County Kilburn
with Academy Award nominated short
Dance Lexie, Dance

DANCE LEXIE, DANCE

Tim Loane, 1996 [15 mins]

This short drama, nominated for an Academy Award in 1998 as Best live-action Short, tells the story of Laura, a 12-year old Protestant girl who wants to be a Riverdancer when she grows up.

It is the first short film from the Nerve Centre, a state-of-the-art multimedia center based in Ireland. Made in conjunction with the BBC Northern Ireland, the film details the story of a 12-year-old Protestant girl who wants to become a Riverdancer. That traditionally "Irish" art, however, has a Catholic history, and her father struggles with her choice. "Dance Lexie Dance" was the first Irish film to be nominated for an Oscar.

COUNTY KILBURN

Elliott Hegarty (UK) 2001 [89 mins]

In Kilburn's square mile there are 53 Irish pubs and this is the story of just one. Mickey, the pub's young barman, is sure that his job is preventing him from getting on in life so he's returning to Ireland to take up a job with his brother His last week on the job should be his most enjoyable ? fat chance! The landlord is in hospital so Mickey is left in charge.

The regulars appear on cue, taking the same seats in front of the same drinks at the same time every day. If only everything else about them was as predictable. With their eccentricities, ravings and antics, Mickey's own girl trouble. and the bizarre characters that pass through the pub, it's now shaping up to be the worst week of his life.

***** "...A highly amusing and foul-mouthed examination of the everyday quirkiness of pub life... The end result is a film which mixes the gentle oddness of Ballykissangel with the stylised humour of Trainspottlng A great, eclectic soundtrack and some sparky dialogue make County Kilburn a real hoot, and an impressive debut for Elliot Hegarty" [The List]