Category: Directing

CATALYST BEST SCREENPLAY AWARD

Amy-Joyce was the winner of the Best Short Screenplay Award 2023 for her screenplay Perspective at the Catalyst International Film Festival. This prestigious award is sponsored by the Writers Guild of Ireland, of which Amy-Joyce now becomes a member. Catalyst International Film Festival, now in its 5th year, is a festival championing diverse voices and it was founded by the president of Women in Film & Television International, Dr. Susan Liddy.

The award was adjudicated by writer/director Frank Berry (Aisha, Michael Inside) and writer Ursula Rani Sarma (Smother). Amy-Joyce additionally enjoyed screenwriting and directing workshops at the festival with renowned director Aisling Walsh (Maudie).

Perspective was recently a finalist for the Kerry International Film Festival Screenplay Award, and the Pune Short Film Festival Screenplay Award, as well as a previous winner in the screenplay category of the Hammond House International Literary Festival. The script is a current screenplay finalist for the upcoming Waterford International Film Festival.

Perspective is a short film book-ended with two Halloween nights, one year apart. A young girl, Hazel, loses her eye in a firework attack. Instead of giving in to despair, her natural optimism and resilience allows her to reimagine herself, in the process inspiring the adults around her.

The project is currently in development with Danú Media (producers Nadine Flynn and Louise Richardson attached) to bring the project to screen.

GSA FILM PROJECT

Amy-Joyce put her Behind The Lens skills to good use when she recently wrote and directed ten scenes for the Gaiety School of Acting’s as part of their Class of ’23 Graduation Film Project.

Mo O’Connell acted as producer for the project. The scenes were shot on location around Dublin. She wishes the best of luck to the many talented actors graduating!

On location photos by Rafael Kostrezwa.

SCREENINGS & SELECTIONS – ROUNDUP

Close to Nothing At All received second place in the prestigious City of Salzburg Simon S. Film Award. The hard hitting drama, written and directed by Lisa Bröckl, has been selected for two festivals in April 2021 – it will screen at the Underground Cinema in Dun Laoghaire, and at the Montreal Independent Film Festival.

Meanwhile the multi-award-winning QED, directed by Amy-Joyce Hastings, is screening on RTE 2 on Monday 29th March, and will be available on the RTE Player until April 28th.

Her latest directorial outing Sign of The Times, recently screened at the Chicago Irish Film Festival, as well as its premiere as part of the Galway Film Centre’s One Minute Film Festival at the Fleadh last July, plus subsequent screenings in Miami and Los Angeles.

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.

SAN FRANCISCO IRISH FILM FESTIVAL

Amy-Joyce attended the San Francisco Irish Film Festivalas a special guest, sponsored by Culture Ireland. She is pictured here with the festival director Kate Gunning, and being interviewed by UC Berkeley’s Professor of Irish Studies Catherine Flynn, following the screening of Irish Shorts at the Delancey Street Theater.

The shorts program was a particularly excellent curation by Frank Kelly and Róisin Hunt and Amy-Joyce Hastings’ multi award winning short QED was in great company in this lineup of films: Little Bird, Early Days, Time Traveler, Earthly Encounters, City of Roses, QED, Gustav, Rhinos and Wave.

She is most grateful to the festival sponsors Culture Ireland for a truly immersive cultural experience of Irish Cinema abroad. The final night screened two incredible Irish features back to back – Nora Twomey’s The Breadwinner and Frank Berry’s Michael Inside.