Two Cork men took centre-stage at the star-studded Irish première of Intermission in Dublin this week. The rebel county ruled again. The film's director, John Crowley, and its leading actor, Cillian Murphy, were fêted alongside the rest of the film's cast and crew, including Dublin scriptwriter Mark O'Rowe and producers Alan Moloney and Neil Jordan at Tuesday's gala opening in the Savoy Cinema.
The turnout at the première included a long list of well-known names, such as Samantha Mumba, Sharon and Jim Corr, Paul McGuinness, Deirdre O'Kane, actors Barbara Bergin, Victoria Smurfit (who is in UTV's upcoming Lynda La Plante two-parter, Trial and Retribution VII), Ray Stevenson (filming in King Arthur), Michael McElhatton and David Wilmot.
Others at the opening included director Jim Sheridan, designer John Rocha and actor Patrick Bergin. Later, many of the guests went on to Renards to party and talk about the merits of the gritty urban love story that is Intermission. Crowley says he is about to do a new play, The Pillow Man, by Martin McDonagh at the National Theatre in London with actor Jim Broadbent. He "didn't mind the birth pangs" of making his début film, he said, which didn't go over its budget of €4 million and was recently voted Best First Feature at the Galway Film Fleadh.
"I've always wanted to make a film," he added, "and I had a great team and a great script by Mark O'Rowe."
Murphy (27), who starred in the movies Disco Pigs and 28 Days Later, is in London filming Red Light Runners, with Harvey Keitel, and he also stars in the upcoming film, Girl With Green Eyes, which is due out in December.
No-one forgot mega-star Colin Farrell, who shines in Intermission, although he was unable to attend because of acting commitments in north Africa. Director Crowley described him as "heaven to work with, a lovely fellow and great to have a pint with".
Intermission is now on general release.