We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Michael Antonio Keane. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Michael Antonio below.
Michael Antonio, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
I am more than honoured to be discussing my latest two films with the team.
“Like A Bolt From The Blue” made in late 2022 is a winner at the (SWIFF) Student World Impact Film Festival. Nominated for Best Direction at the 2023 Ireland’s Young Filmmaker Of The Year Awards. Shortlist for best Drama at the 2023 All American High School Film Festival premiering in New York Premiere at AMC Theaters in Times Square, October 2023. Like A Bolt From The Blue tells the gripping story of a young relationship facing an unplanned pregnancy.
The feeling of having a film that you created, directed, and nurtured, to be selected among the best of the best cinema from the whole world, hits to heart. In October I head to New York to represent my film for a beautiful celebration of worldwide student films in Times Square, and I will have the privilege to see my film, not once but twice on the silver screen at the AMC Theaters in Times Square. The journey, hard work and dedication from my entire team has been nothing but immense support, drive and love from all of us, we really are so grateful for all of the success that this film of mine has brought us but more importantly, where its heading, the audience its reaching, and above all, the story it brings to the world. It is hugely promising to see Irish films succeed so highly in the United States and I look forward to being amongst the American audience in person, once and for all.
Moreover, my newest body of work “Dolce Far Niente” Sweet Doing Nothing is approaching film festival season, and I look forward to the reaction it receives from both Italian and Irish Audiences . A journey of healing and growth told through a cinematic format while recognising my strength, creativity and morals as an artist, storyteller, but most importantly, as a high value man, while always reminding myself that there will always be hope, and light at the end of the tunnel. Remember to be you, nobody can take that away from you! As an artist it is my duty to express emotions and tell stories for me to grow further in my learnings of life. Dolce Far Niente is by far my proudest body of work which I have created, resonating with Aidan and everything about it so powerfully. I firmly stand by saying that this piece, it’s my style, the style of cinema that I have always aspired to make and I am beyond chuffed to call it my own. It is the best and it’s me.
Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.
I am currently studying a BA (Hons) in Film at the National Film School (IADT) in Dublin, Ireland. A Spanish speaker but Irish born at heart, I am an actor and filmmaker born in Cork, Ireland, in late 2003. Since my career began towards the end of the last decade I have won 3 major awards and have received 8 film award nominations. Most notably winning the “Spirit Award” for performance in the Amazon Prime Short Film “Covid Éire” at the Annual IFTA & BAFTA Qualifying IndieCork Film Festival in 2020. My filmography has achieved over 30 selections in both national and international film festivals and is estimated to have accumulated over 6 million views between TikTok and YouTube for my short films with 270,000 streams on Amazon Prime Video. My work as a director and performances in acting on screen have been featured across national television. In June 2023 my 9th short film “Like A Bolt From The Blue” won a Jury Award at the (SWIFF) Student World Impact Film Festival (US) and was further shortlisted for Best Drama at the 2023 AAHSFF New York Premiere at AMC Theaters in Times Square.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
Being a director offers me an unparalleled opportunity to dabble in diverse genres and try my hand at making documentaries, comedies, exposés, war movies, horror flicks, science fiction and much more. I get to select and hire my own dream team of screen writers, actors, set designers, composers, technicians, cinematographers and visual effects artists. You retain control from preproduction to shooting on location to postproduction. Ultimately, you end up with a movie that distinctly reflects your voice, style and approach to filmmaking.
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
That drive, the drive inside me to tell stories. The stories that I am compelled to tell, dealing with issues and scenarios, that both I have experienced but that the people of today, face among society. It is my duty as an artist to share a light on the topics that are difficult to talk about for us to gain a better insight and perspective on the world we live in.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://filmfreeway.com/MichaelAntonioKeane
- Instagram: @Michael_a_keane.com
- Linkedin: https://ie.linkedin.com/in/michael-antonio-keane-57241b1b3
- Twitter: @Michaelakeanef
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@MichaelKFilms
- Other: It always means so much to me when people take the time to leave their thoughts on my films, feel free to review any pieces you may have watched under my IMDB https://www.imdb.com/name/nm12816884/
Image Credits
Kate Sterbova