Kings is a 2007 Irish film written & directed by Tom Collins and based on Jimmy Murphy's play The Kings of the Kilburn High Road.[1] The film is bilingual, having both Irish and English dialogue. It premiered at the Taormina Film Festival (Italy) in June 2007,[2] and was selected as Ireland's official entry for the 2008 Academy Awards in the best foreign-language film category.[3] The film tells the story of a group of Irish friends who, after emigrating to England 30 years previously, meet for the funeral of a friend. In 2008, the Irish postal service, An Post, issued a series of stamps honouring the Irish film industry. Colm Meaney, as Joe Mullan, was featured on the 55 cent stamp.

Kings
DVD cover
Directed byTom Collins
Written byTom Collins
Based onThe Kings of the Kilburn High Road
by Jimmy Murphy
Produced byTom Collins
Jackie Larkin
StarringColm Meaney
Donal O'Kelly
Brendan Conroy
Donncha Crowley
CinematographyP. J. Dillon
Edited byDermot Diskin
Music byPol Brennan
Distributed byHigh Point Film and Television Ltd
Release date
  • 21 September 2007 (2007-09-21)
Running time
88 minutes
CountryIreland
LanguagesIrish
English

Plot

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In the mid-1970s a group of young men leave the Connemara Gaeltacht, bound for London and filled with ambition for a better life. After thirty years, they meet again at the funeral of their youngest friend, Jackie. The film intersperses flashbacks of a lost youth in Ireland with the harsh realities of modern life.

For some the thirty years has been hard, working in building sites across Britain. Slowly the truth about Jackie's death become clear and the friends discover they need each other more than ever. However, by the end, the friends split up for good, going their separate ways.

Cast

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Actor Role
Colm Meaney Joe Mullan
Donal O'Kelly Jap Kavanagh
Brendan Conroy Git Miller
Donncha Crowley Shay Mulligan
Barry Barnes Máirtín Rogers
Seán Ó Tarpaigh Jackie Flaherty
Seán T. Ó Meallaigh Joe Jnr
Christopher Greene Jap Jnr
Graham Feeley Git Jnr
Simon Drislane Shay Jnr
Darragh O'Brien Máirtín Jnr
Ronan Moloney Jackie Jnr
Peadar Ó Treasaigh Micil Flaherty
Cathy Murphy Bridie
Gabrielle Reidy Maggie
Des McAleer Fr. Maguire
Dimitri Andreas Dursun
Gerry Doherty Pawnbroker

Awards

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In 2007, Tom Collins won the Directors Guild of America / Ireland New Finders Award. The film itself was nominated for a record 14 Irish Film and Television Awards (IFTAs) in 2008, – going on to win 5 IFTAs, including Best Irish Language Film

IFTA Awards (2008)-

Won –

Nominated –

References

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  1. ^ "The film that captures lonely lives of men who built Britain". Irish Examiner. 27 September 2007. Archived from the original on 8 February 2009. Retrieved 17 December 2007.
  2. ^ "'Kings' World Premiere at Taormina Film Festival". IFTN.ie. 13 June 2007. Archived from the original on 19 July 2011. Retrieved 17 December 2007.
  3. ^ "Kings (2007)". Irish Film Board (in English and Irish). Archived from the original on 10 November 2007. Retrieved 17 December 2007.
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