THURSDAY evening saw a big Irish premiere to rival those of London and LA when The Disappearance Of Fin bar got its first, showing. Many of the rising stars of the Irish film industry were reunited on the evening, having moved on to other projects since Disappearance was filmed. Cork man Jonathan Rhys-Myers, known to most as the guy who shot the Big Fella in Neil Jordan's Michael Collins, flew in from Tibet where he has been holidaying after a hectic year's filming. He has just finished playing a glam rock star in Velvet Gold with Ewan McGregor and also has a part in Michael Radford's B Monkey in the can - it will be released in Ireland soon.
Luke Griffin is similarly fresh from filming; Luke has been hard at work on The Nephew with Pierce Brosnan but is moving from screen to stage this summer. He is appearing in Mr Joyce Is Leaving Paris, a production he appeared in Berlin last summer, at the Samuel Beckett Theatre in TCD.
Director Sue Clayton got the chance to make this, her first feature film, as Channel 4 were so impressed with her BAFTA award-nominated short, Heart Song. In addition, Clayton is one of only six European directors, out of the 600 nominated, to have her work in an upcoming film showcase in New York and Hollywood.
Dermot Bolger, who co-wrote the film's script with Clayton, came along to the premiere as did cast members Sean McGinley and Lorraine Pilkington, most recently seen in Last Of The High Kings.
The party moved on from UCI in Tallaght to the nearby Aberleigh, Court Hotel, where Laura Brennan, Australian Toni Colette who charmed us all in Muriel's Wedding and Emma, and Anna Friel, who has just finished the Dublin leg of St Ives filming and is moving to Northern Ireland, joined the ensemble. The music at the bash was by Chris, Meehan and Gets/z Loose who perform on the film's soundtrack which also features Davy Spillane, and it benefitted a local drug rehab programme. So, all in all, a thoroughly worthwhile evening.