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www.celtic-connection.com
OCTOBER 1999
IRISH FANCY STORE
NEW MERCHANDISE ARRIVING!
♦Aran Sweaters from Ireland and Scotland *Claddagh Celtic knotwork wedding bands, Rings, pendants, earrings and bracelets. *Children of Lir jewellery
* Hand-woven Jackets and Capes *Duiske glassware in Celtic design *Tin whistles and tapes Many other items - Come in and see for yourself.
#110-3866 Bayview Street, Richmond B.C. V7E 4R7 Tel: (604) 272-1101 or Fax: (604) 263-8328
Mythological & Magical Treasures
Gargoyles, Goddesses & Faeries
Candles & Incense
Tee shirts & Jewellery
Chess Sets & Cards
Medieval, Celtic, Pagan fie Fantastical Books
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Open 7 days a week 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. TEL: (604) 689-8931
#6 - 1551 Johnston St. Granville Island, Vancouver b.c. V6H 3R9
Eanh ErojM/ed Celtic Jeweffery
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Bemttifwl Celtic knotwork designs on sifaer anb aofo mm, bracelets, wed^ces, a&iks, etc.
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www. celtLcjewellerystore. com
Barbara M. Designs Phone / Fax (604) 252-9648 Vancouver, BC
VANCOUVER INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
How to Get Major Stars in Your Movie On a Shoestring Budget
By MAURA McCAY
VANCOUVER — At this year's Nineteenth Annual Vancouver International Film Festival, Ireland was represented by a young 26-year old filmmaker, who presented the North American premiere of his new movie The Book That Wrote Itself.
The film marks the feature debut of Liam O Mochain, whose directing credits include a series of documentaries on Irish television. He is also the producer of the award-winning short film Fortune which screened in festivals around the world.
The Book That Wrote Itself was extremely well-received in Vancouver, with capacity audiences attending each of the two showings. It stars Liam O Mochain (as Vincent), Antoinette Guiney (Aisling), Marco Van Belle, Kristen Marken (as the literary agents), Carol Meyers (Opera Diva), Orlaith Rafter (Shauna), Paul Mahon (Sean), Philip Owen (Derek), Angel Bond (Seria), and the former Irish Arts Minister, Michael D. Higgins (Narrator).
After spending two years trying to raise money for a £2 million pound production, Liam realized that it wasn't going to happen without an international cast and a track record.
So, he decided to work on his own terms and make a low budget independent film, which he finally produced for approximately CDN830,000. He also featured some of Hollywood's biggest names in cameo roles in his film without their knowledge.
Liam, who describes his project as "a film, within a film, within a film," successfully brought The Book that Wrote Itself to life with a cast of 40 and a crew of 25 filmed at over 50 locations.
With a hectic schedule of raising finances, writing the script, organizing pre-production, casting and shooting — all at the same time — he managed to produce it within a tight time frame of 15 weeks.
Shot in quasi-documentary style with a digital camera, it follows the story of Vincent, the central character, as he travels around Ireland trying to recreate his much maligned novel on video. The film blends genres throughout, moving from a Celtic quest film one minute, to a black comedy with a hint of romance.
Vincent has written a book based on a Celtic quest saga which he is convinced will become an international bestseller. Instead, his attempts to sell his opus at a book show are met with ridicule. He boasts, "It is the first book to successfully combine all genres of
writing — thriller, drama, horror, classical, biographical, with a hint of comedy!"
When he overhears two literary agents mocking his masterpiece, Vincent decides to put the masterpiece to film in an attempt to prove his detractors wrong.
He declares, "not only could it i happen 200 years ago, it could happen today." So he hires Aisling, a video maker, who is more interested in filming him, to document his re-enactment of the quest.
His hero Deisin, a hero of the Fianna has fallen in love with Fionnula, the Princess of Con-nacht. He makes an agreement with Conn, the King of Connacht that he will perform tasks in order to win her hand in marriage. Each task of this quest takes the form of a riddle in a poem.
"To keep the Fianna within the pale, he must 'The Book of Oleanna' steal," is the first challenge. Ever resourceful, Vincent decides that The Book ofKells will provide a suitable substitute, so with Aisling's camera rolling, he undertakes a daring daylight robbery.
This is the beginning of a strange, hilarious journey across Ireland with Wexford, Cork and Ennis as pit stops along the way. The quest hits a snag at the Galway Film Fleadh, where Vincent encounters some film enthusiasts and he becomes convinced that the book has the potential for a hit movie.
After abruptly dropping Aisling and her video production, Vincent heads to Venice for the film festival there where he talks his way into a press conference and tries to persuade the aforementioned Hollywood stars to come to Ireland and take part in his forth-
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ANTOINETTE GUINEY, Liam O Machain and Orlaith Rafter in The Book that Wrote Itself.