A film edited by a Donegal student will be shown at one of America’s best known film festivals this weekend.
Letterkenny man Andrew Scally was the editor on Beautiful Youth, made as part of his final year studying Film and Television Production at Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology.
Following the film’s completion, the 23-year-old and the rest of the team sent their creation out to festivals all over the world. They recently got a call from the Austin Film Festival and earlier this week Andrew boarded a plane for the States and the showcase event.
Unlike other festivals, Austin shines the light where Hollywood often fails to go – on the writer and the film makers.
Beautiful Youth is a 17-minute film following the main character, Lili, a young woman who has had a psychological breakdown. As she is rebuilding her life she receives a visit from an old boyfriend, Isaac. The film follows the two as they tentatively rekindle their relationship in the shadow of Lili’s mental health problems.
Andrew Scally is the son of Letterkenny GP Dr Dara Scally and is a former pupil of Cólaiste Ailigh.
Speaking ahead of the Austin Film Festival which kicked off yesterday he said, “I worked as an editor on the film and once we finished it we spent time sending it, casting a web to see if any of the festivals would pick it up.
“We heard nothing for a while until I got a text from the director telling me that Austin had contacted him to say they would love to have us over.”
After graduating from Dun Laoghaire Institute, Andrew has moved on to Trinity College where he is doing a Masters Degree in Film.
The 23-year-old added, “Editing is my role so hopefully I can keep doing that and keep making films.”
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