Deirdre Molumby talks to John Carney, the director of Sing Street, about returning to Dublin to film after Begin Again, making modern-day musicals and making a period film.
Sing Street takes us back to 1980s Dublin where an economic recession forces Conor out of his comfortable private school and into survival mode at the inner-city public school where the kids are rough and the teachers are rougher. He finds a glimmer of hope in the mysterious and über-cool Raphina, and with the aim of winning her heart he invites her to star in his band’s music videos. She agrees, and now Conor must deliver what he’s promised – calling himself “Cosmo” and immersing himself in the vibrant rock music trends of the ‘80s, he forms a band with a few lads, and the group pours their hearts into writing lyrics and shooting videos.
Carney began his career writing, producing and directing the award-winning short films Shining Star and Hotel, before directing music videos for the Irish band The Frames. His debut feature, November Afternoon, a low-budget black-and-white drama, was voted Best Feature of 1997 by The Irish Times and subsequently screened on the U.S. festival circuit. Carney followed this with the television film Just in Time, which he wrote, directed and scored, starring Frances Barber and Gerard McSorley. The film was named Best TV Film of 1998 by The Irish Times.
Carney’s next feature, Park, premiered at the Dublin International Film Festival in 1999. He subsequently co-wrote and directed On the Edge for Universal Pictures, starring Cillian Murphy and Stephen Rea. The film earned Carney the Silver Hitchcock Award at the Festival du Film Britannique de Dinard in 2001 and was distributed internationally by United International Pictures. Following post-production on On the Edge, Carney turned to television, co-writing and directing three series of the hit RTÉ drama Bachelors Walk, one of the most successful independently produced drama series in Irish television history. In 2006, Carney directed the acclaimed music drama Once, centred on a Dublin busker and an immigrant whose relationship develops through songwriting and performance. Following its premiere at the Galway Film Fleadh, the film had its official world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in 2007, where it won the World Cinema Audience Award for Dramatic Film.
Since directing Zonad in 2009, John Carney has gone on to direct The Rafters (2012), Begin Again (2013), Sing Street(2016), Modern Love (TV, 2019), Flora and Son (2023) and Power Ballad (2025).
","author_name":"Film Ireland"}