July 07, 2025, 13:43
Irish director Brendan Canty has brought his film Christy, an energetic portrayal of teenagers living at a rough periphery, to KVIFF. He talked about his film, which won the Generation 14plus Berlinale competition, in more detail during the after-screening debate.
The audience was especially interested in his work with young actors and non-actors, who make the film authentic and raw. “A friend of mine runs hip hop classes. We realised that the rapping kids were actually excellent actors. We had various workshops with them and have incorporated their stories and ideas into the script. Thanks to them, the film was partly improvised. These children show incredible self-confidence and moreover learn the text easily. We have become a sort of family,” Canta explained his relationship with the actors.
He started making a short film with the same crew, and immediately, they knew they had to shoot a feature film as well. This helped them to find financing for the film quite easily as those involved fell in love with the project. “This is a film for youth, but with universal message. While I don’t avoid portraying the hard life in the area, I wanted to emphasize the positive aspects and hope among the marginalised people and show the public how great the locals in fact are,” the director explained his approach to portraying the peculiarities of Cork.
Being composed of authentic stories and experiences, the film appeals to both the community and general public. The authors are currently preparing the Irish premiere, which will take place on Friday.
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