NI Movies Premiere In Los Angeles

Two home-made films are about to gain an international audience.

The US premieres of both Cherrybomb and Peacefire are in the line-up at the forthcoming Los Angeles Irish Film Festival, next month.

Cherrybomb stars Rupert Grint (Harry Potter), Kimberley Nixon (Cranford) who are both pictured here filming the movie at Newtownabbey's Valley Leisure Centre, and Robert Sheehan (The Tudors).

It is the joint debut of Belfast-based co-directors Glen Leyburn and Lisa Barros D'Sa from a screenplay by Daragh Carville (Middletown).

The story sees best friends Malachy and Luke finishing their exams and set out to have 'one hell of a summer'.

However, the arrival of Michelle, a captivating, but troubled beauty, tests their friendship to the limit as she encourages the two boys to carry out increasingly dangerous and illegal deeds in the battle for her affections - with fatal consequences.

Cherrybomb is the second film from Mark Huffam and Simon Bosanquet's Generator Entertainment.

They partnered with Belfast producer Michael Casey's Green Park Films who developed the project with Brian Kirk, and James Flynn's Dublin-based Octagon Films.

The film was shot entirely in Northern Ireland and was scored by acclaimed Hollywood composer David Holmes (Out of Sight, Ocean's Eleven, Twelve & Thirteen and Hunger).

Peacefire meanwhile is a poignant drama from first time feature writer-director Macdara Vallely.

It was produced by Chris Martin and Sarah Perry and stars John Travers (Song For a Raggy Boy, Closing the Ring). Peacefire won Best First Feature award at the Galway Film Fleadh in 2008.

Set against the backdrop of the Northern Ireland peace process, Peacefire is an account of one young man's experience of crime and punishment on his local housing estate.

Colin (John Travers) is a joyriding hood who couldn't give a toss about the political situation, but a chance encounter with a ruthless detective (Gerry Doherty) turns him into an informer for the forces of law and order and a target for retribution for his father's old mates in the IRA.

In the violent upheaval that follows, Colin must struggle with the intense loyalty he feels for his mates; the need to protect his mother from her tragic past; and the political ideals of a dead father.

Peacefire was the first film to be funded through Northern Ireland's low-budget feature fund.

It is an adaptation of Vallely's successful 'monodrama'. The play won the Edinburgh Fringe First Award and was also shortlisted for the Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award. The film was shot entirely in location in Craigavon, Co. Armagh, where Vallely grew up.

Further information is available at: www.lairishfilm.com.

(KMcA/BMcC)