Ireland's first feature length student film makes history at the 2009 Galway Film Fleadh
30 June 2009

An Irish feature length film that has been entirely produced by students has secured a slot in the prestigious Galway Film Fleadh for the first time in its twenty year history. Written and directed by recent Dublin City University graduate John McKeown, the rom-com 'Six Semesters' is to play in the Wildcard Category of the International festival on the 9th of July.

Shot almost exclusively on the DCU campus, Six Semesters was filmed while the majority of the cast and crew were in their final year of study in DCU, making the film a true labour of love. 'Completing the film was a huge achievement for us. I am immensely proud of our finished product and excited that the selectors of the Fleadh have given us the opportunity to play it in a cinema in front of a proper cinema audience' says  writer/director McKeown.

A romantic comedy set over three years of a college degree course, 'Six Semesters' centres on Eddie (Dallan McCormick) and his unique, entrepreneurial part-time job - breaking up couples. However, his somewhat suspicious view of love and romance takes an interesting turn when Ailbhe (Marie-Claire Hoey), a girl he meets on the very first day of college, begins to feature heavily in his complicated life. Among the talented cast are students who went on to tread the boards recently in 'Rent' at the Olympia Theatre as well as current MTV News presenter Laura Whitmore. University President, Ferdinand von Prondzynski, praised the drive of his former students stating:  "Six Semesters has been a wholly unique project from day one and I'm proud that the University has been fully supportive of the process from before the cameras began rolling. Being the first ever student feature-length film made in Ireland is an incredible success story and a sterling foundation to build on. The years of hard work put in by our former students in producing such a terrific piece of work is incredibly admirable and now, to have the film selected to show at the biggest film festival in Ireland is a remarkable achievement. The film itself is a superb piece of work and a clever, quirky spin on traditional college life. I offer hearty congratulations to John and the whole team involved in putting 'Six Semesters' together and wish them all the very best for the future"

Six Semesters will play in the Cinemobile outside Galway Town Hall at 4.00 pm on Thursday the 9th of July.  Information can be found on the Galway
Film Fleadh Website www.galwayfilmfleadh.ie or www.sixsem.ie/projects/film.html