Mayo-set ‘Wet Grass' set for NYC premiere

Actors Paul Nugent and Anna Nugent, composer Markéta Irglová and screenwriter Seamus Scanlon were pictured at this year's Dublin launch of Irish Screen America, which took place at the Merrion Square home of Sean and Sarah Reynolds. Oscar winner Irglová, who composed the music for "The Long Wet Grass," flew in from her home in Iceland for the occasion.

First, "The Long Wet Grass" was an award-winning flash-fiction piece — that is, less than 300 words – published in the 2012 Fish anthology. Then it was an award-winning one act play as part of Seamus Scanlon’s “The McGowan Trilogy” produced in New York City by Nancy Manocherian's the cell and directed by Kira Simring. Now it is a short film that has its East Coast premiere this coming Sunday, Oct. 1, as part of Niall McKay's Irish Screen America.

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The film (following the play) is set in Mayo near Callow Lake and was shot there and near Pontoon and Foxford in late 2016. Editing began this year. The film stars the original actors of the stage version, Paul and Anna Nugent. The director id London-based Justin Davy and the cinematographer Galway based Lakshika Larasinhe. All the other crew were Mayo-based as are the two children who appear in flashback sequences.

Seamus Scanlon at a Q & A.

A real coup for the film was securing Academy Award winner Marketa Irglova (“Once”) to compose original music including three new songs for the film. She flew from her home in Iceland for the Dublin launch of Irish Screen America in the home of Sean and in Merrion Square.

The film had its Irish premier at the Clare Island Film festival earlier and its West Coast premiere in San Francisco last Friday. After the New York screening there are two other festivals in Ireland coming up in October – the Kerry Film Festival and IndieCork.

The script is by Scanlon and Anna Nugent. The producers are Manocherian, Anna Nugent, Scanlon and Gregory de la Haba. They are still looking for investors (modest amounts) in exchange for producer and other film credits if you want to help spread the film around the globe!

The film begins at 8 p.m. in the NYU Cantor theater, near Washington Square Park (E, F, B or D to West 4th Station). Details here.

 

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