AN up and coming Irish film-maker Gerard Hurley combines traditional storytelling techniques and experiences gained while traveling to weave a wonderfully heart-felt story in The Pier, a film that is picking up rave plaudits at home and abroad.
The Pier, is a delicately paced story that pits father and son against one another in a battle that is as old as humanity.
While the viewer longs for reconciliation, director Gerard Hurley is a masterful storyteller and it’s never quite apparent whether the two protagonists will figuratively bury the hatchet or literally bury a hatchet in one another.
The Pier which was filmed in New York and in various locations in West Cork including Goleen, Ballydehob, Dunmanus, Schull, Skibbereen, Castletownsend, Castlehaven, Tragumna and Bantry stars Karl Johnson, Gerard Hurley and Lili Taylor.
After 20-years of no contact with his son, Larry McCarthy (Karl Johnson) pretends to be dying in order to trick his son, Jack (Gerard Hurley) into returning home to West Cork. When Jack arrives he is furious to find that his father is alive and kicking and, if anything even more furious, when he’s tricked into staying.
Director Gerard Hurley said, “The Pier is a simple story about the relationship between a father and son.
“They haven’t spoken in years and the father pretends to be on his deathbed to get the son to come home. Needless to say the son is less than impressed to see his dad playing golf in a field of cattle when he does return.
“At the core of the film is Larry’s denial about the death of his wife, Jack’s mother. The story explores the difficult and painful, yet often hilarious ways they try to communicate.
“Forging a begrudging peace, the reality of life intrudes when Larry discloses a painful truth that has the power to either rupture their relationship forever or bind them closer together”
The Pier has screened at festivals as far from home as the Czech Republic, where it had its world premiere at the prestigious Karlovy Vary International Film Festival and in Israel, where it played in the Jerusalem International Film Festival.
The film had its Irish premiere at the Galway Film Fleadh and has screened at the Corona Cork Film Festival, Thessaloniki International Film festival in Greece and Tbilisi International Film Festival in Georgia.
Produced on a very small budget it has secured national distribution and will screen in Dublin, Cork, Kerry, Galway and Laois in January and February.
Screening dates
29th IFI Dublin
February 2nd Classic, Listowel, Kerry
February 3rd, 4th, 5th Skibbereen Town Hall
February 3rd – Feb 9th Eye Cinema, Galway
February 4th, 7th, 8th, 9th Park Cinema, Clonakilty
February 5th, 6th, 7th, 8th Cinemax Bantry
February 5th,6th,7th,8th (Q&A on 5th) Triskel Arts Centre, Cork
February 6th, 7th Briery Gap, Macroom
February 7th Phoenix Cinema, Dingle, Kerry
February 9th Carrick On Shannon Multiplex,
February 15th, 18th The Model, Sligo
wonderful story and views of West Cork. could you please let us know where one could buy the final song Sail on at the end of the movie thanks Etna