Yet more continuing good news for Limerick Film today, following on from other acceptances and acknowledgements, Tommy Conlon has been nominated for Best Director at the Largo Film Awards 2016.
The film was also selected for both the Norwich Radical Film Festival and the ‘Move Me Productions Belgium Online Short Film Festival.
SYNOPSIS
An Irishman, a Frenchman, a German and an Italian are working in the public relations department at the headquarters of the European Union in Brussels.
On this particular day they are each giving guided tours to visitors. They explain the history of the EEC/EU. Naturally they portray it is a visionary project, built on the ideals of great statesmen who after World War 2 dedicated themselves to a future Europe of peace and prosperity.
Tours over for the day, they return to their office upstairs. Whereupon they swiftly begin haranguing each other, insulting the others’ countries, resorting to caricature and national stereotypes. The united façade presented earlier to the public has disintegrated.
Writer’s note
While this film is essentially satirical in intention, and hopefully comedic in its execution, the writer is trying to make a point about basic nature. Can human beings successfully erase their tribal identities and atavistic instincts for the sake of a greater common good? And is the vast EU project, currently generating widespread resentment across the continent, ultimately a chimera that cannot be sustained.
Shot on location in Dublin, and edited here in Limerick, the short has a particular contemporary feel with the current unfolding news stories of the Euro 2016 and the UK Brexit referendum.
Tommy’s previous film ‘Play it Again Son!’, has had previous success at the 2015 Limerick Film Festival, winning the award for best acting for Pius McGrath’s performance.
The Sons of Robert Schuman is currently doing the rounds on the Irish Film Festival circuit as well as the European stages. As information on screenings become available they will be posted here.
Congrats Tommy.
Simon McGuire 