24 February 2021: The Virgin Media Discovers Short Film Competition in association with Screen Ireland will see its ten shortlisted finalists pitch this Friday, February 26^th to try and secure an additional €60,000 in funding for their projects.

 

Each of the ten finalists will present to the expert judging panel for this year’s competition which includes award-winning director and screenwriter Lenny Abrahamson, known for directing such acclaimed independent films as Adam & Paul; Derry Girls creator and screenwriter of The Deceived, Lisa McGee; Mullingar-born actor Niamh Algar who stars in Ridley Scott’s major new HBO Max series, Raised by Wolves; Screenwriter and Executive Producer Ursula Rani Sarma whose work includes Delicious and Red Rock.

 

They will also be joined by representatives from Virgin Media Television, Screen Ireland and the Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival.

 

Each of the finalists have already received €9,000 worth of investment which has helped them to evolve their ideas with a script supervisor in preparation for this Friday’s final pitching process.

 

Two of the ten finalists will be chosen as the winners for this year’s competition with each going on to receive and additional €30,000 worth of investment to fund the production of their 10-minute short film based on their winning scripts, also supported by Screen Ireland.

 

The winners will be announced on a special edition episode of Virgin Media TV’s ‘Box Office’ show on March 14^th by competition judge award-winning director and screenwriter Lenny Abrahamson.

 

You can learn more about the Virgin Media Discovers Short Film Competition in association with Screen Ireland here.

 

The 10 shortlisted projects are:

 

Nannie (Drama) Writer/Director: Louise Lowe

An up close and personal meditation of those at the frontline of addiction and homelessness.

 

Ahmad & Ayomide (Thriller) Writers: Aoife Kelleher & Bulelani Cornelius Mfaco

A tragic love story set in a direct provision centre.

 

Adagio (Drama) Writer: Hana Hall, Director: Fiona Aryan 

A teen violinist desperate to make an audition falls foul of a Garda whose harshness stems from his own heartache.

 

Superhuman (Drama) Writer/Director: Mícheál Fleming

After being rejected from professional football and diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa, an African Irish Leaving Certificate student is guided towards the Paralympic games; all while learning to deal with his new identity and the discrimination that has surrounded him all his life.

 

Water Under the Bridge (Drama) Writer/Director: Rehan Ali

After a long journey, Bilal and his mother have come so close to tasting freedom. Now the restrictions of hostel life keep him from true liberty.

 

Pediment (Drama) Writer: Derek Ugochukwu

A precocious biracial boy embarks on a day’s journey to reconnect with an estranged relative, unaware of a long-existing dispute between both sides of the family.

 

Punch Line (Black Comedy) Writers: Allie O'Rourke & Becky Cheatle

On the night of a transphobic attack a transgender comedian processes her feelings the only way she knows how, via stand-up comedy.

 

Slip Away (Fantasy) Writer/Director: Mark Cantan

A girl with no gravity struggles to find her place on the world.

 

Goodnight Girl (Drama) Writer: Hiram Harrington & Director Janna Kemperman

A group of queer friends reunite at the funeral of their trans friend, only to find her conservative family is burying her under her dead name and refusing her last wishes. They team up to concoct a heist to steal her ashes, and have their own funeral for her.

 

Headspace (Drama) Writers: Aisling Byrne & Mark Smith

As the frustrations and tensions of living in a shared community house begin to close in on him, a young man with Down Syndrome, seeks to end a nightly disturbance, by any means available.