‘Mad Mary’, ‘Moonlight’ win big at Irish Film Awards
Sorrentino casts Servillo to play Berlusconi
LOS ANGELES, April 11, (RTRS): Darren Thornton’s comedy drama “A Date for Mad Mary” was named best film at the Irish Film and Televison Academy’s Film and Drama Awards in Dublin. Oscar-winner “Moonlight” took home the prize for best international film from the awards ceremony Saturday.
“Moonlight” beat out rivals “Manchester by the Sea,” “La La Land” and “Hacksaw Ridge” for the international prize. The awards for best international performances also mirrored the Oscars, with Casey Affleck named best international actor for “Manchester by the Sea” and Emma Stone awarded best international actress for “La La Land.”
The awards, whose main categories focus on Irish talent and productions, saw Ruth Negga named best lead actress for her Oscar-nominated performance in Jeff Nichols’ “Loving.” Veteran character actor Colm Meaney took home best lead actor for his role in Nick Hamm’s “The Journey,” in which he played Irish Republican and Sinn Fein politician Martin McGuinness, who died last month.
Richie Smyth was named best director for his directorial debut “The Siege of Jadotville.” The Netflix drama, which saw theatrical release in Ireland, also received awards for “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D” star Jason O’Mara (pictured), as best supporting actor, and for VFX.
Charleigh Bailey was named best supporting actress for her role in best film winner “A Date for Mad Mary.” The film saw its world premiere at the Karlovy Vary Intl. Film Festival last July.
The organization’s Rising Star award, sponsored by the Irish Film Board, was given to Patrick Gibson, star of Netflix’s “The OA” and Showtime’s upcoming “Guerrilla,” created by John Ridley.
History Channel show “Vikings” was named best drama, while Cillian Murphy picked up the best lead actor in drama award for his role in the BBC’s “Peaky Blinders” and Amy Huberman won best lead actress in drama for Irish drama “Striking Out.”
Oscar-winning director Paolo Sorrentino is forging ahead with his film about Silvio Berlusconi, with actor Toni Servillo (“The Great Beauty”) now cast to play the Italian media tycoon-turned-prime minister.
The tentative plan is for the Italian-language pic about Berlusconi and his inner circle to start shooting in Italy this summer. Further casting is underway. Sorrentino is finishing the screenplay, a representative for the director said.
Servillo has played a former Italian premier for Sorrentino in the past: He portrayed the late seven-time Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti, who was a symbol of postwar Italy, in the director’s “Il Divo.” More recently, Servillo appeared as the decadent writer at the center of the Oscar-winning film “The Great Beauty.”
The Berlusconi film’s working title is “Loro,” which translates as “Them” and is a homonym with “L’oro,” which means “gold.”
It will be produced by Indigo Film, the Rome shingle that has made all of Sorrentino’s movies. But “Loro” is not proving easy to finance, sources say, given that Berlusconi-controlled Medusa, which co-financed “The Great Beauty” and Sorrentino’s “Youth,” will not be on board for this one.
Talks are underway with several potential partners, one of which could be Amazon according to Italian industry insiders. Sorrentino’s rep did not comment on this possibility. Amazon did not immediately respond to a request to confirm.
Cate Blanchett and … the Hulk steal the spotlight in the first trailer for “Thor: Ragnarok.” The teaser, released by Marvel on Monday morning, is equal parts action-packed and dark as Blanchett’s supervillainess Hela makes her deadly debut.
The trailer opens with footage of Chris Hemsworth’s hero on the brink of death, and closes in the same epic fashion: with the Avenger facing off against a friend, the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo).
“Asgard is dead,” Hela tells Thor’s homeland, which falls into chaos and destruction, as we see the hammer-less God of Thunder drop through a wormhole into the planet of Sakaar.