What about Irish actor Ciarán Hinds? News, stories, reviews, fun….
Archive for January 2010
Conor McPherson’s The Eclipse and Todd Solondz’ Life During Wartime will be screened as part of Göteborg (Gothenburg) International Film Festival which opened on January 29.
According to a press release, Ciaran will be in attendance from January 31 to February 3.
There will be plenty of opportunities for Ciarán Hinds this February to present his new projects or attend events. However the month will start with cake and presents over his birthday and the shooting of the latest Harry Potter movie in London.
On February 20th, he is expected at a screening of Todd Solondz’ Life During Wartime in Dublin as part of the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival. The very same evening the IFTAs will take place – the seventh annual Irish Film and Television Awards, where Ciarán has been nominated in the category Best Leading Actor for his part in Conor McPherson’s The Eclipse. The movie has been nominated in eight categories and will have a strong contender in Colin Farrell’s latest hit Ondine.
Surely there will be other occasions to see him around. We will keep you as always, up to date about upcoming events and keep fingers crossed for the IFTAs.
A friend of mine, Laurance Rudic who played one of the leads (Gratiano) along with Ciarán in The Merchant of Venice in Glasgow with the Citz, told me a funny story.
The great W.C.Fields recommended that actors should ‘never work with children and animals‘, presumably because their reactions are always unexpected and can seriously destroy the illusion.
Philip Prowse who directed and also designed the Glasgow Citz production of A Merchant of Venice, set it in a square in Nazi-occupied Venice complete with pillars and arches. Now, what do you have in every Italian square? Pigeons, of course! and so Prowse had Rose Cullen, the Irish lady who for many years ran the canteen at the Glasgow Citz, and whose family bred racing-pigeons, go out and catch a few wild pigeons for the show. I think there were about twelve of them… at any rate, enough to give an added atmosphere to the highly visual world that Prowse so brilliantly created in his productions.
There was one pigeon who we were all very fond of. Somewhere in his short life, he had lost a foot but managed to get around quite happily without it. In fact, he was quite a gallus (Glasgwegian for brave and cocky) little bird despite his loss, and always seemed very cheery. So we affectionately and rather unimaginatively nicknamed him ‘Stumpy’!
Now Stumpy had an eye for the ladies and seemed unaware that he was onstage with several hundred pairs of eyes watching his every move. One night during an important soliloquy, he decided to act up and begin amorously pursuing another bird – presumably female although who knows… around the stage. The audience quickly caught on to the impromptu drama that was beginning to unfold behind the actor and small pockets of giggles began breaking out in various parts of the auditorium. Antonio, played by Ciarán Hinds, was of course aware that something was upstaging him but did his best to ignore it and carry on with the speech.
The pantomime continued developing into the well-known sex game of ‘Catch me, catch me’ around one of the pillars, with the pursued fleeing behind it, while Stumpy, maddened with lust, hurried after her in his ‘dot-and-carry-one’ manner. For a few seconds they would both be gone from sight and then suddenly the female would reemerge from the other side of the pillar with a flutter of wings and feathers madly pursued by the lecherous Stumpy.
An actor can only take so much: the audience were in hysterics, and Hinds, realising that the game was up did the only thing he could: he took off his stylish Homburg hat and began futilely swatting at the two birds in mock rage. Of course the audience had been expecting him to do something, and this downright sensible reaction earned him their cheers and an enthusiastic round of applause.
After this outrageous episode, Stumpy and his gang were sent back to the wilds of Glasgow. Our little Venetian square seemed quite dull without them.
After having read the article about “the Gate Flu ” involving once again Ciarán and a flock of pigeons and knowing what they meant for Caesar in HBO’s Rome, I think that he definitely has a thing for pigeons!
The Irish Film & Television Academy is delighted to announce that acclaimed producer/director/writer John Boorman will be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award at the 7th Annual Irish Film and Television Awards, taking place in Dublin on 20 February 2010.
Dr. Martin Mansergh, Minister of State unveiled details of the 2010 Lifetime Achievement Award at an IFTA press reception held in Dublin’s Shelbourne Hotel today, where he also announced the Irish Film & Television Academy 2010 roll-out of events, met with Members of the IFTA Board and congratulated a number of IFTA 2010 nominees who were in attendance.
Speaking at today’s announcement Mr. Mansergh said:
Ireland’s audiovisual industry is a vital part of the ’smart’ economy, developing a vibrant mix of talent, creativity and enterprise. I am delighted to acknowledge the fine work achieved by this industry over the past 12 months. The sector continues to deliver quality output that has achieved both critical and economic success.
The Minister added:
The IFTA nominated titles this year demonstrate once again, that Ireland has a fantastic resource of creative talent and expertise; writers, directors, producers, actors and craftspeople.
The Irish Film & Television Academy is proud to pay tribute to this great visionary filmmaker John Boorman, as it is our chance to acknowledge the infinite source of inspiration and leadership he has given to the Irish film industry over the years.
A champion of Ireland as a first class film location to international filmmakers and global audiences, John Boorman has shot four of his 19 feature film projects in Ireland, beginning in 1974 with the sci-fi drama Zardoz, starring Scottish actor Sean Connery as the futuristic barbarian Zed. He returned his production to Ireland once again in 1980 with the Arthurian epic Excalibur, featuring then unknown acting talents of Liam Neeson, Gabriel Byrne and Ciarán Hinds in their earliest film roles. Excalibur included apprentice screenwriter Neil Jordan amongst its largely Irish crew and John went on to exec-produce Neil Jordan’s breakthrough project Angel in 1982.
Irish actor Ciarán Hinds, who is nominated at IFTA 2010 for his role in The Eclipse, also shared his thoughts:
John Boorman has always been a singular and independently-minded film-maker. Many of his films engage in the exploration of the human spirit. Almost all reveal a man with a political and social conscience.
When John settled in Ireland in the 1970’s, he was to become the rock on which the Irish film industry built its foundations. I would like to think that this Award from the Irish Film and Television Academy goes beyond recognising John’s many wonderful achievements and also acknowledges the debt we all owe him.
To celebrate this Lifetime Achievement Award, Mr. Boorman will be joined at the IFTA 2010 ceremony on 20 February in Dublin’s Burlington Hotel by family, friends and colleagues from the world of film and television.
Commenting on the receipt of his Lifetime Achievement Award at IFTA 2010, John Boorman acknowledged the work of his Irish colleagues:
This [award] is a tribute to all the Irish actors and crews who have made my films for me.
The Irish Film & Television Awards will take place at the Burlington Hotel, Dublin.
The Awards ceremony will be broadcast live on 20th February 2010.
The Eclipse is based on a supernatural love story by author Billy Roche and was co-adapted by Conor McPherson (The Seafarer, The Birds). Starring Aidan Quinn, Ciarán Hinds and Iben Hjejle, it tells the story of widower Michael (Hinds), who, in an effort to find solace over the death of his wife, befriends Lena Morelle (Hjejle), a writer who specialises in the supernatural, during a literary festival in Wexford.
The Eclipse will open on March 26th and is nominated in eight categories at the 7th Irish Film and Television Awards.
Lynda La Plante’s Above Suspicion was one of the most watched new dramas on ITV last year, racking up over eight million viewers. And with good reason: it had a cracking plot and a terrific lead character in the form of rookie detective Anna Travis. The opening episode of the sequel Above Suspicion: The Red Dahlia on ITV1 proved just how replete with possibility this series is for the long term – reuniting Travis with tough, veteran murder detective DS Langton in a gruesome case that echoed LA’s infamous 1950s Black Dahlia murders.
“I’m very very fortunate he (Ciarán) is my Langton because I now write every other new novel with his face…” (Lynda La PLante)
“Working with him is one of the biggest pleasures of this job for me.” (Kelly Reilly)
Principal photography is underway in London for Walt Disney Pictures’ John Carter of Mars.
Andrew Stanton brings Edgar Rice Burroughs’ hero to the big screen in a stunning adventure epic set on the wounded planet of Mars, a world inhabited by warrior tribes and exotic desert beings.
Ciarán will play Tardos Mors, a Martian ruler of great reputation. Here is his character’s description in the original novel:
At the top of the great steps leading up to the main portals of the palace stood the royal party, and as we reached the lower steps one of their number descended to meet us. He was an almost perfect specimen of manhood; tall, straight as an arrow, superbly muscled and with the carriage and bearing of a ruler of men. I did not need to be told that he was Tardos Mors, Jeddak of Helium.
…No comment as would say Julius Caesar.
● Anne-Marie from UK
● Bill from Glasgow
● Gem from Cork
● Laurance Rudic from Cairo
…and all the friends who helped us with pictures, news and feedback.
Today, January 11th 2010, IFTA has announced Nominees for the 7th Annual Irish Film & Television Awards.
Ciarán is nominated in the “Actor in a Lead Role Film” category for his part in The Eclipse which is nominated in seven other categories: Film, Director Film, Script Film, Actor Support Film (Aidan Quinn), Director of Photography, Editing and Sound.
Congratulations and good luck Ciarán!