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A schoolgirl bullied over her sexuality heads to the city with her wise-cracking gay best friend in this overcooked but heartfelt drama

In the outskirts of modern-day Dublin, teenage Lily (Clara Harte) looks on the outside like a kid on top of the world: pretty, blessed with nice-enough middle-class parents and friends, good at the fiendishly aggressive stick-based sport Camogie that only the Irish play. But a recent exchange programme trip to San Francisco got her thinking she might be gay or bi, especially after a semi-chaste tryst with another young woman of her age. As the new school term starts, Lily’s friend Violet (Venetia Bowe) offers to “go lezzer” with Lily, and the two start snogging in the toilet – only to almost get caught by their peers. Keen to hold on to her popular-girl status, Violet makes out that Lily had been the more sexually aggressive and soon...

Both have received 10 nominations.

Colm Bairéad’s debut The Quiet Girl (An Cailín Ciúin) and Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast are the joint frontrunners for the 2022 Irish Film And Television Academy (IFTA) awards, with 10 nominations each.

The Quiet Girl is an Irish-language drama telling the story of a young girl’s summer break away from her dysfunctional family in 1980s Ireland, when she stays with a foster couple. It is set to receive its premiere as the opening film at the Dublin International Film Festival tomorrow, and recently won the grand prize in the Generation Kplus strand at the Berlinale.

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Nominations have been announced for this year’s Irish Film And TV Academy Awards (IFTAs). Scroll down for the full list.

Leading the way with ten apiece are Kenneth Branagh’s much-fancied awards contender Beflast and Irish-language feature An Cailín Ciúin, which recently won the Grand Prix of the Generation Kplus program at the Berlin International Film Festival.

Both titles are up for Best Film, alongside Deadly Cuts, Swan Song, Who We Love, and You Are Not My Mother. Of those six, four are debut features.

For Belfast, Branagh will also contend for the Best Director and Best Script prizes. The film is up for seven Oscars this year.

On the TV Side, crime drama Kin dominated the field with 13 nominations, including Best Drama, as well as director, script, actor (twice) and actress. Vikings:Valhalla, the Netflix sequel of the popular historical show, received seven noms, as did BBC show Hidden Assets.

Kenneth Branagh’s “Belfast” and Colm Bairéad “An Cailín Ciúin” lead nominations at the 2022 Irish Film and Television Academy Film and Drama award nominations with 10 nods across categories.

“Belfast” is nominated for best film, best director and script for Branagh, with a lead actor nod for Jude Hill, supporting actor recognitions for Ciarán Hinds and Jamie Dornan and a supporting actress nod for Caitríona Balfe, besides craft nominations.

“An Cailín Ciúin” (“The Quiet Girl”), which won the grand prize at the Generation Kplus strand of the recently concluded Berlin Film Festival, was similarly recognized across the main categories.

“Kin” led the drama nominations with 13 nods, while “Vikings: Valhalla” and “Hidden Assets” had seven each and “Smother” five.

IFTA chief executive Áine Moriarty said: “What a spectacular line-up of nominees that have been shortlisted for Irish Academy Awards this year, after a record-breaking production year for the Irish industry. The work...

Stars: Amy Joyce Hastings, Luke de Lacey, Kate Braithwaite, Tom Sawyer, Jodie Jameson | Written and Directed by Sean Hogan, Simon Rumley, Andrew Parkinson

The anthology has a rich history in British film, from TV dramas such as Armchair Theatre and Hammer’s House of Horror to the classic Amicus anthologies such as Tales From the Crypt and From Beyond the Grave, in more recent years America has become home to the anthology greats (think Creepshow, The ABCs of Death and the excellent Trick r Treat). But now the UK are striking back with the portmanteau film Little Deaths.

A three part anthology directed by three of the UK’s most promising filmmakers – Andrew Parkinson (I, Zombie), Sean Hogan (Isle of Dogs) and Simon Rumley (Red White & Blue), Little Deaths tells three stories of sex and death, pushing the envelope of what “love” means in modern society…

The film opens with...

Title: Little Deaths Directed by: Sean Hogan, Andrew Parkinson and Simon Rumley Starring: Daniel Brocklebank, Luke de Lacey, Siubhan Harrison, Jodie Jameson, Tom Sawyer, Amy Joyce Hastings, Holly Lucas Running time: 95 minutes, Unrated, Available on Blu-ray Three short films set in Britain with the shared themes of sex and death. House and Home – Richard & Victoria are a well to do couple who have a fetish for picking up homeless women off the street, giving them a bath, hot meal, glass of wine laced with roofies and a bit of raping. It’s all in good fun to them until Richard takes Sorrow home. Mutant Tool – Jen is...

London based romantic comedy 'The Callback Queen', written and directed by Graham Cantwell (Trapped, Anton) has finished principal photography and has entered post production. The independent film stars Irish actors Amy Joyce Hastings (The Tudors, Little Deaths), Ger Ryan (Raw, Intermission) and Sean T. O'Meallaigh (Kings, Seacht). The story follows the exploits of Kate Loughlin played by Hastings who is an ambitious but unlucky actress on the cusp of her big break and is set in the cut throat world of the London film industry.

In the second bit of DVD news today from the Image Entertainment camp we see the release of UK anthology horror flick 'Little Deaths'. The Almost Midnight production brings a new trilogy of horror tales from writer/directors Sean Hogan, Andrew Parkinson and Simon Rumley. It'll be released on DVD across the Us by Image on 13 December. 'Little Deaths' stars Daniel Brocklebank, Christopher Fairbank, Amy Joyce Hastings, Luke de Lacey, Phoenix James, Brendan Gregory, Siubhan Harrison, Holly Lucas and Scott Ainslie. Check out the plot breakdowns of all the individual stories below....

Monster Brawl

Director/writer: Jesse T. Cook

Country: Canada

Running Time: 85 mins

Certificate: 18

Starring: Dave Foley, Art Hindle, Robert Maillet, Kevin Nash, Jimmy Hart, Herb Dean

The writer and director of 2008's horror flick Scarce, Jesse T. Cook, revisits the genre in his latest film Monster Brawl. “The time will come when monsters shape the futures of all” begins a suitably jocular voice-over that introduces us to the “most highly-anticipated extreme sport ever”. Making a horror enthusiast's hypothetical pub chat a reality, Cook pits some of the genre's most celebrated figures against each other in the wrestling ring.

Eight of the most powerful ghouls of all time from all four corners of the earth come together and are structured into “two conferences” with middle and heavy weight “monsters” and “creatures”, such as “Witch Bitch”. An American TV show set-up is quickly established with presenter, Buzz Chambers hosting from a secret cemetery location.

Little Deaths

Stars: Amy Joyce Hastings, Luke de Lacey, Kate Braithwaite, Tom Sawyer, Jodie Jameson | Written and Directed by Sean Hogan, Simon Rumley, Andrew Parkinson

The anthology has a rich history in British film, from TV dramas such as Armchair Theatre and Hammer’s House of Horror to the classic Amicus anthologies such as Tales From the Crypt and From Beyond the Grave, in more recent years America has become home to the anthology greats (think Creepshow and the recent Trick r Treat). But now the UK are striking back with the portmanteau film Little Deaths.

A three part anthology directed by three of the UK’s most promising filmmakers – Andrew Parkinson (I, Zombie), Sean Hogan (Isle of Dogs) and Simon Rumley (Red White & Blue), Little Deaths tells three stories of sex and death, pushing the envelope of what “love” means in modern society…

The film opens with House & Home...

Another reason (if you didn't already have enough) to visit this years Film4 Frightfest event in Glasgow is the new UK horror anthology feast 'Little Deaths'. The Almost Midnight Production will be playing at the festival on Friday 25 February. More info, including the full synopsis, for each of the trio of tales from writer/directors Sean Hogan, Andrew Parkinson and Simon Rumley can be found below. Lucky attendees will also be able to check out 'I Saw The Devil', 'Machete Maidens Unleashed!', 'Rubber', 'Territories', 'The Shrine', 'Mother's Day' and 'Hobo With A Shotgun' over the weekend of 25-26 February 2011. 'Little Deaths' stars the likes of Daniel Brocklebank, Christopher Fairbank, Amy Joyce Hastings, Luke de Lacey, Phoenix James, Brendan Gregory, Siubhan Harrison, Holly Lucas and Scott Ainslie. Check out the plot details and one-sheet below....

With one world, one European and five UK premieres, the UK’s biggest horror fantasy festival returns to its second home at the Glasgow Film Festival for the 6th year with their darkest, deranged and daring line-up ever.

Expect the totally unexpected with this eclectic programme featuring a trilogy of sexual terror, uncut Korean serial killers, psychotic tyres, Polish demons, maniacal matriarchs, crazed war veterans and a terrific schlock doc.

With guest directors and filmmakers from all over world (to be announced soon), surprises on screen and off, and our unique community feeling, FrightFest at the Gff has now become a must-attend occasion on the horror fantasy fan’s calendar.

The full line-up

Fri 25

6.30pm. Little Deaths (World Premiere)

One killer anthology from the UK’s most promising horror filmmakers, Andrew Parkinson (I, Zombie), Simon Rumley (Red, White & Blue), and Sean Hogan (Isle Of Dogs), composed of three disturbingly sensual...

FilmShaft loves FrightFest. The awesome people behind the best horror festival in the whole wide world have announced their Glasgow line-up, so prepare for a scare!

Also there’s the European premiere of Hobo With A Shotgun to look forward to and get excited about.

Below is the full press release and line-up:

“Expect the totally unexpected with this eclectic programme featuring a trilogy of sexual terror, uncut Korean serial killers, psychotic tyres, Polish demons, maniacal matriarchs, crazed war veterans and a terrific schlock doc. With guest directors and filmmakers from all over world (to be announced soon), surprises on screen and off, and our unique community feeling, FrightFest at the Gff has now become a must-attend occasion on the horror fantasy fan’s calendar.”

Fri 25

6.30pm. Little Deaths (World Premiere)

One killer anthology from the UK’s most promising horror filmmakers, Andrew Parkinson (I, Zombie), Simon Rumley (Red, White...