John Carney has admitted that he’s totally surprised by Sing Street nabbing a Golden Globe nomination, but incredibly humbled all the same.
The director’s film landed in Best Film (Comedy or Musical) category for the Golden Globes, which is set to take place on January 8 in Beverly Hills.
“I feel very humbled. Is that the word that we use now on Facebook when we’re actually something else? But I feel great; I’m thrilled. I’m thrilled for the cast and all the young kids that helped make the film,” John told RTÉ News.
“It was a very small little Dublin film so I’m kind of surprised. I kind of can’t believe it actually, to be honest.
“The press seemed to like it a lot over there. It didn’t make huge amounts of money or anything. Obviously, it’s a very small little Irish film. It’s kind of an unlikely story, or end to the story. We’re all really happy.”
The film, which stars Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Jack Reynor, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Lucy Boynton and Aidan Gillen, was based in 1980s Dublin – and tells the story of a boy who escapes his strained family life by starting a band to impress the mysterious girl he likes.
John also made sure to credit the film’s songwriter Gary Clark for Sing Street’s success.
“A musical is really only as strong as its weakest song in a sense and he just hit it out of the ballpark, to use an American expression. He just captured that essence of youth and the spirit of creativity so well.”
Rising stars: John gushed about the cast of Sing StreetÂ
John, who directed the award-winning Once back in 2007, also gushed about Sing Street’s cast.
“They felt like a band which was sort of the key to casting the film. There was no specific thing I wanted; I wanted them collectively to feel like, ‘Yeah, he looks right with him’.
“Bands come together in very odd ways in school and they tend to be sort of outsiders sometimes and misfits. So as long as it looked plausible to me… We said we wouldn’t make the movie if we couldn’t get the right band atmosphere. They were great, all the guys. They’ll be delighted.”
The director also thanked the Irish Film Board, who backed Sing Street, and noted how the nomination will be great news for them too.
“So many films in the last couple of years have been Film Board nominated [backed]. It’s just so vital to make films in a country this size and to get a Globe nomination just goes to show you there’s no way I could have done that without Irish Film Board money,” he added.
