Love is a Sting won the Best Foreign Film award at the L.A. Shorts Fest. The category is recognised as an Oscar qualifying award which means this is a major success for Irish cinema. Along with the Grand Prix at the 60th Cork Film Festival last November, this is the second Oscar qualifying award that the short has won, which puts it in for a chance to win Best Short Film in the 2017 Academy Awards.
Love is a Sting tells the tale of struggling children’s book writer Harold Finch and his unlikely roommate Anabel, who just happens to be an elderly, genius mosquito. The film is narrated by Ciaran Hinds (There Will Be Blood) and stars Seán T. Ó Meallaigh (An Klondike). The film comes from a great pedigree; director Vincent Gallagher has another short film, Second to None, screening at the Toronto International Film Festival this week and writer Benjamin Cleary won the same award last year for Stutterer which went on to win the Oscar for best short film.
It’s been wonderful year for Irish Cinema, considering the Emerald Isle’s recognition at the Toronto International Film Festival with eight films, Bobby Sands 66 Days massive box office success and now this win for Love is a Sting. Let’s hope it continues!