Lost Property, short film by Cappabue National school, screens at Galway Film Fleadh 2013
Lost Property, a short film, showcasing young talent from the Cappabue National School in Bantry, County Cork, was selected as part of the New Irish Shorts Section - Way out West at the 25th Anniversary of the Galway Film Fleadh 2013 (Film Festival) in the west of Ireland.
This film was part of many film projects in schools to encourage children to be inspired and develop an interest in the film industry. Its premiere was on April 19th, at Cinemax in Bantry, Cork, Ireland, was attended by special guests Lord David Putnam and his wife, together with an honorary Oscar for the drama teacher and Schools Completion Programme co-ordinator Victor Hayes, who has shared his knowledge and experience in film with this and many schools over the years. Since that premiere the film has gone from strength to strength, winning the first prize at the Galway Junior Film Fleadh ( Film Festival ) as well as being in the REC Youth Film Festival in Berlin.
The film contains only child actors from the Cappabue National School, the storyline being that after overhearing a conversation via snooping through the wall, that they are about to lose their home. In shock, they then set off with their friends trying to find their home, before it is too late, and find out the real reason as to who or what took away their home or the home's whereabouts. In today's economy this was a relevant and present film, and the understanding from a child's level, why a bank would want to take away their home...
After the screening at the Town Hall Theatre, I interviewed the Principal of Cappabue school, (outside Bantry in County Cork), Norma Healy, as well as young actresses, sisters Jessica and Tamara Kelleher -
-How does it feel that your school has a film selected in this year's Galway Film Fleadh ?
(Norma Healy ) We traveled up specially today as we were very honored to win the Junior Film Fleadh in November and as a result of winning that we were screened today with the other short films, which is a great honor for a small school. We have a tradition of filmmaking and IT in the school and to date we have made 6 movies. We won the first film award with Lost Property, which came in the top 5 in the childrens Fim Festival in Berlin September 2012. We were represented there by one of the drama teachers from school, a parent and one of the children. Presently we are still on our journey to date...
-How did this all start to come about ?
(Jessica Kelleher ) It all started when we were sitting down at the table with our drama teacher Victor Hayes, we were thinking what to do for our Christmas play, so then we thought of doing a movie for our Christmas play and we made it kind of different. It was where we lose our house at Christmas time and we are afraid that Santa cannot come and deliver our presents as we are not in the house we are, so Santa would not know where we are, so then we decided to make a movie out of our Christmas play
-How long did it take from when you had this idea at Christmas to put this movie into
production?
(Jessica) About a month and a few weeks
-Can you tell me a little bit about the director?
(Jessica) Victor Hayes – a Drama teacher to our school, and others also, as well as a Youth worker
-Was there a script that you had to memorize and how hard did you find that?
(Jessica) I didn't find it very hard, as I read books..
-Do you see yourself as an actress when you get older?
(Jessica) More for my sister, but I want to be a teacher..
- I hear that you are a little actress in the making,would you like to tell me about your part
in the film?
(Tamara Kelleher) It was a school student and we were going around with little flags looking for the house, and a banner saying welcome home to our house
-How exciting?! Was this your first film?
(Tamara) Well, for me it was the first one I was in...
-How did you find that – actually doing the role or part that you were given? Were you
scared or excited?
(Tamara) I was excited as I was never in a movie
-A-H-A..So you felt kind of famous then, a bit like a Bailee Madison? So which films can I see you in
next?
(Tamara) Yes, I did. The next film I will be in is part of film projects in school as part of Failte Isteach.
Links
*Thanks to Norma Healy, Principal of Cappabue National School, Jessica and Tamara Kelleher, for their time. Also to their mother Anne Marie Thomas for allowing me to chat with Jessica and Tamara. Thanks also to the Galway Film Fleadh*
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