FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

IFTA AWARDS 2024

Advent

The last chapter is the hardest. A famed writer returns home to an Irish castle to complete his long overdue second novel, but is plagued by a rogues' gallery of local villagers, who refuse to leave him alone. As time passes and he struggles to finish his book, their intrusions become increasingly disruptive, and eventually, more sinister.

Director: Richard Waters
Writer: Emmett Hughes
Producers: Alison Scarff, Aisha Tyler

Filmmaker Q&A

Q: What was the genesis of this film, and how did it evolve over the course of development to production and completion?

• Emmett Hughes (Writer, Producer, Actor): "ADVENT started with an idea — a man comes home to Ireland to right the wrongs of his youth. Carraigin is a 13th century castle in my home county on Loch Corrib.  I knew I could write something great for that evocative setting."
• Alison Scarff (Producer): "Emmett sent us a link to photos of Carraigin. No script, no budget, not an actor in sight, but a hint of a story. Very unorthodox, but a beautiful opportunity to collaborate."
• Richard Waters (Director): "Emmett’s energy to make this happen cannot be understated. When we got to post, we really honed in on what brought the story to life. Aisha was great there, bringing enthusiasm and pointing at which bits of marble we might consider chipping away."
• Aisha Tyler (Producer): "I’ve been collaborating with Emmett Hughes since our 2015 short ÁR SCÁTH LE CHÉILE, which he wrote and I directed in Galway. Emmett demands a lot of himself, and that energy radiates to everyone on set. The process with him is always energizing."

Q: What did you feel was the most fulfilling element of working on this film?

• Alison: "It had been ten years since we last worked with Emmett — it was exciting to see our joint growth and how far we could push our creative boundaries."
• Richard:  "Seeing festival audiences react to the film and the unexpected twists and turns has been so gratifying. As a filmmaker, you always want people to react. This is my version of a guitar solo in Wembley Stadium."
• Emmett: "We had a small budget and very little time — the movie was propelled forward by pure passion. Everyone really stepped up, going beyond their job description to make it all happen."

Q: What do you hope audiences will take away from the film?

• Alison: "That life is funny even when it's heartbreaking. Finding the comedy, love and joy in all moments is difficult but worth it."
• Emmett: "For me, film is an escape. I want to give audiences the feeling I had as a boy, falling in love with movies, being transported to another world through vision and imagination."

Q: To what extent was your on-screen talent vital to the success of the film?

• Emmett: "Words are nothing without the talent to deliver them. The brilliant Bríd Ní Neachtain infused the film with so much power and light. I was lucky to work across from her. The entire cast really delivered."
• Richard: "The on-screen talent is how audiences experience the film. We were blessed with a stacked cast."

Q: What’s the most interesting/inspiring piece of feedback you’ve received from people who have seen the film?

• Richard: "Nothing could have prepared me for how shocked audiences have been at where the film takes them. People have a preconceived idea of what this indie Irish comedy is going to be and are floored by where they end up."

Q: Can you speak to the growth in the Irish film industry in recent years and how it helped your film get off the ground?

• Alison:  "Access to the art form is expanding, which is creating more diverse crew opportunities. We kept the crew on ADVENT to a bare minimum to keep costs low, and were still able to make our film quickly and effectively. It's exciting to witness here in Ireland."
• Richard:  "We are in a golden age of Irish filmmakers getting out there and telling their stories across all the different budget scales. How can that be anything but invigorating?"

Q: Why is it important to see your work represented at the IFTAs and to be acknowledged by your peers in the Irish film community?


• Emmett: "Ireland is a country of artists, and we support our own. The fellowship and celebration that IFTA creates helps fuel the next generation of great Irish films. We are storytellers! It’s in our blood."