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Six live action shorts were on offer in the “New Irish Shorts 5” programme that played Saturday 9th of July at 10am in the Town Hall Theatre. There were some fantastic performances and films to see that weren’t really topped over the course of the week-end.

Fire

Dir: Christopher Andrews

Rage in young men is a eternal source of drama and fascinating to watch. Here we have a son beaten by his father and forced to steal cars on his behalf. The anger and pain building up inside the youth is shown by subtle small flames emerging from his hands to full blown fireballs. The chance meeting with a tree surgeon has the potential to change his life, if he has the courage needed to break the cycle. Fantastic performances, beautifully shot and a clever hook to draw you in make Fire a must see.

★★★★

STARZ

Dir: Kevin Treacy, Martin McCann

This hilarious short set in Belfast has Gerard McSorley as a washed up talent agent trying his best to get his hapless band of actors some work. It takes the style of a mockumentary as a crew follows his endeavours. Martin McCann who people will recognise form The Survivalist is his chief talent and puts in a superb performance squeezing every last drop out of a strong Belfast accent. McSorley is a master of conveying that perfect balancing act of a man on the brink of a total mental break down. STARZ brings a freshness and raw emotion to a somewhat tired genre and anything with Michael Smiley is worth the price of admission alone.

★★★★★

Madam Black

Dir: Ivan Barge

Madam Black is a short set in New Zealand which concerns a photographer who accidently knocks down and kills a little girl’s cat. Concocting a story that the cat has gone on holidays he must then forge a series of elaborate photo snaps to fool the little girl. A snappy black comedy with a big heart makes it stand out from the rest.

★★★

Change in the Weather

Dir: Muiris Crowley

Writing producing directing and staring in his first short Muiris Crowley is certainly somebody to keep an eye on. We see how a normal rural lifestyle; teaching, training for the local GAA team and going out drinking can be a somewhat suffocating and lonely experience. Tackling such strong and emotive topics is not an easy task but the fact Muiris manages this in fifteen minutes is an amazing feat.

★★★★★

Time and Again directed by Aidan Largey borrows too heavily from other time travel greats and crowbars in a sentimental message that is obvious from the get go.

Nymphet directed by Laura Hermanides is a deeply unsettling film. Viewed as either an argument for “she was asking for it” or “men just want to sleep with little girls”, it’s too serious a topic that is poorly examined.