Three local productions, including a film featuring Christoph Waltz, will be featured at a prestigious international film festival in California.
The Old Guy, The Wise Guy, and Dead Man’s Money will all feature at this year’s Newport Beach Film Festival, which is one of the largest international film showcases on the West Coast of the United States.
Filmed in Northern Ireland The Old Guy was directed by Simon West, who also directed Con Air and Lara Croft: Tomb Raider. It will kick off the festival on October 17.
The film stars Austrian and German actor Christoph Waltz as Terry Eubanks, an aging contract killer who is called back into action by ‘The Company’. Paired with a young, talented assassin, Terry uncovers a plot that may put them both at odds with their employers.
The action comedy also features Charlie’s Angels star Lucy Liu and Cooper Hoffman as the young Gen Z assassin.
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The festival will also showcase The Wise Guy, a coming-of-age film from Sam O’Mahoney. The film was produced through the Northern Ireland Screen’s New Talent Focus scheme which is aimed at showcasing Northern Ireland’s rising talent.
The story follows 11-year-old Francis, whose world crumbles after his parents’ separation. Francis forms an unusual bond with a reclusive gangster living in the woods, leading to a life-changing experience.
The third film, Dead Man’s Money, was written and directed by Paul Kennedy, features Kathy Kiera Clarke, Gerard Jordan, and Ciarán McMenamin.
The plot revolves around a twisted inheritance scheme, where deceit and guilt unravel a carefully orchestrated plan, leading to devastating consequences.
All three films were shot on location in Northern Ireland with funding support from Northern Ireland Screen and will showcase the region’s growing film industry.
Newport Beach Film Festival was founded in 1999 and has emerged as the largest cinema event in Southern California.