Kings (2007 film)

2007 Irish film

Kings

DVD cover

Directed by| Tom Collins
Written by| Tom Collins
Based on| The Kings of the Kilburn High Road
by Jimmy Murphy
Produced by| Tom Collins
Jackie Larkin
Starring| Colm Meaney
Donal O'Kelly
Brendan Conroy
Donncha Crowley
Cinematography| P. J. Dillon
Edited by| Dermot Diskin
Music by| Pol Brennan
Distributed by| High Point Film and Television Ltd

Release date

* 21 September 2007 (2007-09-21)

Running time

| 88 minutes
Country| Ireland
Languages| Irish
English

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.

## Plot

[edit]

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

[edit]

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

[edit]

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 –

* Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Feature Film – Brendan Conroy
* Best Editing – Dermot Diskin
* Best Original Score – Pol Brennan
* Best Sound – Ken Galvin, Ronan Hill, Dominic Weaver
* Special Irish Language Award

Nominated –

* Best Actor in a Lead Role in a Feature Film – Colm Meaney
* Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Feature Film – Donal O'Kelly
* Best Costume Design – Maggie Donnelly
* Best Director of Photography – P.J. Dillon
* Best Hair & Make-Up – Muriel Bell, Pamela Smyth
* Best Production Design – David Craig
* Best Director for Film – Tom Collins
* Best Script for Film – Tom Collins
* Best Film – Jackie Larkin, Tom Collins

## References

[edit]

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.

## External links

[edit]

* Official website
* Kings at IMDb
* Kings at Rotten Tomatoes

* v
* t
* e

Irish submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film

* Kings (2007)
* As If I Am Not There (2011)
* The Gift (2014)
* Viva (2015)
* Song of Granite (2017)
* Gaza (2019)
* Arracht (2020)
* Foscadh (2021)
* The Quiet Girl (2022)
* In the Shadow of Beirut (2023)
* Kneecap (2024)

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