#IrishAbroad: Damien O‚ÄôDonnell’s How Was Your Day? wins in Krakow

Great news from Poland, where Damien O’Donnell has won the Silver Dragon at the Krakow Film Festival¬†for the director of the best short fiction film, for¬†How Was Your Day?.

In bestowing the award the selection committee called attention to O’Donnell’s work, giving credit “For a beautifully paced, heartbreaking film, which skillfully and bravely handled an important issue rarely depicted on screen.”

Producer Emmaline Dowling announced the news on Twitter:

The script, also written by O‚ÄôDonnell (East is East),¬†was adapted from a short story by Nollaig Rowan. The film stars Eileen Walsh as a woman who is excited about the approaching birth of her first child, but soon after is overwhelmed by post-natal depression and can’t cope.

Produced by Emmaline Dowling for Suitable Films Limited, How Was Your Day? also stars Se√°n Duggan, Aidan McCardle, Janet Moran, Eamonn Hunt and Molly McNamara.¬†How Was Your Day? was funded by Bord Scann√°n na h√âireann/the Irish Film Board‚Äôs Signatures short film scheme.

We have previously described the film as “a harrowing but rewarding experience How Was Your Day? is an exceptional piece of filmmaking, anchored by a truly remarkable turn from Eileen Walsh.”

Last year How Was Your Day? won at the Foyle Film Festival, which is a qualifying festival for the Academy Awards Short Film Category, and earlier this year won the Short Film Grand Jury Award for Narrative Shorts at the South by Southwest (SXSW) Film Festival.

Krakow Film Festival is one of the oldest events in Europe dedicated to documentary, animated and short feature films. Over eight days the festival screened over 250 films from Poland and from around the world.

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