Antrim director unveils his heavenly vision!

HE may be best known for directing all three series of the delightful ‘Derry Girls’, but former Antrim Grammar School student Michael Lennox has been a busy man.

And his latest project rolled just up the road in Belfast!

Viewers still missing their regular fix of Erin, Orla, Clare, Michelle and James can breathe easy - because the new eight-parter is in safe hands.

For ‘How to Get to Heaven from Belfast’ was penned by none other than Derry Girls creator Lisa McGee - and the pair joined the cast at the world premiere at Queen’s Film Theatre on Wednesday night ahead of its Netflix debut on Thursday (February 12).

It revolves around clever, chaotic TV writer Saoirse; glamorous, stressed-out mother of three Robyn; and dependable, inhibited carer Dara, who have been a tight-knit group since school.

Now in their late 30s, the trio are still best pals.

But when an email arrives, telling them about the death of the estranged fourth member of their childhood gang, Greta, ‘a series of eerie events at her wake set them on a dark, dangerous and hilarious odyssey through Ireland and beyond as each tries to piece together the truth of the past’.

Michael has certainly not rested on his laurels since the curtain came down in Derry.

He was lead director and executive producer on controversial Troubles hit ‘Say Nothing’, which recently aired on Channel 4 after a stint at Disney+ - and he has two films in development, ‘Road Racers’ and ‘Harvesting’.

He is officially a hot property on both sides of the Atlantic - and it’s easy to see why.

From a young age film was his passion, and he was determined to find a way into the industry - and actions speak louder than words.

In 2008 he made his first short film ‘Rip and the Preacher’ starring Gerard McSorley, which was selected by the British Council to tour festivals worldwide including Aspen and LA Shorts Fest.

Just two years later he made his TV debut with a 30 minute drama ‘Eclipse’ for Channel 4’s Coming Up new talent scheme.

From there, he earned a place on the National Film and Television School’s Masters in Fiction Directing course at Beaconsfield.

It proved to be another productive period for the local man.

His work there included eye-catching short film ‘The Back of Beyond’, which won the Royal Television Society Student Television Award as well as the Pianifica Award at the Locarno Film Festival. It was also nominated for a European Film Award.

And then came the poignant and funny ‘Boogaloo and Graham’. The short premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival to critical acclaim.

Positive word of mouth soon spread, but he was still shocked when he learned that it had been nominated for a BAFTA and an Academy Award.

“I didn’t go into Boogaloo and Graham thinking we might get nominated for an Oscar,” he said.

“It’s just not really something you set out thinking about. Of course, when you’re young and starting out as a film maker, you’ll maybe make stupid jokes about it, but it was great that, with our short film about chickens in the 1970s, it did happen!”

He recalled that on the day of the BAFTAs it dawned on him that he did not have a tuxedo - so he rushed out to buy the cheapest one he could find in ‘a random shop in London’.

Good job he did too, because the film won.

“It was interesting - when you win, the first thing they make you do as you come off stage is sign a form saying you won’t sell the award,” he said.

“I’m sure no one ever would, but they have to be sure nothing’s going to appear on eBay.”

He brought the award back to Antrim when he was invited to be the special guest at the Grammar’s prize night.

He urged the students to pursue their dreams, though he admitted that he was not a fan of the classroom himself - curious, given that his dad taught at AGS for many years!

The BAFTA in the bag, it was time for the Oscars - and, yes, he wore the same suit.

Sadly it was not to be - not this time anyway.

“After weeks of events and parties, you come back home wrecked, but a good wrecked,” he recalled.

“It takes a few days to recover then real life comes crashing back in.

“Going to the Oscars is something I think of as a once in a lifetime achievement and I feel thankful to have had it. Would I like to win one one day? Of course I would, who wouldn't? But I’m not driven by that.

“What drives me is to be involved in interesting projects, that’s what keeps me going. I don’t feel every film or project has to live up to that experience. Every piece of work is different.

“We’re over the moon that Derry Girls has been such a hit show and had such a great reception. That’s what I find most rewarding, making a piece of work and having someone respond to it.”

And respond they certainly have.

Michael made his feature debut in 2015 - ‘A Patch of Fog’, starring Stephen Graham and Conleth Hill. It opened in the Discovery Programme at the Toronto International Film Festival and had its UK premiere at the Edinburgh International Film Festival where it was nominated for the Michael Powell Award for Best British Feature Film.

The third and final series of Derry Girls won a coveted International Emmy award for comedy at a gala ceremony in New York last November.

It followed success at the Royal Television Society Awards, Irish Film and Television Awards and the Baftas.

That’s quite a CV by any standard - but it’s only the beginning.

Here’s hoping he may have to dust down that trusty tux some time soon!