The Irish Film Association's short film competition was an annual event designed to nurture talent in the Irish film industry. While it wasn't a widely publicized or sensational event, it still garnered attention from film professionals and related media.
The audience at the awards ceremony consisted mostly of industry insiders and some media representatives. Winning an award often led to promising job opportunities for the recipients.
When Eva arrived at the venue, she found it already packed with attendees. Most of the spectators appeared to be seasoned film professionals. Eva was directed to her seat, where she sat among other nominees for various awards. Notably, most of the nominees were young men, with only a few women present, including Eva.
It made sense—girls with some potential often opted to become actors rather than endure the slow grind of the directing industry. By the time they succeeded, they would likely be middle-aged, which many women found unappealing.
As Eva sat among the nominees, the ceremony had already begun, with the host announcing and presenting each award one by one. Eva, a standout among the nominees, waited patiently for the final and biggest award of the night—the Best Short Film.
Despite the ceremony not being as high-profile as other film award events, the Best Short Film award drew considerable attention. Winning this award would mark the recipient as the best newcomer in the film industry for the year.
The camera panned across the eight finalists, capturing their faces one by one. Among them were scruffy middle-aged men, eager young boys, and seasoned professionals. Then, the audience noticed a strikingly young girl among them—a girl who looked no older than twenty. Her youth and beauty made her stand out, raising questions about which short film she had created.
Before anyone could ponder further, the host announced the winner. "The winner of this year's Irish Short Film Competition for Best Short Film is... 'The Land Where Angels Descend' by Eva Cody."
The audience smiled knowingly. That short film was undeniably exceptional. If all eight shortlisted films were outstanding, "The Land Where Angels Descend" was the diamond among them. The flawless long take was so impressive that even renowned European directors would praise it.
However, the audience still wondered about the film's director. They had assumed it was someone with considerable experience, perhaps an older, seasoned film director testing the waters with a short film.
But when Eva stood up to receive her award, everyone was stunned. This young girl, who didn't even look twenty, was the director?
This was beyond belief. A girl this young had produced such an impressive film? It was unimaginable. Eva Cody, a complete newcomer, had won the Best Short Film award with a breathtaking five-minute long take.
As Eva stepped onto the stage, all the cameras focused on her. Her face appeared clearly on the big screen—confident and beautiful. The initial impression was of a young girl with exceptional talent. Her youth was astonishing.
Eva accepted the trophy and delivered a short speech. She spoke with a mix of excitement and composure, "I am very grateful to the judges who voted for me." Her appearance was pleasing to the audience, and she continued, "For me, this is not the end; it is just the beginning. Thank you."
Indeed, this was just the beginning for her. Her dream and ambition were to make films, to climb a high peak. Everything before this was just a starting point. This short film competition was a modest achievement, not a grand honor, but it was a promising start.
After her brief speech, Eva left the stage, with countless eyes still on her. The audience was still in disbelief. Eva returned home with the trophy, and the media began to follow her story closely.
"The Irish Film Weekly" dedicated a large section to Eva, titled "The Rising Star of the Film Industry." The articles praised her talent and predicted a bright future.
At school, Eva suddenly became a celebrity. Students from other departments came to catch a glimpse of her. Everyone knew that someone who could shoot such a scene had a promising future.
Though she found the attention a bit overwhelming, Eva couldn't avoid it. Even some of her instructors privately asked her, "Eva, can you tell me how you shot that long take?"
It was true—many of her teachers couldn't have shot the scene she directed. They were puzzled by her sudden brilliance. Eva, who often had poor grades and was frequently absent, had suddenly created an award-winning film. People could only speculate that she had some sudden epiphany.
This rapid transformation was bewildering. It was like jumping from level 1 to level 80 overnight.
However, Eva's goal was not just fame. She wanted to find a job through this award. Indeed, several job offers came her way, mostly for directing commercials or music videos.
While it was just a short film award, commercials and music videos were typical starting points for directors. Her win didn't prove she could handle feature films or TV series, but she was content with the opportunities. She could gain experience and build connections through these jobs.
Directors typically followed these paths:
1. Starting with ample resources and connections, they could direct films whenever they wanted.
2. Transitioning from commercial or music video directing.
3. Moving from television directing.
4. Switching from stage directing.
Eva was not in the first category, so she had to take the latter routes. Becoming a commercial or music video director was a viable path.
Most offers she received were from low-budget brands, which didn't interest her much. She wanted her first job to be a good start.
Additionally, many talent agencies contacted Eva, hoping to sign her. However, she declined, as she didn't plan to stay in Ireland long-term. As a European, she aimed to make a name in Hollywood, which required establishing a reputation in Europe first. Hence, she planned to move to the UK, where the film industry was more developed.
Since her film won an award, the media had reported and broadcasted "The Land Where Angels Descend." One day, a renowned Irish singer watched Eva's short film on TV. Intrigued, she called her manager, "Add someone to the list of potential directors for my new music video."
This person was Sinéad Marie Bernadette O'Connor. The TV host was still excitedly discussing Eva, "This emerging star of the year stunned all the judges with a mere five-minute short film!"
"Everyone is amazed that such a scene was directed by an 18-year-old girl!"