Limerick actor in California to represent Ireland at top film festival

YOUNG Limerick actor Eleanor O'Brien from Cappamore travelled to California to promote Irish for a screening of Báite at the Newport Beach Film Festival.
Speaking to the Limerick Leader, Ms O'Brien said there were many “pinch me” moments and that Newport Beach was “extremely beautiful” and an area steeped in luxury, so she got to experience some once-in-a-lifetime things, including brunch on a yacht and seeing where the Oscars are filmed.
She said that it felt even more special to be travelling for an Irish language film.
“This feels closer to things being possible for me,” Ms O'Brien said about all the amazing industry people she got to meet.
“It was really about making connections and meeting people, and getting a sense of who people are and how they work,” she added.

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The festival champions the work of original storytellers from all around the world.
“The whole team were really good at making all of the Irish feel extremely welcome and it was really interesting to hear what the film meant to people and to hear people with American accents speaking Irish was amazing.”
The Cappamore actor launched a GoFundMe to raise funds towards her tuition fees at Oxford School of Drama, as a way for people to practically support the arts and an artist's journey.
The trip to the film festival in California was funded by Danú Media, Screen Ireland, Coimisiún na Mean and TG4.
Ms O'Brien, who was the lead actor in Báite, travelled over as part of an Irish contingent, which included the film's director, the writer, and others.
Ms O'Brien said: “It was absolutely fantastic and so amazing that they were able to support us to go over. It was a huge effort and we couldn't do any of this without them.”