When an Irish farmer dies, his sole heir Donal is left some land; but Donal hasn’t inherited much in terms of social skills. Despite the encouragement of his best mate, he finds it hard to talk to women, and in frustration turns to the internet. He hooks up with Kiwi call-girl Kim, who has a business plan to see her off her back and behind a desk, greeting punters at her own brothel. Donal’s newfound wealth might provide her with the money she needs, but what might Donal be getting out of the deal? And what demand is there for the services of prostitutes in rural Ireland anyway?

DVD details:
Element Pictures Distribution
EPDDVD43
Cert: 18’s
Extras: Making of Sensation, Trailer
Run time: 107′ approx.
Aspect Ratio 1.17:1
Dolby Digital 5.1
Pal / Region 2
Release date: April 6th

Sesnation will be available to buy on DVD from the Element Pictures Distribution Shop or to stream/download on Volta from April 6th. Follow Sensation on Facebook or Twitter for more information

“Packing two terrific performances and a quirky independent spirit, Byrne’s bittersweet coming-of-middle-age comedy is an unexpected treat. 4 stars” Total Film

Directed by Darragh Byrne, Starring Colm Meaney (The Snapper) and Colin Morgan (Merlin)

Fred (Colm Meaney, The Snapper), has fallen on hard times and finds himself living in his car with little hope of improving his situation. That all changes when he forms an unlikely friendship with Cathal (Colin Morgan, Merlin), a dope-smoking 21-year-old with a positive attitude, and his new ‘neighbour’ in the Dublin car park they call home.

Cathal is determined to help Fred sort his life out. He modifies his car, helps him sign on the dole and make a friend in Jules, an attractive music teacher. But as Fred struggles with his pride to tell Jules about his ‘home’, and Cathal’s drug habit spirals out of control, their friendships are tested as their lives change forever.

DVD details:
Element Pictures Distribution
EPDDVD39
Cert: 15’s
Extras: Making of Parked, Director and Cast Interviews, Trailers Run time: 90′ approx.
Aspect Ration 2.35:1
Dolby Digital 5.1
Pal / Region 2
Subtitles: English / French / German
Release date: March 9th

Download trailer, images and production notes here

Starring two time Academy Award winner Sean Penn (as you’ve never seen him before) as Cheyenne, a middle-aged wealthy former goth rock star now bored and jaded in his retirement, living in Dublin off his royalties. Learning his father is close to death, he travels to New York in the hope of being reconciled with him during his final hours, only to arrive too late. Having been estranged for over 30 years, it is only now in death that he learns the true extent of his father’s humiliation in Auschwitz at the hands of former SS Officer Aloise Muller - an event he was determined to avenge. Cheyenne decides to pick up where his father left off, and starts a life altering journey, at his own pace, into the heartland of America. As his quest unfolds, reawakened by the people he encounters, Cheyenne must finally decide if it is redemption he seeks…or revenge.

“A film that brims with warmth, humanity and respect in ways one doesn’t often find in the work of coolmeisters like David Lynch and Quentin Tarantino. Quirky, hilarious and moving, Sorrentino’s first English-lingo production is a road trip of stunning scope yet deep intimacy”

Jay Weissberg - Variety

THIS MUST BE THE PLACE stars Sean Penn, Frances Mc Dormand, Eve Hewson, David Byrne, Judd Hirsch, Kerry Condon and Harry Dean Stanton.

Join THIS MUST BE THE PLACE on Twitter or Facebook

Volta is unlike any other video on demand services currently available in Ireland, in that it focuses on Irish films and the best of independent world cinema, with titles to rent from €3.99 and to purchase from €6.99. There are no subscription fees and users can stream or download films in full. Volta is also unique in bringing selected films to the site ‘day-and-date’ with their theatrical release (on the same day that they are available in cinemas). New films on the service are otherwise made available at the same time as the DVD release.

It is currently the only Irish VOD platform showing The Guard and other Irish highlights include The Secret of Kells, Garage and As If I’m Not There with more added weekly. Recent Irish films including Sensation and Parked will join the catalogue soon, alongside classic Irish films like The Wind That Shakes the Barley. Volta is working closely with leading Irish and U.K independent producers and distributors to add future content to Volta’s growing offering. Hundreds of top international titles alongside independent features are also available on the site.

Volta also plans to partner with RTÉ to acquire premium RTÉ produced drama that will feature on the service in the future. The addition of Irish produced content of this quality is testament to Volta’s support of the Irish television and film production sector.

Minister Deenihan, who spoke of the significance of the service for Irish consumers and the Irish film industry said

“This unique new service will bring the best of Irish and international independent films to a much wider audience than was previously possible. As part of the Element Picture group, Volta marks a major shift in the development of online platforms for film consumption in Ireland. Developments such as this will provide the Irish film industry with a distribution channel which has the potential to reach hundreds of thousands of homes in Ireland. The impact Volta will have on the film industry is likely to be significant, especially in its efforts to combat film piracy.”

Speaking at the launch, Andrew Lowe said

“We are delighted to launch Volta, the first Irish owned Video On Demand service in the Irish market. As an active production, distribution, and, since the re-launch of the Light House cinema in Dublin’s Smithfield, an exhibition company, we are uniquely placed to present and promote the best Irish and international independent cinema in a convenient and cost effective way. We are launching Volta now as advances in technology and broadband infrastructure make the service technically viable, changes in the retail sector make it essential to create a space where specialist cinema can be discovered and consumed, and there is an onus on the industry to provide safe and legal alternatives to pirated films. We are very pleased to launch Volta with The Guard available exclusively on our service.”

The site also features editorial content with exclusive articles, interviews and behind the scenes footage from many of the films available. The search and filter features allow users to browse films by director, cast, crew, year, country of origin or keyword, a unique feature unavailable elsewhere. Consumers can browse the full catalogue of before entering any personal or payment information and the Volta CinePass offers significant savings for those who pre-purchase rental credits.

About Volta
Volta is an initiative of Element Pictures, a company which includes Element Pictures Production, Element Pictures Distribution and most recently, The Light House Cinema. Volta has received support from the Irish Film Board and the European Union MEDIA programme. Volta has been developed for the Irish market by Element Pictures in conjunction with Universciné, one of the largest video on demand providers in France. Volta is a founding member of EuroVod, a European federation of independent video on demand platforms. The goal of the federation is the promotion of video on demand as a channel of distribution for independent film in Europe.

The site has been live for almost a year, during which time the company has focused on gathering content for the site and perfecting the technology and user experience. The coming months will see technological developments and further deals with major distributors and other key media partnerships.

Volta was also the name of the first cinema in Ireland, opened in 1909 by James Joyce.

About Element Pictures
Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe run film and television-drama Production Company Element Pictures, based in Dublin and London. Recent productions include SHADOW DANCER (James Marsh) and THE GUARD (John Michael McDonagh) starring Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle, THIS MUST BE THE PLACE (Paolo Sorrentino) which stars Sean Penn & Francis McDormand, which screened in competition in Cannes 2011 and also screened this week at Sundance Film Festival.

ESSENTIAL KILLING (Jerzy Skolimowski) starring Vincent Gallo which won the prestigious Jury Prize at last year’s Venice Film Festival and ALL GOOD CHILDREN (Alicia Duffy) which was selected for Director’s Fortnight at Cannes 2010. The company is currently in post-production on Lenny Abrahamson’s new film WHAT RICHARD DID.

Ed and Andrew also run Ireland’s leading independent film distribution company, Element Pictures Distribution, handling STUDIOCANAL’s slate in Ireland including, TINKER TAILOR SOLDIER SPY, SUBMARINE & BLUE VALENTINE, as well as direct acquisitions such as HIS & HERS, GARAGE and THE GUARD. THE GUARD was a smash hit in Ireland becoming the highest grossing independent Irish film of all time when it was released in Ireland in July 2011. THE GUARD went on to be Ireland’s third highest grossing film for theatrical box office in 2011 and the No 1 DVD.

The company also recently reopened the Light House Cinema in Smithfield, a week before the public launch of Volta.

Further information:
Tom Lawlor, Marketing Manager, Volta. 01 6185032 / 0863643334 / tom@volta.ie
www.facebook.com/VoltaVOD
www.twitter.com/volta

SHADOW DANCER directed by James Marsh (PROJECT NIM, THE KING, MAN ON WIRE )has a stellar cast including Clive Owen (CHILDREN OF MEN, INSIDE MAN), Gillian Anderson (THE LAST KING OF SCOTLAND) and Andrea Riseborough (NEVER LET ME GO, W.E.) Irish actors include Aidan Gillen (LOVE/HATE, THE WIRE) and Domhnall Gleeson (TRUE GRITT, DREDD).

SHADOW DANCER tells the story of single mother, Colette McVeigh who when caught red handed in London by the MI5 is given a simple choice: either spend 25 years in jail without seeing her 6 year old son grow up or return to home to spy on her brother, leader of the Belfast IRA and the last obstacle to a viable peace process.

It is the story of one woman’s incredible fight to protect her son whilst being forced to betray those she loves. SHADOW DANCER is written by Tom Bradby and is based on his novel, which he wrote 12 years ago after spending 2 years as ITN political correspondent in Belfast.

Commenting on the selection Element Pictures Producers Andrew Lowe & Ed Guiney “are delighted that James’ brilliant film will have its European premiere at the Berlinale where we enjoyed such a warm reception with THE GUARD last year”

SHADOW DANCER is a Unanimous Entertainment, Element Pictures and WildBunch Production in association with LipSync Productions with the participation of the Irish Film Board. Irish audiences will have an opportunity to see SHADOW DANCER in cinemas when it goes on theatrical release later this year.

Welcoming the reopening of the Light House, Minister for The Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, Jimmy Deenihan said

“The Programme for the Government committed us to seek to capture some public good from NAMA buildings for arts and culture facilities. The reopening of the Light House is a tangible expression of that commitment. I believe that this outcome is hugely positive for the arthouse cinema sector, for the Smithfield area and for employment and economic regeneration locally”

Directors of Element Pictures Andrew Lowe and Ed Guiney are

“delighted that the Light House Cinema will be screening films again. We are opening the cinema at the earliest possible opportunity and have lots of ideas, which we will implement over the coming months. We really appreciate the warm support and goodwill we have received following the news and look forward to ensuring that a visit to the Light House is a unique and wonderful experience. We would also like to extend our thanks to the Minister Jimmy Deenihan, the Arts Council and Bord Scannán na hÉireann / Irish Film Board for their support in getting the Light House up and running again”.

Commenting on the news, James Hickey, Chief Executive, Bord Scannán na hÉireann / Irish Film Board said

“The reopening of the Light House brings an important renewal of the Irish exhibition landscape. It will once again provide Dublin audiences with reinvigorated access to the wide range of independently produced films than are currently available. It is our ambition that the Light House will contribute to the growing appetite for independent cinema amongst Irish audiences, in a cinematic environment with the availability of the latest digital equipment.“

Orlaith McBride, Director of the Arts Council, said,

“The Arts Council wishes Element Pictures every success in the operation of the Light House cinema. Element Pictures will build on the programming foundations laid by the Light House since its opening and will continue to bring a diverse range of cinema to audiences in Dublin to this fine cinema setting”.

Follow the Light House Cinema on Twitter

THE GUARD has been nominated by IFTA members in the following categories:

• Best Film: Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, Chris Clark & Flora Fernandez Marengo
• Best Script: John Michael McDonagh
• Best Director: John Michael McDonagh
• Best Actor: Brendan Gleeson
• Best Supporting Actor: Liam Cunningham
• Best Supporting Actress: Fionnula Flanagan
• International Actor: Don Cheadle
• Production Design: John Paul Kelly
• Sound: Robert Flanagan / Michelle Cuniffe / Niall Brady

Speaking today, Andrew Lowe of Element Pictures Distribution, the film’s distributor in Ireland, said:

“We are so pleased for John Michael McDonagh and all the cast and crew of THE GUARD and in particular for each of the individual nominees. These nominations follow the stellar performance of the film in Ireland at the Box Office and on DVD. The film was released on the 2nd of December on DVD in Ireland and went on to the No1 DVD for Christmas and outsold Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2 and The Inbetweeners Movie combined. It is also gratifying to note that this follows on from international nominations that reflect the international exposure and success that THE GUARD has enjoyed”

THE GUARD has had extraordinary success both in Ireland and abroad where it has smashed box-office records and received huge praise from critics and audiences all over the world.

The IFTA’s takes place this year in the Convention Centre Dublin on Saturday 11th February and will be broadcast on RTÉ One from 9.30pm.

The Guard is an Irish/UK co-production, backed by the Irish Film Board and Section 481 as well as International Financiers. It’s produced by Chris Clark and Flora Fernandez Marengo for Reprisal Films and Ed Guiney (Garage) and Andrew Lowe (The Wind that Shakes the Barley) for Element Pictures.

Element Pictures Distribution is delighted to announce that BRENDAN GLEESON has been nominated for the Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical award at the Golden Globes. THE GUARD, which has wowed critics and audiences alike this year, is a comedy-thriller in which an unorthodox Irish policeman joins forces with a straitlaced FBI agent, played by Don Cheadle, to take on an international drug-smuggling gang.

Speaking today, Brendan Gleeson said “I am absolutely delighted for myself and for everyone involved, especially writer/director John Michael McDonagh, who gave me the gift of Sergeant Gerry Boyle. I love that something so culturally specific can receive such prestigious  international recognition. It renews the faith!”

Andrew Lowe of Element Pictures Distribution said “This nomination is richly deserved in what many have seen as Brendan’s finest performance of his career.”

This follows the extraordinary success of THE GUARD in Ireland, which is currently top of the Irish DVD Charts. Gleeson’s performance has been praised internationally:

“A crusty jewel of a performance by Brendan Gleeson” - Variety

“Another brilliant Brendan Gleeson performance” - entertainment.ie

“A brilliant performance from Brendan Gleeson” - collider.com

Other nominees in the category are Jean Dujardin, “The Artist”; Joseph Gordon-Levitt, “50/50″; Ryan Gosling, “Crazy, Stupid, Love”; Owen Wilson, “Midnight in Paris.”

THE GUARD is an Irish/UK co-production, backed by the Irish Film Board and Section 481 as well as International Financiers. It is directed by John Michael McDonagh. It’s produced by Chris Clark and Flora Fernandez Marengo for Reprisal Films and Ed Guiney (Garage) and Andrew Lowe (The Wind that Shakes the Barley) for Element Pictures.