WHO WE LOVE Cinema Release

After almost two years on a successful festival run, indie feature Who We Love hits Irish cinemas on April 28th. A launch night for the cinema release was held at Cinemas@Dundrum on April 24th with cast and crew in attendance. Event photography was by Rafael Kostrezwa.

A film about coming of age and coming out, “Who We Love” tells the story of Lily and Simon, best friends who navigate the troubled waters of school life and explore Dublin’s vibrant and sometimes dark LGBTQ+ scene under the sharp eye of reluctant mentor Oonagh.

Who We Love is an award winning feature film directed by Graham Cantwell and written by Graham Cantwell and Katie McNeice. Cinematography by the Ray Sisters. Amy-Joyce Hastings received an IFTA nomination for her performance as Oonagh in the film, one of six the film garnered at last year’s awards.

International Screenings for WHO WE LOVE

Who We Love had its North American premiere at the prestigious LGBTQ+ Outshine Film Festival in Miami where it was awarded the Best Feature Audience Award runner up in May.

This was followed up with a New York screening where the film was a New York Times Weekend Arts Pick. Amy-Joyce and director Graham Cantwell attended the screening and a Q&A at the New York Irish Centre on Sat June 11th, along with US cinematographers The Ray Sisters, with thanks to CraicFest and Culture Ireland.

At home in Ireland the film screened at the Catalyst International Film Festival. The Irish Film & Television Academy hosted a special Academy Screening and Q&A with director/co-writer Graham Cantwell, co-writer Katie McNeice, and actors Clara Harte, Dean Quinn and Amy-Joyce Hastings at the Lighthouse Cinema Dublin on 4th July 2022.

Who We Love was screened as part of a five-city Australian tour at Palace Cinemas in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Canberra from 25 August – 25 September presented by Irish Film Festival Australia, where Cantwell, Harte and Hastings took place in a remote Q&A for the Australian premiere in Sydney.

Recently Who We Love screened at the blue riband LGBT event – the Iris Prize Festival in Wales on October 15 with Cantwell, McNeice, Harte and Hastings attending as guests of the festival.

IFTA Nominated Best Supporting Actress 2022

Amy-Joyce Hastings has received an Irish Film & Television Academy Award Nomination for Best Supporting Actress – Film for her performance as Oonagh in Who We Love. Fellow nominees include Caitriona Balfe for Belfast, Carrie Crowley for An Cailín Ciúin, Jessie Buckley for The Lost Daughter, and Ruth Negga for Passing.

Who We Love received a total of six nominations for the 2022 IFTA Awards including Best Film for producers Graham Cantwell and Edwina Forkin, Best Director for Graham Cantwell, Best Script for co-writers Cantwell and Katie McNiece, Best Supporting Actress, Best Supporting Actor for Dean Quinn, and Best Score for composer Joe Conlan.

The awards ceremony will be broadcast on Virgin Media Television on Saturday 12th March with the Award for the Best Supporting Actress category presented by Colin Farrell.

WHO WE LOVE World Premiere

Who We Love, a feature length adaptation of the IFTA nominated multi award winning short film Lily, will have its world premiere on Saturday 24th July at the 33rd Galway Film Fleadh. Amy-Joyce reprises her role as Oonagh, for which she won the Underground Cinema Best Supporting Actress Award in the short film version.

The LGBT drama is generating a lot of positive buzz ahead of its world premiere with previews on the RTE Six One News (below) and RTE.ie, as well as publications such as The Galway Advertiser, Scannáin and IFTN.

RTE Six One News
Beo as Baile Interview

In addition both Amy-Joyce Hastings and Clara Harte were featured in the line up of ‘Women to Watch’ by Galway Now Magazine, and Harte has been nominated for the prestigious Bingham Ray New Talent Award at the 2021 Fleadh.

The film was directed by Graham Cantwell and the screenplay was written by Cantwell and Katie McNiece. The film stars Clara Harte, Dean Quinn, Amy-Joyce Hastings, Venetia Bowe, Danielle Galligan, Lynette Callaghan, Paul Ronan, Aisling O’Neill and Alison McGirr.

Cinematography was by American duo the Ray Sisters, and the film was produced by Cantwell, Alan Fitzpatrick and Edwina Forkin.

BFI PANELLIST

Amy-Joyce was invited to speak as a panellist on micro-filmmaking at the BFI London yesterday, as part of the 60 Second International Film Festival. Her award winning short film Body of Christ will be screened at various 60SIFF events worldwide as part of the multi city festival.

MISS UNIVERSE IRELAND

This week, alongside her Film Venture partner Graham Cantwell,  Amy-Joyce was on the judging panel for Miss Universe Ireland, culminating in the live show held at the Mansion House, Dublin last night.

Gráinne Gallanagh was crowned Miss Universe Ireland 2018, replacing Cailín Áine Ní Toibín. Brittany Mason, MUI Director presented the live show alongside James Patrice.

This year’s judging panel also included Evoke.ie Editor Sybil Mulcahy, model Alannah Beirne, Business Director Margaret Clandillon and leading fashion designer Umit Kutluk, who designed Amy-Joyce’s red carpet gown.