My Name Is Emily
| My Name Is Emily | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Simon Fitzmaurice |
| Produced by | Lesley McKimm, Kathryn Kennedy |
| Written by | Simon Fitzmaurice |
| Starring | Evanna Lynch, George Webster, Michael Smiley |
| Music by | Stephen McKeon |
| Cinematography | Seamus Deasy |
| Edited by | Emer Reynolds |
Production companies |
Newgrange Pictures, Kennedy Films, Garage Film, Paradox |
| Distributed by | Eclipse Pictures |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 94 minutes |
| Country | Ireland |
| Language | English |
My Name is Emily is a 2015 Irish independent drama film written and directed by Simon Fitzmaurice. The film stars Evanna Lynch, Michael Smiley and newcomer George Webster. 16 year old Emily runs away from her foster home, trying to free her writer father (Smiley) from a mental institution after not receiving a card for her birthday. The film follows Emily (Lynch) and Arden (Webster) as they travel across Ireland in a coming of age tale/road movie.
My Name is Emily premiered at the Galway Film Fleadh on 7 July 2015,[1] and will have a limited theatre release in Ireland on 8 April 2016.[2] At Galway Film Fleadh producer Kathryn Kennedy won the Bingham Ray New Talent Award, and Seamus Deasy received the prize for Best Cinematography.[3] My Name is Emily is nominated for eight IFTA Awards in 2016 including Best Film, Best Actress in a Lead Role (Lynch) and Best Film Script (Fitzmaurice).[4]
Plot
Emily (Lynch) is a teenager in foster care in Dublin, Ireland. She was very close to her father Robert (Smiley), a best-selling author, until he had a psychiatric break and was committed. When she starts in a new secondary school she quickly attracts the attention of her shy classmate Arden (Webster). After not receiving a birthday card from her father for the first time since he entered care, Emily is certain something has happened to him. Emily convinces Arden to accompany her on a road trip to Northern Ireland to break her father out and bring him home. With a little help from Arden’s Granny they manage to track down Robert and learn “about life and death, as well as loss and letting go”.[5]
Cast
- Evanna Lynch as Emily
- Michael Smiley as Robert
- George Webster as Arden
- Sarah Minto as Young Emily
- Deirdre Mullins as Emily’s Mother
- Declan Conlon as Arden’s father
- Ali White as Arden’s Mother
- Stella McCusker as Granny
- Martin McCann a Swimming Teacher
- Cathy Belton as Greasy Haired Teacher
- Donall O Healai as Young Policeman
- Barry McGovern as Dr. Golding
- Laura Matassa as Midwife
- Ally Ni Chiarain as June
- Peter Robbie as Fan in Bookshop (uncredited)[6]
Reception
Critical reception
The film received mostly favourable reviews from critics. Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film a rating of 100%, based on 5 reviews, with an average rating of 7.2/10.[7]
Harry Guerin of RTÉ Ireland gave the film four out of five stars and called it "an adapt-to-your-own-life story about mental health, memory and loss that offers something different across the generations. To say it's a dry-eye challenge is quite the understatement."[8] Paul Whitington of Irish Independent stated that the film "catches the unhinged passion of the teenage state, and ends as uncertainly as perhaps it should."[9] Writing for Under the Radar, Cody Ray Shafer said that the film is "a rich, emotional story that gives its characters plenty of room to grow while questioning the very nature of reality."[10]
Awards
| Awards | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Award | Category | Recipients | Result | |
| Galway Film Fleadh[11] | Bingham Ray New Talent Award | Kathryn Kennedy | Won | |
| Best Cinematography | Simon Deasy | Won | ||
| Best Feature Film (audience vote) | Nominated | |||
| Irish Film & Television Awards[12] | Best Film | Nominated | ||
| Actress in a Lead Role | Evanna Lynch | Nominated | ||
| Actor in Supporting Role | Michael Smiley | Nominated | ||
| Film Script | Simon Fitzmaurice | Nominated | ||
| Cinematography | Seamus Deasy | Nominated | ||
| Editing | Emer Reynolds | Nominated | ||
| Original Music | Stephen McKeon | Nominated | ||
| Sound | Nominated | |||
References
- ↑ "World premiere for My Name is Emily at film Fleadh". RTE.ie. Retrieved 2016-04-01.
- ↑ "Simon Fitzmaurice My Name Is Emily The Film". Simon Fitzmaurice My Name Is Emily The Film. Retrieved 2016-04-01.
- ↑ "Irish film My Name is Emily joins Toronto line-up". RTE.ie. Retrieved 2016-04-01.
- ↑ "Iftas: My Name is Emily, Room and Sing Street sweep 2016 nominations". The Irish Times. Retrieved 2016-04-01.
- ↑ "Review of Irish Film at Galway Film Fleadh: My Name is Emily | Film Ireland". filmireland.net. Retrieved 2016-04-01.
- ↑ Fitzmaurice, Simon (2015-07-07), My Name Is Emily, retrieved 2016-04-01
- ↑ "My Name Is Emily (2015)." Rotten Tomatoes. Flixster. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
- ↑ Guerin, Harry. My Name is Emily (Review). RTÉ. 20 July 2016. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
- ↑ Whitington, Paul. Movie Reviews: The Huntsman: Winter's War, Dheepan, My Name is Emily, The Man Who Knew Infinity. Irish Independent. 8 April 2016. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
- ↑ Ray Shafer, Cody. My Name Is Emily (Review). Under the Radar. 9 July 2015. Retrieved 5 November 2016.
- ↑ "2015 Galway Film Fleadh Award Winners". 28th Galway Film Fleadh. Retrieved 2016-04-01.
- ↑ "IFTA Academy | Irish Film & Television Academy | Irish Film & Television Awards". ifta.ie. Retrieved 2016-04-01.