New film SKINTOWN explores Irish rave culture during The Troubles
The film is soundtracked by the likes of Carl Cox, Happy Mondays, Jeff Mills and more
A new film explores rave culture at a pivotal moment during The Troubles, the name given to a conflict rooted in differing views between those loyal and opposed to British rule in Northern Ireland.
SKINTOWN, directed by filmmaker Kieron J. Walsh, depicts a pair of friends in the summer of 1994 who are "desperate to escape their small town life in conflict-torn Enniskillen (Skintown), Northern Ireland," per a synopsis.
It follows Vinny and Jonty as they embark on rave adventures and misdemeanours in their hometown, and are given an opportunity to sell ecstasy at their local nightclub.
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"Just as a ceasefire is announced heralding a brighter future, Vinny and Jonty successfully execute a dangerous plan destined to spring them from Skintown before fate intervenes," the synopsis continues.
SKINTOWN premiered at Edinburgh International Film Festival last weekend (August 16), where it picked up the Sean Connery Prize for Feature Filmmaking Excellence.
The film is soundtracked by the likes of Happy Mondays, Jeff Mills, The Prodigy, Josh Wink, The Jesus And Mary Chain and Carl Cox, who also makes a cameo during the film.
In a press release, director Kieron J. Walsh explained that the film took nine years to make, and went through "many drafts and lots of new ideas to get to a good place".
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"SKINTOWN is a period film set in 1994, filled with army helicopters, soldiers, marching bands, car crashes, nightclubs, beach raves and explosions… so it wasn’t easy," he explained. "But our resourceful crew and amazing cast were there at every step of the way knocking it out of the park."
The film features lead actors Jack Rowan, who has appeared in the likes of MobLand and Boys From County Hell, and West End actor Chris Walley, who also appears in Young Offenders.
Check out a clip of SKINTOWN below, and find out more about the new film here.
Gemma Ross is Mixmag's Associate Digital Editor
