Anna awarded Fellowship of Film Society
There was a big turn out for the launch of Wexford Film Society’s new Picture House season in Wexford Arts Centre where the production designer Anna Rackard was presented with an honorary Fellowship.
The Fellowship is an annual award presented to Wexford people who have distinguished distinguished themselves in the world of film.
A native of Killane, Enniscorthy, Anna who won Irish Film and Television Awards in 2009 for Neil Jordan’s ‘Ondine’ and in 2011 for ‘Stella Days’ is the youngest daughter of the late Betty and Bobby Rackard, the legendary Wexford hurler.
She discussed her career with Picture House chairman Stephen Eustace, in particular her latest film ‘Love and Friendship’ which features in the new season film line-up.
Starring Kate Beckinsale, the Jane Austin adaptation became the highest grossing speciality release in the US this summer and is likely to feature in the end of year awards season.
‘When I saw the finished film, I was really surprised because it didn’t seem particularly good while we filmed it, so it’s great to see how well it has been received,’ said Anna.
She also worked as an art director on Jordan’s ‘ The Butcher Boy’, the 2004 Jerry Bruckheimer production ‘King Arthur’ and the Amy Adams romantic comedy ‘Leap Year’ but she said the best experience she has had on a film was the one she has just completed - ‘We Have Always Lives in the Castle’, an adaptation of a Shirley Jackson novel with ‘ Captain America’ star Sebastian Stan and Crispin Glover ‘Back to the Future’).
Filmed mainly in Wicklow in September, this creepy thriller was ‘such a joy to work on because of the film’s American director Stacie Passon’, according to Anna. The movie is co-produced by Hollywood star Michael Douglas.
Rackard joins fellow Wexfordians Billy Roche (screenwriter), Gary Lydon (actor), John Paul Kelly (production designer), Declan Lowney (director) and Philip Molloy (film critic) in the Fellowship of the Wexford Film Society.
The new season starts on Tuesday, November 8 with the French Oscar-nominated film ’Mustang’ and continues until April 2017.