Irish Talent: The IFTA Awards, Showcasing Ireland

The Wild Geese story came alive last week at the Irish Film & Television Academy (IFTA) Awards ceremony. The awards are in their 9th year and Irish talent came out in Dublin to celebrate the growing Irish contribution to the film and television industry.

'The Irish Film & Television Awards is Ireland's showcase to the world of what our small but outstanding film and television community has to offer'

Aine Moriarty, CEO of the IFTA

The Wild Geese were faced with a simple choice when they left Ireland: survive and prosper or submit to defeat. With the latter not being an option, they worked hard to achieve success. This is true of the IFTA awards, as many of the talent honoured have already made an incredible impact on Hollywood and British cinema, as well as in their native Ireland. 

It's not surprise that everyone was talking about Michael Fassbender, who won the IFTW award for Best Actor in a Lead Role for Shame. This is the second time he has been honoured by this award. In 2008 he received it for his role in Hunger. On both of these films, Fassbender teamed up with Design come Director Steve McQueen. Clearly a winning duo. On their relationship, Steve McQueen says:

'It's beautiful. It's one of the most important relationships I've had in my life'

'We don't take our relationship for granted, at all, whatsoever... I think we both know, as well as a good friendship, this is a professional relationship where we have to bring our game'

For some, Fassbender's win will not be unexpected. This is his time. But, being honoured by your native country (Fassbender is half Irish, half German and lived in Ireland growing up) is both an exhilarating and humbling experience, one we have known very well recently. The Wild Geese Single Malt* was selected as one of Ireland's Reserve Cuvées last month. This is defined as a signature product of outstanding quality. This is extremely high praise coming from Ireland. 

Glen Close won the award for Best International Actress for her role in Albert Nobbs. She fell in love with the story early in her career and worked hard to get it into production, financing a great deal of it herself. She worked with Irish Booker Prize winner John Banville on adapting the script. 

'I loved my collaboration with John Banville. Whatever Irish tweaks we could make we did. It had to have wonderful Irish twists to things'

Other award winners on the night were:

Best Film: The Guard

Director Film: John Michael McDonagh, The Guard

Actor - Film: Michael Fassbender, Shame

Actress - Film: Saoirse Ronan, Hanna

Supporting Actor - Film: Chris O'Dowd, Bridesmaids

Supporting Actress - Film: Glenn Close

For the full list, vist the ITFA website. 

'The Irish [film & television] industry consistently delivers world-class standards of work that is watched by a global audience'

Aine Moriarty

*In North America The Wild Geese Irish Whiskey is sold under the brand name 'The Wild Geese Irish Soldiers & Heroes' 

Super Bowl XLVI: Team Spirit

We're only a few days away from the Super Bowl, when the New York Giants will meet the New England Patriots. Each team has a huge Irish American following and this will be a game that we're sure Wild Geese will be tuning in to.

Over the past week, the Super Bowl adverts have been airing on TV and the excitement is already starting to build.

The Giants and Patriots have faced off at the 2008 Superbowl, when the Giants 17-14. So all eyes will be locked to the screen to see how this year's Superbowl turns out.

Although the excitement is searing through the US, Tom Brady must feel like the world is on his shoulders, as he was on the field at Superbowl XLII as well. This will be Brady's fifth start as quarterback and has worked with New England Coach Bill Belichick for twelve years!

Speaking about their relationship that has lasted over a decade, Brady describes Belichick:

'He coaches me the same way that he coached me the day I got here. On our team, it's interesting, there really is no separate treatment for different players. The rookies are expected to perform and act the same as the veteran guys. He's very tough' 

It's a clear bet that the team will be heading in to Sunday's game prepared. With the team training as equals, keeps them moving in the same direction. Although Brady attracts countless media attention, on the field, he's part of the team - one of eleven. 

Like The Wild Geese, the Patriots will need to depend on each other in order to achieve success. Patriots offensive lineman, Brian Waters puts this into perspective:

'To have a coach set the tone and a player as good as Tom follow that, it's hard for any other player to even think about having a different thought process. If the best player on your team is all-in 100% then who are you to be different?'

Although they're not quite fighting to survive and succeed, this is what the mind set of The Wild Geese was - working together and giving 100%.

In the last few days, Tom Brady's wife, the glamourous Gisele Bündchen has been rallying support for her husband and his team:

'Sunday will be a really important day in my husband's life... and now they need us more than ever to send them positive energy so they can fulfil their dream of winning this Super Bowl'

And that's exactly what Wild Geese are doing according to Connell Gallagher, publisher of the Irish Emigrant newspaper in Boston:

'It's fair to say that there's true pride and loyal support for the Patriots here in Boston'

Irish Talent: Two Door Cinema Club Announce New Album

Two Door Cinema Club have revealed they are working on a new album.

The Co. Down group first formed in 2007, and released their debut album, 'Tourist History' last year. The brought them huge success over 2011. With an ever-growing fan base they took to the stage at many festivals over the summer, not just in the UK and Ireland, but in North America as well. For many people all over the world, Two Door Cinema Club was the sound of the summer.

The band have channeled in some hip-hop influences into their upcoming album, which is expected to be released just in time for summer 2012. Alex Trimble, the band's singer suggested: 'All of us have been listening to quite a lot of hip-hop, the last year'.

But the band haven't abandoned their electro pop sound entirely, and this new project is much more about marrying the two styles. Alex continues: 'The hip-hop stuff is mostly in the drumbeats and basslines'

Its exciting to hear news of the evolution of the band. The Wild Geese kept their strong identity as they traversed the world, which is exactly what Two Door Cinema Club are doing.  

When you put Sam's [lead guitar] guitar playing and me singing on top of that it becomes a Two Door hip-hop song rather than any other kind. Little pieces of everything are filtering their way in'

Two Door Cinema Club doesn't stand still. While working on their new album, they have also announced they will be headlining the 12-date NME Awards tour taking place throughout February. 

Alex Trimble has said: 'We feel a real sense of achievement to have made it this far and be one among the incredible list of headliners on the NME Awards Tour'. But we have a feeling they're just getting started. 

Irish Talent 2012: Michael Fassbender, 'Fearless'

All eyes are on Michael Fassbender. Now that the awards season has kicked off, the film industry is celebrating cinema in 2011. But we're also thinking about the year a head. And top of the list is Fassbender, who is tipped to be the leading man of 2012.

At 34, Fassbender has already enjoyed some career-shaping roles, which include the Byronic hero Mr Rochester in Jane Eyre and evolution of the villain Magneto in X-Men: First Class. He's already gone global, but the coming year will see Fassbender proving he's worth his salt by stepping into some challenging roles. 

Shame

Fassbender re-teams with Director Steve McQueen (who he worked with in Hunger) and plays a sex addict struggling with his condition in New York City. This throws up a role which is sure to toy with his sanity, as his character's lifestyle is far from glamourous. He's caught in a cycle of sin and redemption but doesn't seem to be getting anywhere. Fassbender literally bears all - both physically and emotionally - and takes the audience to new depths. 

His co-star, Carey Mulligan (who star is also rising in 2012) praises him:

'A lot of actors, especially when they are as talented and as good-looking as Michael, only want to play parts that show them in a good light. If I learned anything from working with Michael, it's that he is utterly fearless'

(From an interview in the British GQ Magazine)

Haywire

In this government conspiracy action thriller, Fassbender takes a supporting role in a cast of 'the thinking man's Expendables', proving he can rub shoulders with Hollywood A-List. Next to the likes of Michael Douglas, Antonio Banderas, Channing Tatum and Ewan McGregor, all eyes are still on Fassbender.

A Dangerous Method

Fassbender plays Carl Jung opposite Viggo Mortensen, who plays Sigmund Freud. The film explores the complex relationships between the two paragons of psychiatry. Biopics always get people talking, but this role plummets Fassbender into a darker look at the human mind, which crosses over with his performance in Shame. 

Fassbender is certainly mastering his craft. But he's not just a leading man. He's a story-teller, and is able to deploy the strengths and weaknesses of the characters he plays, manipulating the audiences' empathy and encouraging them to see worlds they rarely know and experience things they never experience. as we head deeper into awards season and kick off 2012, all eyes are on Michael Fassbender. 

Courage, Belief and Dreams Realised in Dublin

Glenn Close has spearheaded a movie project that has been tied to her ambitions for close to 30 years. On the brink of release is Albert Nobbs, a film that is sure to challenge the role of gender in a person's character. 

Based on the 1918 short story by George Moore, Albert Nobbs follows a woman who is going through life in 19th Century Ireland disguised as a man. As the story unravels, it becomes apparent that Albert is trapped in his own disguise. 

An intriguing story to say the least. It is one that Glenn Close first encountered 29 years ago, when she won an Obie Award for an Off-Broadway performance of the story. Believing the performance would make a great movie, Close took command of the project. She has produced it, invested her own money, approached Rodrigo García to direct, assembled an energetic cast and shot the film on location in Dublin. 

The Irish weather is famously unpredictable, and Close tells Elle Magazine, 'You know that blizzard that fell in Dublin? We had to keep filming - we couldn't afford to stop'. Her commitment to the role - to a story she believes matters - is admirable. After 29 years in the making, Close see the story as transcending gender to deliver a much deeper message:

'In a strange way, gender becomes irrelevant. What's more important is who you are, what you stand for, what you believe, what you dream of, how courageous you are - gender come after that'. 

We fully appreciate this sentiment. This is what The Wild Geese stood for - what they continue to stand for. it's their belief and courage that brought them to the remarkable accomplishments they have achieved. 

Irish Talent: Best Actress At 'Irish Oscars'

With the 'Irish Oscars' quickly approaching, here's a run down of the talent who are in the running for the award for Actress in a Leading Role. 

The Irish Film and Television Academy awards uniquely look at smaller, independent films. These pieces usually lack the stretch of a Hollywood budget and must rely on strong performances - maybe even more so than those in line for an Oscar statuette. 

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

Saoirse Ronan

For her role in Hanna

Antonia Campbell Hughes

For her role in The Other Side of Sleep

Aoife Duffin

For her role in Behold The Lamb

Marcella Plunkett

For her role in Stella Days