A whole lotta film magic

A whole lotta film magic

13 June 2012 - by BY CIARA COLHOUN

THE district’s Oscar-winning director has thrust Downpatrick back onto the world stage with the premiere of his locally made film Whole Lotta Sole.

Terry George was back on the red carpet with the people of the town on Sunday evening for the European launch of his hilarious comedy heist.

Billed as a night “for Downpatrick”, Mr. George roused a cheer when he asked his 1,000-strong Waterfront Hall audience if there was anybody from the town at the premiere.

He later said the audience’s good humour added to the buzz of the night, which drew a number of A-list stars from the film’s cast including Brendan Fraser, David O’Hara and Martin McCann.

Whole Lotta Sole, which brought Belfast Film Festival to a close on Friday night, tells the story of hapless young father Jimbo, played by Martin McCann, who is trying to protect his family from a gangster to whom he owes a growing debt.

He robs the local fish market, which turns out to be a front for the same gangster, and goes on the run by holing up in a local antique shop — where things go from bad to worse.

The local audience will have enjoyed the many familiar faces in the film, which was largely shot at Scotch Street in Downpatrick last summer.

The pub scenes were shot in Scotch Street’s The Quoile Tavern, while several local shopfronts were given a makeover before becoming the back to the film’s main scenes.

Mr. George also recruited many extras from the town’s streets for filming with a local police officer enjoying a cameo role alongside a number of other local business people.

The storyline of a Whole Lotta Sole incorporates the elements of a classic Irish film, including the likeable and unlikely crook, Jimbo, the darker underworld leader Mad Dog Flynn played by David O’Hara, his downtrodden mother and a couple of cheeky children.

Canadian Brendan Fraser in the lead role as the manager of a Scotch Street antiques shop where the main action happens and Yaya DaCosta, who plays his Ethiopian love interest, add a modern international vibe to the otherwise “Irish styled” comedy.

Mr. George said he selected Scotch Street as the centre for the film because it had the character of Belfast’s Smithfield Market before it was modernised.

He said he was delighted with the feedback following Sunday’s premiere and hoped local people would enjoy the familiarity of some of the scenes.

“I want to thank all the people of Downpatrick who put up with us through all our shooting,” he said.

“I would also like to thank Downpatrick PSNI who had to explain there was no major incident happening in Scotch Street when the

scenes of the siege were being filmed there.

“We have a very vibrant film industry here and I think we are going to see a lot more movie stars coming over in the future.”