Video & On Demand - Helen DVD & Download
HELEN marks the extraordinary debut feature for Christine Molloy and Joe Lawlor, the writing/directing team who won the Edinburgh Film Festival Best Short Film Award in 2004 for WHO KILLED BROWN OWL.
HELEN was premiered at the 2008 Edinburgh Film Festival where the film’s originality and elegant shooting style received praise and critical attention, being described by one critic as “the latest sign of a UK art cinema resurgence” (Jonathan Romney in the Independent on Sunday) and “a hypnotic first feature” (Allan Hunter in Screen International). HELEN marks another exciting discovery for British cinema.
An 18 year old girl called Joy has gone missing. A college-mate of hers called Helen is a few weeks away from leaving her care home. Helen is asked to “play” Joy in a police reconstruction that will retrace Joy’s last known movements. Joy represents all that was missing from Helen’s life – she had parents, a boyfriend, a future. Gradually Helen immerses herself in the role, and by borrowing elements of Joy’s life begins herself to flower.
The DVD includes Joy - the companion short to Helen, and an interview with the directors.
Over the past 4 years Christine Molloy and Joe Lawlor have been working on a project called Civic Life. Civic Life involved local community groups in the production of nine high-quality short films for the cinema, shot on 35mm cinemascope making extensive use of the long take. In 2004, their film Who Killed Brown Owl won the award for Best British Short Film at the Edinburgh International Film Festival. In January 2008 their latest short film Joy won the Prix UIP Rotterdam at the International Film Festival Rotterdam. Helen is the culmination of the Civic Life series.
2008/09
Mister John
Feature film in development.
2007/08
Joy
UK | 2008 | Colour | 35mm | 1:2.35 | 9mins
Joy is a companion piece to Helen and was shot in Handsworth Park, Birmingham on 28th October 2007 using the participation of local members of the community.
Helen
UK/IRL | 2008 | Colour | 35mm | 1:2.35 | 79mins
Helen in the debut feature film of Christine Molloy and Joe Lawlor which premiered at the Edinbugh International Film Festival in June 2008 where it was nominated for a Michael Powell award and was picked up for distribution by New Wave Films.
2006
Daydream
UK | 2007 | Colour | 35mm | 1:2.35 | 29mins
www.desperateoptimists.com/civiclife/Daydream.html
2005
Now We Are Grown Up | 11mins 40secs
UK | 2005 | Colour | 35mm | 1:2.35
www.desperateoptimists.com/civiclife/nwagu.html
2005
Leisure Centre
UK/IRL | 2005 | Colour | 35mm | 1:2.35 | 17mins 40secs
www.desperateoptimists.com/civiclife/leisurecentre.html
2005
Town Hall
UK | 2005 | Colour | 35mm | 1:2.35 | 10mins 35secs
Currently in post-production.
www.desperateoptimists.com/civiclife/TownHall.html
2005
Twilight
UK | 2005 | Colour | 35mm | 1:2.35 | 5mins 20secs
www.desperateoptimists.com/civiclife/Twilight.html
2004
Revolution
UK | 2004 | Colour | 35mm | 1:2.35 | 9mins 53secs
www.desperateoptimists.com/civiclife/revolution.html
2004
Moore Street
IRL | 2004 | Swahili/English | Colour | 35mm | 1:2.35 | 5mins 45secs
www.desperateoptimists.com/civiclife/moorestreet.html
2004
Who Killed Brown Owl
UK | 2004 | Colour | 35mm | 1:2.35 | 9mins 23secs
www.desperateoptimists.com/civiclife/BrownOwl.html
VIDEO
2002
Night Bus
www.desperateoptimists.com/nightbus/index.html
2001/2002
London Framed
www.desperateoptimists.com/london_framed/index.html
Apt#801
Shot on DV and transferred on to 35mm
3mins
No Motive
17min video
1999
Shot 7
Directed and edited a 9 minute film for Urban Shots, a live outdoor event as part of Weimar 1999 Cultural Capital programme.
Shot on 16mm and transferred to DV
9mins
1997
BLIPVERT
Shot on Hi8 and transferred to 35mm
45 seconds
Director, Writer and Producer.....CHRISTINE MOLLOY and JOE LAWLOR
Director of Photography.....OLE BIRKELAND
Original Music.....DENNIS MCNULTY
Production Manager.....JULIE LAU
Sound Mixer.....SIMON GILLMAN
Sound Supervisors.....BARNABY TEMPLER, JAKE ROBERTS
Re-recording Mixers.....GRAHAM DANIEL, ADAM DANIEL
Script Editor.....BEN SLATER
1st Assistant Director.....JAMES DAVISON
Production.....desperate optimists
The commissioning partners.....NewcastleGateshead Initiative via Culture10, its regional events and festivals programme; Tyneside Cinema; Birmingham City Council; Dublin Docklands Development Authority; the Liverpool Culture Company; and Arts Council England.
With the participation of Bord Scannán na hÉireann / the Irish Film Board
COLOUR – 79 MINUTES - DOLBY SR SRD – CINEMASCOPE UK / IRELAND
Filmed using Panavision Millennium camera and Panavision E – Series anamorphic lenses.
Helen.....ANNIE TOWNSEND
Mrs Thompson.....SANDIE MALIA
Mr Thompson.....DENNIS JOBLING
Police Officer Saville.....SONIA SAVILLE
Danny.....DANNY GROENLAND
Personal Advisor.....SHEILA HAMILTON
Key Worker.....BETTY ASHE
Drama Teacher.....GAVIN HUSCROFT
Police Officers.....CHARLENE JAMES, KEITH SAHA
Detective Williams.....MARTI WILLIAMS
Hotel Chambermaid.....MARIA VISHNJAKOVA
College Lecturer.....EDDIE HARDY
Hotel Manager.....PAUL GRAHAM
College Students.....ANNA MIDDLETON, SARAH MILES
‘mysterious … fascinating …a stand-out discovery’
Jonathan Romney, The Independent on Sunday
read the full review★★★★
'Helen is a beautiful and restrained work'
Cosmo Landesman, The Sunday Times
'A moody British/Irish co-production, Helen is beautifully photographed...blessed with a wistful atmosperic score...'
Wendy Ide, The Times
‘One of the most remarkable British debuts of recent years…gripping’
‘It is a richly suggestive movie reminiscent of Antonioni’s Blow-Up.’
Philip French, The Observer
‘strange and intriguing… superbly shot… Lawlor and Molloy are real talents’
Peter Bradshaw, The Guardian
A startling British debut…beautifully filmed
Jason Solomons, The Mail on Sunday
‘…the latest sign of a renaissance in British art cinema…'
‘Gorgeously shot… featuring a perfectly enigmatic performance-about-performance from Townsend…It’ll linger with you long after…’
Mike McCahill The Sunday Telegraph
‘…remarkable…moving…’
Derek Malcolm, The Evening Standard
‘…breathtaking with its rich colors and austere, painterly compositions…’
Lesley Felperin, Variety
'perfectly composed'
Anton Bitel, Little White Lies
'remarkable...radical...inspiring...'
Roger Clarke, Sight & Sound
‘…ominously beautiful'
Channel 4 website
Interview with Molloy & Lawlor in The Guardian
Interview on the BBC Film Network
Watch Helen online
Download to rent or to own (UK and Ireland only)
iTunes
UK Trailer US Trailer
Mark Kermode on Helen
Molloy and Lawlor on the latest Civic Life film Tiong Bahru
Photo set to download