Philip A McCarthy's war story was a cautionary tale about drug addiction, his amusement park was Cork City and the bumper cars were time, circumstances and personality clashes. A recovering drug addict himself, Philip is no stranger to hard battles. It takes a singular mind to hold on tightly to the wheel of your dream as others try to know you off course and Philip's determination eventually brought him all the way to the prestigious Cannes Film Festival.
While his progress was reported on by several local, and national, newspapers and TV3, the entire journey has been documented by fellow filmmaker Chris Cullen. 'The Fame Within' is a nod to his subject's own film title 'The Vein Within'. Though Cullen admits he toyed with the idea of calling it 'The Man Who Cannes' but deemed it perhaps too artful. The documentary takes us through the entire process of making a feature film from Philip's point of view. From heated discussions at production meetings to heartfelt soliloquies about his passion for making movies. We see what it takes to bring one's vision from the page to the screen. It takes a lot.
'The Vein Within' was written, produced and directed by Philip A McCarthy. It stars newcomer Trevor Kearney, Irish screen veteran Don Baker and TV's Tommy O Neill. The film follows Kearney's Mick Barret. A young man consumed by addiction and soon to be swallowed whole by a world of violence and revenge. The tagline reads "The Love Of A Girl For A Boy. The Love Of An Addict For His Fix. The Love Of A Father For His Wayward Daughter. The Drug Lord's Love Of Power And Money....." This straightforward summation is indicative of Philip's authorial approach to a film that was over 5 years in production. "The film wasn't made on a low budget, it was made on no budget!" But the director wasn't going to let these minor factors prevent him from realising his cinematic dream and bringing his film to The Cannes Film Festival.
The red carpet event is synonymous with celebrity and being an influential ceremony on the cinematic calendar. Titans of the industrial flock to the south east of France every May to exhibit and purchase films. The healthy nightlife is with pebble-dashed with celebrity parties. The audience in Cannes is also infamous for being uncompromising in their reaction to the films screened. Even Hollywood royalty like Sofia Coppola and Ryan Gosling have had their world premieres booed by the ardent viewers.
In 2014 Philip A McCarthy walked into this world undaunted. A self taught filmmaker who, through shear will, brought his uncompromising vision to the silver screen. This documentary is more than a chronicle of a simple film production, it's an insight into the qualities of man on a journey. A journey where virtues are tested, vices are tempted and hidden qualities are unleashed, like The Fame Within.
The Fame Within will premiere at the Cork Film Festival this year. And perhaps follow it's name sake on it's own international film festival circuit...
Official Trailer: http://youtu.be/Y-fg52tMBKU
