Virgin Media supports Ireland’s First Screenwriting Festival
Join us online for an incredible roster of industry speakers
The Dublin International Screenwriting Festival organisers are assembling local and international screenwriters, filmmakers, producers, actors congregate to share ideas, build lasting relationships, hear pitches and inspire its audience.
Some of the attendees include renowned screenwriter and script consultant, Mary Kate O Flanagan and interviews with highly successful screenwriters including Derry Girls’ Lisa McGee; Smother’s Kate O’Riordan; Love/Hate’s, Stuart Carolan and the renowned Irish author and screenwriter, Roddy Doyle.
Virgin Media is delighted to support the Panel on Diversity in Storytelling. Moderated by Screenwriter and Actor, Mo O’Connell will examine how screenwriters can embrace diversity in storytelling in a way that is meaningful and creative rather than a box-ticking exercise. Panellists include Grainne Bennet, Screen Skills Ireland; Adaku Ezuedo, Phoenix Rize; Rosaleen McDonagh, Screenwriter; Aisling Byrne, Screenwriter; Mark Smith, Actor and John Fox, Doctors.
On Thursday 22nd April at 1pm, Virgin Media’s Director of Programming, Bill Malone will participate in a discussion about What Funders & Commissioning Editors Look For In A Story. Other panellists will include Deirbhile Ni Churraighin, TG4; Alan Moloney, Parallel Films; and Andrew Byrne, Screen Ireland. Mary Kate O’Flanagan, Screenwriter and Script Consultant will moderate the session and spotlight the people on this panel who have the dauting task of what gets made and what doesn’t.
Daniel Hegarty, Festival Director, DISF said: "We're delighted Virgin Media has come on board as sponsor of the MORE THAN JUST A BUZZWORD panel on diversity in storytelling. Their support will help us open up this important discussion to as wide a screenwriting audience as possible."
Niamh O’Driscoll, Head of Brand and Marketing at Virgin Media said: “Virgin Media is committed to supporting Ireland’s creative and film production sector. We strongly believe in building connections that really matter for people and communities everywhere. Representing diversity and inclusion is at the heart of our sponsorship strategy and featured throughout the hugely successful Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival which delivered so much creativity and existing to our screens, nationwide and worldwide. We were also delighted to support the Virgin Media Discovers Short Film Competition, together with Screen Ireland, where two winning projects will be produced and air nationally on Virgin Media Television.”
Gavin Ryan, Festival Director, DISF said: These last few years have brought huge change in terms of the recognition for the need to represent a more diverse society in our screen stories. But the important issue is how to do this in a way that is meaningful and creative rather than simply tokenistic or box-ticking. We hope this panel can help continue and move forward the discussion in a way that will inspire the stories yet to be written.
