We caught up with the director of ‘A Date For Mad Mary’ to ask him some questions about the film

We caught up with Darren Thornton, the director of LGBT film A Date For Mad Mary, to ask him him about the film, his experience directing it and other LGBT Irish Cinema.

A Date For Mad Mary screened in GAZE Film Festival 2016 and won the audience award. Festival manager Noel Sutton said: “The audience howled with laughter from start to finish during the screening, and left with huge smiles on their faces.”

A Date For Mad Mary will be released in cinemas in September. Check out the trailer for A Date For Mad Mary below:

1. In no more than three sentences describe the plot of A Date For Mad Mary.

It’s about a tough girl from a small town who gets out of prison and comes home to her best friend who’s now sort of outgrown her, and it’s about how she struggles with the loss of that friendship and with falling in love for the first time.

2. What drew you to this project?

I directed the stage version of the show and I fell in love with the Character.

3. How did you feel about winning the GAZE Audience Award?

That was amazing! The GAZE screening was one of the nicest shows we’ve had, everyone seemed genuinely buzzed after it, I loved that one.

4. What other LGBT representations in Irish cinema have you seen and liked?

I adored ‘Viva’ and if you haven’t seen it yet, stop everything and go see it now, it’s fantastic.

5. What is your favourite Irish film of all time?

I can’t really pick just one… ‘Ballroom of Romance’ would be on the list, so would ‘Adam and Paul’.

6. If you were to bring five famous people to dinner, living or dead, who would they be?

I’m a pretty nervous host and I’m usually the one hiding in the corner at other peoples parties, so the idea of having five famous people to dinner is literally my worst nightmare, no matter how fascinating they are.

7. Who is your biggest influence?

Billy Wilder.

8. What is your greatest ambition?

To tell stories people can connect with (and hopefully get paid for it).

9. If the world was ending tomorrow, what would you do today?

Build a safety bunker really fast or just hide away in a cinema.

10. The meaning of life according to Darren…

Creativity.