1 November 2005
Moonstone International’s Artistic Director, Jean-Luc Ormières, today announced that the next Screenwriters’ Lab will take place in the Nairn, Scotland between 13 and 18 November 2005.

Jean-Luc Ormierés, Artistic Director commenting on the Lab returning to Scotland said:
‘Scotland holds a very special place at the heart of Moonstone. Our Head Office is based here, and past Scottish participants and projects that have gone through the Moonstone development programme have been so well received, for example, award-winning Kenny Glenaan (Yasmin) and Lynne Ramsay (Ratcatcher). Even at the moment Pratibha Parmar is directing her first feature film, a screenplay by Andrea Gibb, Nina’s Heavenly Delights in Glasgow. We are delighted also that Andrea has agreed to act as an Advisor on the Lab.’

Moonstone is delighted to announce that in addition to the support as funder this Lab is being sponsored by Scottish Screen.

Scottish Screen Chief Executive Ken Hay commenting on the support and sponsorship said: ‘Scottish Screen is delighted to be supporting Moonstone’s return to Scotland with its latest Screenwriters’ Lab. As one of the founding members of Moonstone, Scottish Screen has had a long track record in supporting both the organisation and its activities. We’re very much looking forward to further developing our relationship with Moonstone in the future.’

Moonstone is also delighted that the Northern Ireland Film & Television Commission is again sponsoring this Lab.

Moonstone has selected the following screenwriters, and their projects, from countries throughout Europe to participate:

Scotland Alan De Pellette Life Goes On
Scotland/Hungary Yulia Mahr Elephant's Teeth
England Wade Alphonso Jacks Mule
England Jane Timberlake Blood Debt
Germany Tamara Staudt Where The Grass Is Greener
Ireland Liz Gill April Fools
Ireland Billy McCannon Night Out
Ireland Adrienne Michel-Long Take Tim
Northern Ireland Tom Heaney and Colm McManus Colour Of The Sun
Northern Ireland John McIlduff East Belfast Yacht Club
Northern Ireland Francis Turnly The Devil's Work
Poland Konrad Szolajski The Dragon Hunt

The Screenwriters’ Lab is a week-long programme. Participating screenwriters will work on their projects in a series of one-to-one meetings with established, international screenwriter Advisors from the USA and Europe.

Confirmed Advisors include Bernard Mac Laverty (Cal), Andrea Gibb (Dear Frankie), John Furse (Blind Flight), Neil Hunter (The Lawless Heart), Eoghan Harris (Sharpe), Trevor Preston (I’ll Sleep When I’m Dead), Hana Cielova (Siesta veta), Laurence Coriart (Wonderland) and Erick Tarloff (Mash)

Moonstone International Screen Labs is an advanced project based training and development programme for experienced writers and directors, who are working on feature film projects for an international audience. Moonstone runs three Labs per year: two Labs for screenwriters and one Lab for directors.

Recent Moonstone participants, and their projects, include Pratibha Parmar’s film (Nina’s Heavenly Delights) which is currently completing shooting in Glasgow, Scotland. Anthony Byrne’s Short Order, which premiered at the Galway Film Fleadh this year, Robert Douglas’ and Jon Alti Johannson’s Eleven Men Out, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival this year, Terry Loane’s film Mickybo & Me and Kenny Glenaan’s film Yasmin, both of which premiered at the Edinburgh International Film Festival 2004; Liz Gill (Goldfish Memory), David Gleeson (Cowboys and Angels), Shimmy Marcus (Headrush), Veit Helmer (Gate To Heaven) and Hilde Van Mieghem (The Kiss).

Moonstone International was founded in 1997 in consultation with Robert Redford’s Sundance Institute. The Chair of Moonstone’s Artistic Advisory Panel is Michael Caine.

Moonstone’s founding Artistic Director was writer-producer John McGrath. Through his unique energy and creativity, he inspired hundreds of emerging filmmakers from all over Europe. Moonstone is committed to continuing his work in developing independent screenwriters and filmmakers of talent and vision.


Moonstone’s work is funded with the support of the Media Programme of the European Union, FAS Screen Training Ireland, Scottish Screen, SGRIN the Media Agency for Wales and Mitteldeutsche Medienforderung GmbH (MDM).

Moonstone’s Screenwriters’ Lab is sponsored by Scottish Screen, the Northern Ireland Film & Television Commission and by Skillset Film Skills Fund which is supported by the National Lottery through the UK Film Council and the film industry through the Skills Investment Fund.

Moonstone Filmmakers’ Lab sponsors include, AVID Technology Ireland, The Production Depot, Hubbard Casting, Tyrell Ireland, Digirent, TFV Communications Ireland and CAVS.


For further press information please contact:
Karen Currie, Information and Marketing, Moonstone International
Tel: +44 (0) 131 220 2080
Fax: +44 (0) 131 220 2081
www.moonstone.org.uk
mailto:karen@moonstone.org.uk