Declan Cassidy
Quick Facts
Biography
Declan Cassidy is an Irish television and film director. A founding member of the Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA Awards), he began his film career in the documentary genre where his work includes War on Waste (2003), a documentary looking at vermiculture as a waste disposal alternative to landfill and The Crew Cut (2006), a documentary charting the voyage of the Irish Naval flagship L.E. Eithne on its voyage to South America.
In July 2008 his short film "Whatever Turns You On" premiered at the Galway Film Fleadh. Written and directed by Cassidy, it won eight awards at various film festivals, including Best Short Film at Florence International Film Festival Italy, Best Irish Short Film at the Kerry Film Festival and the Audience Award at Filmstock International Film Festival in Britain. When the film received the award for Best Short Short at the Oscar-qualifying Aspen Shortsfest it became one of a limited number of short films worldwide each year to be considered for the Academy Awards.
Cassidy's television series, "The House", commissioned by the Broadcasting Commission of Ireland, screened in 2009 on Dublin's community channel, DCTV. In 2010 his Irish Film Board funded short film 'Veronique' featuring Martha Christie in the title role was released. It was followed up by The Bouquet, The Box and Spoon in 2011.
In 2012 Etihad Airways featured a collection of Cassidy's short films as part of their inflight entertainment. This included his newly released short film "Wedding Planners".
In December 2014, following the tragic death of homeless man Johnathan Corrie in an inner city doorway of Cassidy's native Dublin, the film maker released his short film "Whatever Turns You On" for viewing online in conjunction with Focus Ireland to raise funds for the charity.
Cassidy currently holds the position of managing director at Timesnap Limited, a film production company he established with journalist and documentary maker Bill Tyson.
Filmography
- Harriet (short film, 2014)
- Wedding Planners (short film, 2012)
- Spoon (short film, 2011)
- The Box (short film, 2011)
- The Bouquet (short film, 2011)
- Véronique (short film, 2010)
- I Hate That Smile (short film, 2010)
- The House (eight episode television drama series, 2009)
- Whatever Turns You On (short film, 2008)
- Dancing Dublin (five episode television reality series, 2008)
- Make It Stop (short film, 2007)
- The Crew Cut (documentary, 2006)
- War On Waste (documentary, 2003)