140 IFI 10.10.10

(Eoin McCabe {Original Songs} Me & Dermot O'Mahony {Music})

The day kicked off with the usual pre-screening jitters! Nothing new there for me. But we must embrace these things! Caught the train to Dublin, myself, Maryann and my brother Noel. Went straight to the IFI, where I met Sunniva O'Flynn, the curator there. We all grabbed a coffee and I talked with Sunniva about the film and what we might talk about during the Q&A. Then did a tech check, where everything seemed fine. Calms the nerves to stay busy beforehand I must say!

People started to arrive, some friends, Eoin and Dermot, the musical department of 140! At 1pm we pilled into Cinema Screen 3. Beautiful room, seating curved around the screen, in fact the same screen I saw Spirited Away in a few years ago! It was a small turn out, I had hoped there'd be a bit more, only about 22 people - and none of the Irish 140 filmmakers, which was a disappointment, especially considering 5 of them live in the Dublin area! And especially when you think all the LA filmmakers showed to both California screenings, actually flew me to the first one and attended the one I missed on my behalf! Oh well, I guess the Irish are... less enthusiastic about such things! But I know people were busy, working and even out of the country - a disappointment nonetheless

Started the screening with some technical hitches. Pauses in the tape due to the transfer. Happened about 4 or 5 times and for a moment I thought it might spell a disastrous end to the day! To be honest I wasn't panicing about it, if we had to stop I planned to take everyone's address and send them out a free dvd of the film. I would have also done the Q&A anyway, so people would have had some kind of experience to go home with. Kind of backwards, see the Q&A and then go home and watch the film!

As it happened it sorted itself out and after the first 15 minutes there were no more pauses. People seemed to enjoy the film. Being a typical filmmaker I was watching the audience rather then the film (I've seen it a hundred times anyway!) and no one was twitching or shifting, always a reassuring sign!

The Q&A afterwards was really enjoyable. Sunniva was very enthusiastic about the film, which was great. Good questions from her and from the audience made it enjoyable. Overall, despite some disappointments, I thought it was a successful screening and I really enjoyed myself. And of course it was a great honour to screen in the IFI.

You never know how these things will go, and you can't really be too worried or disappointed if only a handful of people show, or there are technical problems. Each experience is different and offers something unique. For me this was an intimate screening with friends in a fantastic venue with an enthusiastic host - can't really ask for better than that.

My sincerest thanks to everyone who came, to Sunniva O'Flynn for her enthusiasm and support and to the IFI.