Brendan Gleeson said at the Dublin launch of the films in the Sugar Club; “watch the birth of a new generation of Irish film makers”. The result was Sharp Focus, a collection of four short films, based around the theme of culture and identity.
The groups involved in Sharp Focus are Shankill Women’s Centre and Bosco Drama group from Northern Ireland, Ionad na nÓg from Clones and Youthreach from Sligo.
Calipo are a theatre company well known for their groundbreaking multimedia projects, and the fact that they aim for young audiences. In using the groups within Sharp Focus, not only did Calipo unite inexperienced people with established film and theatre makers, but also united groups from both north and south of the border, with very different cultural and social backgrounds.
The Films:
The Day We Skipped The Bus
This film, shot on the Shankill Road in Belfast and directed by Audrey O’Reilly (In Loving Memory) deals with the smaller, everyday problems that face young people living in Belfast, the problems that the rest of us have to deal with, without the backdrop of Northern Ireland’s “troubles”. The film is gritty and real and investigates the emotional trauma that surrounds any act of violence, no matter how small.
Bounce
Bounce is a light-hearted, quirky comedy that tells the story of two girls in Newry competing with one another to represent their town in the World Trampolining Championships in Hawaii. Directed by Barry Dignan and written by Kate Perry, the film is fast paced and funny, and makes a welcome change from the sometimes harsh look at reality that so often happens in low budget films.
The Ring
The Ring tells the story of David, and his struggle to sort out his life. His best friend has overdosed, his pregnant girlfriend wants nothing to do with him, and his supplier wants his drug money. This film, which was written by Christian O’Relly and directed by John Breen, uses music and colour to emphasise the atmosphere of the film. Mostly, shot in back and white, once David begins to clean his act up, the film changes to being shot in colour. An unusual and interesting way to convey change within a character and situation.
The Last Laugh
The Last Laugh was written by Barbara Bergin and directed by the Artistic Director of Calipo Theatre Company; Darren Thornton. The film tells the story of a small group of people living in a small town in the run up to Halloween. When an outsider tries to set down rules for them, enemies and friends pull together in this film in order to have The Last Laugh. This film is interesting, in that it tells a harsh story, but softens the blow by burying the grim reality under a layer of comedy.
Overall, the films in Sharp Focus are interesting and creative. From watching the participants at the launch of the films it is clear to see that they all bonded well and pulled together to make the project work. It is good to see amateurs being given the chance to express themselves in such a huge and demanding medium as cinema.
Sharp Focus will tour nationwide in 2004.
