In this Film Ireland podcast, we spotlight the Dublin International Comedy Film Festival, which is taking place 27-30 November 2024. First off, Gemma Creagh talks to Festival Director Mo O’Connell and Co-director Cathal Feeney about what we can look forward to. Followed by Mo talking to Tara Norris, whose comedy short Proposing to Ciara screens at the festival.
Two men chase one woman. Who will she choose?
Proposing to Ciara screens as part of Block 6 on Friday, 29th November 2024 at The Complex
Dublin International Comedy Film Festival
Ireland’s funniest film festival returns 27-30 November 2024 for its 5th iteration and promises some much needed winter levity with a programme of films, industry Q&A’s, a live script comedy competition, networking events, live stand-up competition and awards.
SCHEDULE:
https://www.dublininternationalcomedyfilmfest.com/
TICKETS:
https://filmfreeway.com/DublinInternationalComedyFilmFestivalDICFF/tickets
The Dublin International Comedy Film Festival hits the Lighthouse Cinema once more on the 27th and 28th of November, then heads to the Complex for the first time! It will share its programme between the Lighthouse Cinema, the Complex in Smithfield, Dublin 7, the IFI, the Hendrick Hotel and Tailors Hall, D8. Activities take place from the 27th to the 30th November with a jam packed programme of comedy films, shorts & sketches from Ireland & around the globe.
There’s also a terrific line up of comedy acts with Bernard O’Shea, Kevin McGahern and Joe Rooney. Joe Rooney will also judge the inaugural DICFF Stand-Up Competition that DICFF have been running throughout the year, culminating in the finals on 28th & 30th November at the Hendrick Hotel & the Complex, respectively.
Mo O’Connell
Mo O’Connell is a multi- award-winning actor, writer, director & producer. She is the founder & head of 3 Hot Whiskeys Productions. She has recently wrapped on the feature film, “Horseshoe” (formerly, “The Clan Canavan”), that she co-produced with Wavewalker Films and 3 Hot Whiskeys Prods. The film stars Carolyn Bracken, John Connors, Lalor Roddy & Mary Murray. Mo has just been selected by Screen Ireland for the Creative Leaders Course led by Stephen Fagan and Fiona Flynn.
Recently, Mo 1st AD-ed short film “Me and Dad” working with Naryan Van Meale as DOP and she be helmed the Screen Ireland Focus short, “Come Back” as Production Manager in April 2024 with Helen O’Reilly as Writer/Director. Mo was selected for & completed the prestigious X-Pollinator Industry Event that took place at the end of February 2024. Mo was selected for Screen Ireland mentoring from Neasa Hardiman in Jan 2024.
Mo won the ‘Best Performer in a Play’ from the Broadway Ireland Theatre Awards in January 2024 for her role as ‘Lizzie’ in the critically acclaimed AboutFace theatre new show, “The Devil Himself” by Paul Nugent. Mo’s most recent films “Haven” & “Bruise” have won numerous awards on the festival circuit. “Bruise” has won several director awards for Mo, picking up Best Arthouse along the way at the prestigious Fastnet Film Festival in May 2023. Haven won the Best Short film at the B3 Biennale Moving Image Film Festival in Frankfurt in October 2023. Mo has a BA in Acting from RADA and a Higher National Diploma in Film Production from Ballyfermot. Mo has made over 12 short films and produced and directed her own multi-award-winning comedy feature length film, “SPA Weekend” which won the ‘She is on Fire’ Award at its World Premiere at the Female Filmmakers Film Festival Berlin in 2019.
During the Dublin Gay Theatre Festival in May 2023, Mo directed the World Premiere of Garret Baker’s play, “The War Wounded”. It earned 4 nominations and won Best Actress for its lead, Liath Hannon. Mo was selected by the Advanced Producer’s Programme run by TU Dublin & Screen Ireland to partake in the prestigious Lord David Puttnam Scholarship. This excellent and inspiring course concluded at the end of July of 2023. Mo was awarded a Distinction for her studies for the Diploma in Advanced Producing ratified by Screen Ireland & TU Dublin University. Mo produced ‘Lambing’ for Katie McNeice and it won several awards including: Best Short Film at San Diego Intl Film Festival in October 2023 and ‘Best Irish Short’ at GAZE 2023.
In addition to making films and theatre, Mo runs the Dublin International Comedy Film Festival which won Screen Ireland funding this year 2024. Mo is a graduate of RADA, London with a BA in Acting and whilst there she won the Henry Marshall Award for Outstanding Acting in her 2nd year of training. She is also a graduate of Ballyfermot Film College with a Diploma in Film Production.
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