THE TALE OF BILLY O'C, 100min,. Ireland
Directed by Pete Harris
In 1970s rural Ireland, the murderer of an IRA safe house operative, must be stopped before executing his master plan.

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Get to know the filmmaker:

1. What motivated you to make this film?
When I first started coming to Ireland from Australia over eight years ago I was swept up in the romantic mystique of the land and people like most tourists. There's a magical quality about the place with its music, castles, cosy pubs and dramatic landscapes that just make you want to swing a pint and befriend people. After spending a lot more time here I've noticed in myself that I'm starting to take that first impression for granted like the locals do, so I wanted to make this film sooner rather than later to try to capture that original feeling of mystique and warmth in the style of the movie.

This being my debut film, I didn't want to confuse things with lots of mad action scenes and VFX and just wanted to concentrate on telling a compelling story. Personally, I feel that a lot of modern films have become too much about the spectacle and telling a unique and interesting story still holds a lot of importance for audiences and that can often be overlooked. So, I really tried to strip it back to a story that isn't predictable, and I wanted to avoid having the audience feel like they've seen this story in some form before, by keeping you wondering what's going to happen next.

2. From the idea to the finished product, how long did it take for you to make this film?
About 2 years

3. How would you describe your film in two words!?
Irish mystery

4. What was the biggest obstacle you faced in completing this film?
Ongoing costs in post production

5. What were your initial reactions when watching the audience talking about your film in the feedback video?
Watch the audience reaction from people not from Ireland made me proud that they appreciated the right elements I was hoping would shine to a foreign audience.

6. When did you realize that you wanted to make films?
2019

7. What film have you seen the most in your life?
Ferris Bueller's Day Off

8. What other elements of the festival experience can we and other festivals implement to satisfy you and help you further your filmmaking career?
Just encourage people to watch the film

9. You submitted to the festival via FilmFreeway. How has your experiences been working on the festival platform site?
Very straight forward.

10. What is your favorite meal?
Ravioli

11. What is next for you? A new film?
Maybe an animated film.