Cork actor Cillian Murphy has expressed his delight that his latest film will receive its European premiere in his home city. Steve, an adaptation of the novel Shy by Max Porter, will screen at the Arc Cinema as part of an expanded film strand at the Sounds From A Safe Harbour festival in September.
The 49-year-old Oscar winner is one of the curators of the biennial festival which this year is marking 10 years since it was first launched. Murphy, who plays Steve’s titular reform school headteacher, and English writer Porter, will be among those in attendance for the screening and post-film Q&A.
The Cork event will take place just a week after Steve has its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival, and comes in advance of a select cinema release before it becomes available on Netflix in October.
“I’m really proud to be able to premiere the film in my hometown. It’s massive for me. And a big shout out to Netflix for helping us to sort it,” Murphy told the Irish Examiner.
Steve will only be the actor’s second time being able to walk down the red carpet for a premiere in Cork, 19 years on from The Wind That Shakes The Barley (2006).(The Irish premiere of Disco Pigs had taken place at Cork Film Festival in 2001, but Murphy wasn’t able to attend.)
Steve was produced by Murphy and Alan Moloney (Big Things Films), and is directed by Tim Mielants (Peaky Blinders, Small Things Like These).
Murphy has been hands on with Safe Harbour since its inauguration in 2015, following an invitation to get involved by his friend, festival director Mary Hickson. “Mary is one of my favourite people in the world – an extraordinary, dynamic producer and just a very special human being,” said Murphy of the Fermoy woman.
As well as Murphy and Hickson, the curation team for this year’s event also features Bryce Dessner of The National, author Max Porter, and folklorist Billy MagFhlionn.
Max Porter, Cillian Murphy, and Mary Hickson at a previous Sounds From A Safe Harbour festival. Picture: Bríd O’Donovan
Primarily a music festival that has hosted such acts as The National and Bon Iver, one of the unique aspects of Safe Harbour is the focus on a spirit of collaboration between the participating artists.
“Those collaborations, that’s what makes it special,” said Murphy. “Many of the artists arrive on the Monday, and the festival doesn’t open until Thursday. And much of the stuff that the audiences hear wouldn’t have existed up until that point.”
Indeed, the fruits of one of those collaborations have recently been heard with the release of an album by Ólafur Arnalds from Iceland and the late Cork musician Eoin French, aka Talos.
Murphy had also worked with French on a short film project at the 2023 Safe Harbour festival, and was saddened by his death last year at the age of 37 after a short illness. This year’s festival will open with a tribute concert to French. “He was such a talented individual and such a gorgeous fella. It was so so sad. I think that’ll be a very special concert,” said Murphy.
Among the other music events on the 2025 roster that Murphy says he’s looking forward to are the concert at Shandon by Caoimhín Ó Raghallaigh and Thomas Bartlett, and a concert entitled ‘Sirens’, featuring female artists Beth Orton, Lisa Hannigan, La Force, Amanda Bergman, Gemma Hayes, and Niamh Regan.
Rhiannon Giddens and Beth Orton feature among the music headliners at Sounds From A Safe Harbour 2025 in Cork.
Murphy said he has also been impressed with what he’s seen on YouTube of Bobby Fingers, the latest incarnation of the Limerick man formerly known as Mr Chrome in the Rubberbandits.
“It’s so hard to make an impression nowadays and do something truly original. His prosthetics are absolutely genius. And the films are hilariously funny, and very dark. And then he does a music tune at the end! I think they’re one of the most original things I’ve seen in years.”
Murphy, a keen musician before he was an actor, is enthused to be involved in Safe Harbour, an event that gets its name from the Latin motto on Cork’s coat of arms.
“I just feel the city is so profoundly musical, and Cork people have such an understanding and love for music,” he said. “All my youth in the city was about playing music and going to pubs and going to clubs, so this feels like a natural extension of that.”
Sounds From A Safe Harbour takes place at various venues in Cork on September 11-14. Tickets for the music events are available now. Tickets for the films will go on sale 12 noon on August 5. See soundsfromasafeharbour.com
Steve
The European premiere of the adaptation of Max Porter’s book. As well as his own connection to the film, Cillian Murphy feels it is an ideal fit for the Safe Harbour festival.
“Max wrote the film listening to drum and bass. And the movie very much kind of has that rhythm of drum and bass. So it’s very informed by 1990s music,” says the actor who plays the lead character in a film that will get a cinema release before appearing on Netflix.
The Cork man also roped in Geoff Barrow, of one of his favourite bands, Portishead, who worked with composer Ben Salisbury on the soundtrack.
It’s Never Over: Jeff Buckley
Jeff Buckley in 1994. (Photo by David Gahr/Getty Images)
A documentary on the American musician who drowned in 1997 at the age of 30.
“I’m a huge fan of Jeff Buckley – I remember having the Grace album on cassette,” says Murphy. “This is a beautiful tribute to his brief life, and he was such a remarkable person. It’s very delicate. It’s very intimate. It’s heartbreaking.”
Brad Pitt is also a fan of Buckley, and served as executive producer on the documentary, as well as being directly involved in helping the Safe Harbour organisers to secure the film for the Cork screening.
Train Dreams
A drama about an American railroad labourer, the cast includes Joel Edgerton, Felicity Jones, and Irish actress Kerry Condon. The Irish premiere will include a post-show Q&A with Bryce Dessner, the Safe Harbour festival co-curator and member of The National who wrote the score for the film.
In Time: Dónal Lunny
Dónal Lunny. Picture: Denis Minihane.
A documentary on the Irish music legend will be followed by live music from his former collaborator Andy Irvine. “I urge everybody to go and see it; it’s a stunning piece of work by director Nuala O’Connor. When you see Lunny’s influence on traditional music, it’s just phenomenal,” says Murphy.
It’s All Gonna Break: Broken Social Scene
A documentary on the Canadian music group that will be followed by a Q&A with founding member Charlie Spearin. Though the band haven’t played in Cork, members and ex-members have performed at previous Safe Harbour festivals, including Feist and La Force.
“They’re one of my favourite bands, and it’s a beautiful documentary because it’s made from a fan’s perspective. And I know there’s a lot of Broken Social Scene fans in Cork,” says Murphy.
Conor Walsh: Selected Piano Works
The minimalist work of the Mayo-born pianist was just beginning to become more widely known before he died of a heart attack in 2016, aged 36. “Again, it’s so sad that he’s not with us any more, but the music he’s left is phenomenal. It’s a very meditative, very thoughtful documentary. I highly recommend it,” says Murphy.
Eno
Brian Eno. (Photo by Cindy Ord/Getty Images)
Released to much acclaim last year, the documentary on Brian Eno delves into his work with the likes of Roxy Music, Bowie and U2. It is also fittingly innovative in that the film uses ‘generative’ computer technology to offer a slightly-different version every time it is shown.
“This is an individual who’s kind of had more influence, I’d say, in contemporary music, than anyone you’re likely to mention. It’s fascinating, because you get to see how he works in it. He kind of walks you through it,” says Murphy.
Listen to the Land Speak
Manchán Magan’s film urges the need for a reconnection between the land and Irish culture, as well as weaving in the story of his personal battle with cancer.
“It’s a very revealing, very honest film, beautifully photographed. I do think we all need a bit of that in our lives, a bit of reconnection with the land,” says Murphy.
Most film events at Sounds From A Safe Harbour will take place at the Arc Cinema