The Dutch-Irish-Hungarian co-production The Other Side of Sleep has been selected for The Directors' Fortnight, or Quinzaine des Réalisateurs, program at the Cannes International Film Festival. The festival announced this today. The director and screenwriter is the Irish Rebecca Daly. The Other Side of Sleep is an English-language co-production by Rinkel Film, Fastnet Films, and MKH Films. Rinkel Film and Fastnet Films previously achieved success together with the internationally acclaimed film Nothing Personal.

The Other Side of Sleep

The Other Side of Sleep is about 23-year-old factory worker Arlene, born and raised in a small town in the middle of Ireland. One winter morning, Arlene wakes up in the middle of the woods, next to the body of a young, murdered woman. As she is forced to question whether she is responsible, she is drawn deeper and deeper into the woman's world, and into that of those left behind: her younger sister and her boyfriend, who is a suspect in the murder case. Arlene is played by Irish actress Antonia Campbell-Hughes (known for, among others, the film Bright Star, directed by Jane Campion). The Other Side of Sleep was made possible with financial support from the Netherlands Film Fund, among others. The film score and sound design were provided by Michel Schïpping and Marc Lizier.

Irish screenwriter and director Rebecca Daly was inspired by a newspaper report about the murdered Shirley Finlay when writing the script for The Other Side of Sleep. The article was filled with stories about her life and personality from people who had known her. The stories differed so greatly that her existence took on an entirely new meaning after her death—one that had nothing to do with reality anymore.

Rebecca Daly

Rebecca Daly (1978) is an up-and-coming film talent. In 2006, she directed and wrote the short film Joyriders, which won many international awards, including the Best Debut Irish Short at the Galway Film Fleadh, the 2007 Irish Film and Television Award for Best Short Film, and Best Actress at the Festival du Court Metrage in Brussels. In 2008, she participated in the prestigious Cinéfondation co-production market at the Cannes Film Festival with The Other Side of Sleep. The project was also selected for the Open Doors Pitch Market at the Locarno Film Festival.

Collaboration between Rinkel Film and Fastnet Films

For The Other Side of Sleep, Irish Fastnet Films (Macdara Kelleher and Morgan Bushe) and Dutch Rinkel Film (Reinier Selen) are collaborating for the second time following the success of Nothing Personal, directed by Urszula Antoniak. This film was awarded four Golden Calves—Best Film, Director, Sound Design, and Cinematography—and six prizes at the Locarno Film Festival, including Best Debut Film and Best Actress.



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