Old Friends and Other Days
The viewer is instantly plunged into an atmospheric, decaying, beautiful world where ambiguity reigns supreme and the stream of consciousness is governed by the world of song. Is it a sanctuary to enrich your senses or could it be purgatory? Our four muses take us through these fleeting moments of reflection, discipline, loneliness and joy where they tempt and entice us to remember what has gone before. What happens once everyone’s cases are packed? Does it all just go back to the beginning again?
Original concept and direction by Cameron Menzies, Old Friends and Other Days takes the music of Irish composer William Vincent Wallace and one of his contemporaries William Balfe and theatricalises each piece into epic storytelling through song: taking the ordinary into extraordinary and back again. Four of Northern Ireland’s shining lights in opera are featured in this film, Mary McCabe, Emma Morwood, Carolyn Dobbin and Sinéad O’Kelly.
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Cameron MenziesDirector
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Chris PattersonProducerBFI Vision Awardee 2020, Hostage to the Devil, Time and Again, Childer, Quantum of Solace, Hellyboy 2,
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Carolyn DobbinKey Cast
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Mary McCabeKey Cast
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Sinéad O'KellyKey Cast
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Emma MorwoodKey Cast
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Bryan EvansKey Cast
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Cameron MenziesWriter
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Aidan GaultDOP
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Project Type:Short
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Genres:Opera, Theatre, Music, Drama
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Runtime:35 minutes
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Completion Date:June 25, 2021
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Production Budget:150,000 GBP
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Country of Origin:United Kingdom
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Country of Filming:United Kingdom
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Language:English
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Shooting Format:Digital
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:Yes
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Student Project:No
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Belfast Film FestivalBelfast, Northern Ireland
United Kingdom
November 10, 2021
Home Premiere
Official Selection -
British Short Film AwardsLondon
United Kingdom
December 6, 2021
None
Nominee for Best Long Short -
London International Film FestivalLondon
United Kingdom
November 29, 2021
London
Selection -
Prague International Short Festival
Czech Republic
October 24, 2021
None - Private online screening - Judges only
Selection -
Paris Short Film AwardsParis
France
January 16, 2022
French
Best Narrative Short, Best 1st Time Director, Best Art Direction/Costume
Distribution Information
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Bluefinch FilmsSales AgentCountry: WorldwideRights: All Rights
Australian born Stage Director, Cameron Menzies works consistently across Opera, Music Theatre, Theatre, Cabaret and with many International Festivals where his work has been seen all across the world. He has worked for Shakespeare’s Globe, London Philharmonic Orchestra, Opera Australia, Victorian Opera, Malthouse Theatre, Sydney Theatre Company, Short Black Opera Company, Melbourne Symphony Orchestra & Sydney Symphony Orchestra.
My intention is to instantly plunge the viewer into an atmospheric, decaying, beautiful world where ambiguity reigns supreme and the stream of consciousness is governed by the world of song. Is it a sanctuary to enrich their senses or could it be purgatory?
Our four muses take us through these fleeting moments of reflection, discipline, loneliness and joy where they tempt and entice us to reminisce on what has gone before. What happens once everyone’s suitcases are packed?
Where will our muses take us next?