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This July and August, we look forward to catching three of the short films made through the Ardán/ RTÉ Short Film Commission when they are broadcast on RTÉ2. Mark Smyth’s The Bridge (2018), Laura Kavanagh’s The Radio (2022), and Aisling Byrne and Sinéad O’Loughlin’s Misread (2023) will be screened on RTÉ2 on Monday nights for the next three weeks.
Ardán CEO Alan Duggan said, “Heading into its 33rd year, the Ardán / RTÉ Short Film Commission is a brilliant opportunity for emerging writer-director-producer teams to make a short film. As well as €15,000 in funding, successful production teams receive mentorship with industry experts and a guaranteed television broadcast via RTÉ. In recent years, our commissioned shorts have been exceptionally well received and have garnered awards on the national and international festival circuit. We look forward to continued success with this incredibly popular scheme.”
RTÉ Drama Development Executive Frank Agnew said, “RTÉ’s partnership with the team at Ardán continues to discover and support exciting new creative talent in the West of Ireland. Again this year, we have championed new voices in writing, producing and directing, while also promoting fantastic on-screen talent, that we hope will continue to thrive in our industry.”
Director Mark Smyth’s short film The Bridge was written by Sarah Ingersoll and produced by Lynn Larkin (Creative Ninja). In this short film, after the sudden death of his parents a young man – played by Lochlann O’Mearáin – must choose between returning to the west of Ireland or staying in Canada. The short film also stars Peter Coonan and Marie Mullen.
The Radio – which will be broadcast on Monday, 29th July, was written by Thomas Conway, directed by Laura Kavanagh and produced by Evan Horan of Keeper Pictures. In this short, Lalor Roddy portrays an elderly widower who depends on his radio to keep a foothold in his routine. When it breaks, his daughter is forced to pay more attention to her isolated father.
Read more about The Radio’s first broadcast on RTÉ here.
Watch The Radio on Monday, 29th July on RTÉ2 (time 23:30 approx)
Misread was written and co-directed by Aisling Byrne, co-directed by Sinéad O’Loughlin, and produced by Kilian Waters (Arcade Film). It is the story of Gary (played by Craig Connolly), who is living at his mother’s house after coming out of prison, where he has been tasked with driving his brother Daniel (played by Daniel Ryan) to college every day.
Read an interview with the Misread team ahead of the 2023 Galway Film Fleadh.
Watch Misread on Monday, 5th August on RTÉ2 (time 23:30 approx)
Congratulations to this year’s Short Film Commission recipients, Remote Strutting, who just had their premiere at Galway Film Fleadh. The team has also just been accepted into the L’HIFF Barcelona and the Oscar-qualifying Bolton Film International Festival.
Read an interview with the Remote Strutting team ahead of the 2024 Galway Film Fleadh.
Keep an eye out for the next Ardán/ RTÉ Short Film Commission round later this year.