It was lights, camera, action last night at Ardmore Film Studios, but the lights were of the Christmas type; the cameras were fun disposable ones; and the action was more about dancing and drinking than emoting to the cameras. Yes, it's that time of year again, when the film industry lets its collective hair down at the Guinness Film Ball.
The Bray studios were transformed into a winter wonderland, with floods of lighting provided by top lighting man, Richie McDermot. After a mulled wine reception and five-course dinner by Fitzers, those ubiquitous film caterers, the awards ceremony kicked in. Director John Boorman was the man of the night, when he received the Film Institute of Ireland Achievement award from fellow director, Anthony Minghella.
John, who was accompanied by his wife Isabella Boorman, didn't have far to travel - in fact it was more of a meal break than anything else as he is filming Once I Had A Life, a picture about the General. Another table that didn't have far to travel was the one taken over by the crew working on the film, Meteor. Headed up by Mike Myers, still known to most people as half of the hilarious Wayne's World duo, the Meteor crew also included actors Alfred Molina and Dervla Kirwan, and Julia Judge, who was assistant to Martin Scorcese for five years and is now working on the Joe O'Byrne-directed film.
The other film crew that made a big showing was the I Went Down team - they cheered uproariously when young Peter McDonald received the Guinness award for most promising actor. Peter has been spending a lot of time in Britain, both filming his next release with Bob Hoskins and answering questions at the London Film Festival, where the film went down a treat.
The other I Went Down revellers included scriptwriter Conor McPherson, actors Brendan Gleeson, Tony Doyle and Peter Caffrey. The Miramax Award was presented to aspiring scriptwriter Christopher Roche, whose script was judged the best of those submitted to the Film Institute.
After the prizes were presented and comedian Barry Murphy had distributed the raffle prizes (which included the skeleton from I Went Down - hmmm, novel), the dancing began. Among the ball-goers were actors Donal O'Kelly and Niall Toibin, Ciaran Benson, director of the Arts Council, Josie MacAvin, the set designer who won an Oscar for Out Of Africa; Andy Ruane of Like It Love It Productions, and Donald Taylor Black, the documentary director.