Source: The Evening Echo
Director of the movie ‘War of the Buttons’, set in Skibbereen, said he wouldn’t have missed the weekend's 25-year cast reunion for the world.
John Roberts, who directed the film said as his first professional production, he was delighted to see it still holds up well.
Roberts said he hadn’t seen the movie in 20 years before he sat down to watch it with the rest of the cast in the West Cork town on Saturday night.
“I got quite emotional funnily enough, I didn’t expect to.” Speaking about the cast, Mr Roberts said: “They felt like they belonged in the movie. I think it really works and the movie held up.”
Discussing the reunion, the director said it was lovely to be back in Skibbereen with his family where he filmed the movie 25 years ago.
“My daughter loves the film and she wanted to see everywhere and she knows every line of dialogue in the whole thing.”
Producer of the movie Lord David Puttnam said he had a great time at the reunion, however, he wished someone has suggested everyone wear name badges.
“The biggest problem was trying to work out who is who. Some faces haven’t changed, some you would never recognise in a million years.
“My biggest concern was I talking to the same person I thought I was talking to from 25 years ago. My brain has been working overtime.
“For some people, their screen name would come to me first, like Eveanna will always be Marie to me.
“This movie holds a very special place in my heart because I live in Skibbereen and it is the only time I got to make a movie while living at home. It was one of the last movies I ever made.” Eveanna Ryan who played Marie in WOTB said it was absolutely mental to see the lads again after 25 years.
“I have such vivid memories from the time. I was 13-years-old at the time. It is brilliant to see everybody.
“We went down to visit the schoolhouse where we stayed that summer and it is actually someone's home now. We all got a bit teary eyed going in there, and Marie who used to own the schoolhouse and who mammy-ied us for the whole summer, she came down and brought food and we just reminisced and it was so so nice.
“It was mad, it feels like no time has passed.” Organiser of the reunion Paul Batt who played Gorilla said Everything went to plan and everyone had a great time.
“It was nice to acknowledge the 25 years since the movie was made, I met people I hadn’t seen in 25 years. It was mental.”