Irish film production company Fantastic Films, headed up by Brendan McCarthy and John McDonnell are celebrating. 'The Last Day of Mars' directed by Oscar nominated Ruairi Robinson, being announced as one of the films accepted into this year’s highly prestigious ‘Directors’ Fortnight’ at next months Cannes Film Festival.

The sci-fi film has a star-studded cast, with Liev Schreiber (X-Men Origins: Wolverine), Romola Garai (One Day), Olivia Williams (Anna Karenina) and Tom Cullen (Downton Abbey). The film centres on a group of astronaut explorers who succumb one by one to a mysterious and terrifying force while collecting specimens on Mars.

Brendan McCarthy said "For a film that has been co-produced by an Irish company to make it to Cannes is such an achievement. It is a testament to Ruairi, and also to the very talented men and women who work in film post production and special visual effects in Ireland."

The 45th Fortnight will screen 21 feature films, including 16 world premieres, and 9 short films with the opening evening of the ‘Directors’ Fortnight’ on May 16th. A large number of well-known directors have showcased their first films during ‘Directors’ Fortnight’ including Martin Scorsese, Ken Loach, Spike Lee, Sofia Coppola and Stephen Frears. Irish director Ruairi Robinson said today "Having my film selected for ‘Directors' Fortnight’ is very exciting and a wonderful endorsement of the creative talents of my cast and crew. My head just exploded."

2013 CANNES DIRECTORS’ FORTNIGHT LINEUP

“Above the Hill” (Raphael Nadjari)
“Apres la nuit” (Basil Da Cunha)
“Les Apaches” (Thierry De Peretti)
“Blue Ruin” (Jeremy Saulnier)
“The Congress” (Ari Folman)
“The Dance of Reality” (Alejandro Jodorwosky)
“L’escale” (Kaveh Bakhtiari)
“La Fille du 14 juillet” (Antonin Peretjako)
“Henri” (Yolande Moreau)
“Iloilo” (Anthony Chen)
“Jodorowsky’s Dune” (Frank Pavich)
“Last Day on Mars” (Ruairi Robinson)
“Magic Magic” (Sebastian Silva)
“Me Myself and Mum” (Guillaume Gallienne)
“On the Job” (Erik Matti)
“The Selfish Giant” (Clio Barnard)
“The Summer of the Flying Fish” (Marcela Said)
“Tip Top” (Serge Bozon)
“Ugly” (Anurag Kashyap)
“Un voyageur” (Marcel Ophuls)
“We Are What We Are” (Jim Mickle)