Cannes film festival has offered to rebroadcast an Irish film that was the only one of 500 scheduled screenings not seen at last month’s event.
Songs for Amy, a film about a struggling Irish musician in New York, was to have its European premiere at the festival. However, a technical fault at the cinema meant that it had to be cancelled at the last minute.
Fiona Graham, the writer and producer of Songs for Amy, said it would never be known what opportunities had been missed.
The producers had paid to fly in cast and crew from around the world, and had heavily marketed the movie. Potential investors were expected to attend the screening of the film, which has yet to secure a general cinema release.
Cannes technical staff blamed a fault with the Digital Cinema Package (DCP), digital files provided by the producers which are required for a screening. However, having subsequently tested the DCP in London, Graham found it to be in working order.
Advertisement
“Actually, it was the technical competence of the people in the cinema [that was at fault],” said Graham. “We were extremely disappointed at the time, but it’s also embarrassing.”
Danièle Birge, head of the screening department at Cannes, has issued an official apology to the film-makers, and offered to screen it next year. Birge said the organisation regretted being unable to show the film and promised screening fees would be refunded.
Graham said that while distributors might bring Songs for Amy to next year’s event, the film-makers would not return. The European premiere will now take place at next month’s Galway film fleadh.
“I haven’t got the time to start getting into a legal battle with Cannes. There’s no point,” she said. “I want to do what’s best for the film, which is to move on.”
Songs for Amy stars Seán Maguire, best known for roles in BBC’s Grange Hill and EastEnders, as an Irish musician who writes an album in the hope of winning back a lost love. It was shot in Galway and New York, and co-stars James Cosmo, Kevin Ryan and Patrick Bergin.
Advertisement
The film had its premiere at the Newport Beach film festival in California in May. It was given a jury award for outstanding achievement in film-making, and ranked fourth of more than 400 featured films based on audience ratings.