THAT THEY MAY FACE THE RISING SUN PASSES €500,000 ACROSS UK & IRELAND THIS WEEK
15th May 2024
Following raves, awards and sold-out screenings across the country THAT THEY MAY FACE THE RISING SUN is making significant waves at the box-office as it passes €500,000 after only 3 weeks in cinemas.
This is an incredible feat for an independent Irish Film in such an increasingly difficult marketplace. Commenting on the success, Director Pat Collins’ said: “The feedback to 'Rising Sun' on the ground, around the country has been phenomenal. Many people I've spoken to have seen it twice - and they seem to have a very personal connection to the film.
When you're in the editing room for months shaping the film, you never know for sure how it's going to be received - we, as film makers, are not really in control of how people receive it - and to have this reaction has been really lovely and gratifying.”
THAT THEY MAY FACE THE RISING SUN was released across the UK and Ireland by Break Out Pictures and Conic on April 25th. Word of mouth and rave reviews have made the film the most successful Irish film release since the Oscar Nominated An Cailín Ciúin.
“It’s a fantastic result and all of us at Break Out Pictures are thrilled for Pat and the entire film-making team. The word of mouth is so strong so we’re still hoping that the film will continue to play and sell-out cinemas across the country in the weeks to come. The film has created its own box office journey with incredibly robust mid week figures and a strong rural uplift.” commented Robert McCann Finn, co-founder of Break Out Pictures.
Capturing a year in the life of a rural, lakeside community in Ireland in the 1970’s, THAT THEY MAY FACE THE RISING SUN is an adaptation of the final novel from John McGahern, one of Ireland’s greatest novelists. The film stars Barry Ward (Jimmy’s Hall, ‘Bad Sisters’) and Anna Bederke (Soul Kitchen, Sterben) in the lead roles. Lalor Roddy (Grabbers, God’s Creatures), Sean McGinley (Michael Collins, Braveheart), Ruth McCabe (Philomena, Joy Ride) and first-time actor Phillip Dolan make up the rich cast of supporting characters.
Joe and Kate Ruttledge have returned from London to live and work among the small, close-knit community near to where Joe grew up. Now deeply embedded in life around the lake, the drama of a year in their lives and those of the memorable characters around them unfolds through the rituals of work, play and the passing seasons as this enclosed world becomes an everywhere.
THAT THEY MAY FACE THE RISING SUN was produced by Tina O’Reilly and Brendan J. Byrne with Philip King serving as executive producer with backing from Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland.
THAT THEY MAY FACE THE RISING SUN is produced by South Wind Blows, Cypress Avenue Films in association with Harvest Films.
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Watch trailer here