Irish interest in the Oscars this year resides in the charming Northern Ireland short film, Dance Lexie Dance, which marks the directing debut of actor Tim Loane. Written by Dave Duggan, it stars B.J. Hogg as Lexie, a working-class Protestant widower who eventually gives in when his only child, the 11-year-old Laura, becomes besotted by Riverdance and insists on taking Irish dancing lessons. Laura is played by Kimberley McConkey, a schoolgirl from Holywood, Co Down.
Produced by Dave Duggan, the film was shot in Derry over six days in April 1996 on a budget of £45,000, with funding from BBC Northern Ireland and the Northern Ireland Film Commission. "I was ecstatic when I heard about the nomination," Dave Duggan told The Irish Times. "At first I didn't believe it. I thought it was a wind-up."
The film, which was screened by RTE and BBC Ulster this week, possibly faces its strongest competition for the live-action short Oscar from the British entry, It's Good To Talk, showing on Channel 4 at 10.55 p.m. tonight. However, Dance Lexie Dance may well benefit from the ongoing success of Riverdance in the US. Good luck to Tim Loane and his team on Monday night.