A young Irish man who died following a road crash in Thailand has been remembered as a “remarkable” young film-maker with “extraordinary” skill.
Max Hendrickson and his girlfriend, who is understood to have been a Czech citizen, were both killed in a crash in Thailand while they were driving a rented scooter.
Hendrickson, from Cabra, Dublin, had completed his second year as a film student at the National Film School within the Institute of Art, Design and Technology (IADT) before he went travelling.
David Smith, IADT’s president, said the college was “greatly saddened and distressed” to hear of his death, describing him as a “remarkably talented student”.
READ MORE
Vanessa Gildea, a lecturer in film and television at IADT, said Hendrickson was among the most “unique and truly brilliant students to study here”.
“He was a brilliantly talented animator and an extraordinary young film-maker who had already received recognition nationally and internationally for his films,” she said.
The 20-year-old had been making films from a young age, winning Ireland’s Junior Young Filmmaker of the Year at the Fresh Film Festival when he was 12.
Five years later, at the same festival, he won Ireland’s Young Filmmaker of the Year for The Tell-Tale Heart, a retelling of Edgar Allan Poe’s short story.
In a tribute posted on social media, Fresh Film said it was “deeply saddened and shocked” to hear of Hendrickson’s death.
It said his talent and creativity were “already so obvious” at the age of 12.
“Over the years, we always looked forward to seeing what Max would create next, watching him grow into a remarkable young film-maker,” it said.
Describing The Tell-Tale Heart as an “outstanding film”, Fresh Film said it showed “extraordinary vision, skill and imagination”.
It was one of 13 award-winning short films to be shown in Omniplex cinemas last December.
Before studying at the National Film School, Hendrickson attended Mount Temple Comprehensive School in Clontarf, where teaching staff remembered him as a “wonderfully bright, creative and kind young man”.
The school’s principal, David Bane, said he was a “phenomenally talented artist and film-maker”.
“Those who taught him recall what a genuine privilege it was to watch his creativity flourish. The school remains incredibly proud of his achievements, and we were all excited for everything his future held,” he said.
On Sunday, the Department of Foreign Affairs said it was aware of the case and is providing consular assistance.
“As with all consular cases, the Department does not comment on the details of individual cases,” it said.
