Athboy Macra na Feirme’s Groundhog Day parody Forever At Blue Jeans came out on top of a field of seven homegrown films at the third annual Blue Jean Country Queen Festival/Meath Macra na Feirme A Night At The Oscars.

The third annual fundraising event for the Blue Jean Country Queen Festival/Meath Macra na Feirme took place in the Darnley Lodge Hotel, Athboy, on Friday 9 March.

The film, which starred Darran Smyth (who picked up the rising star award for his performance) as Phil, a world-weary news reporter repeating the same day at the Blue Jean County Queen Festival seemingly forever was written and directed by Patrick Brogan. It also included club members Claire Gough, as Phil’s producer Rita, Sandy Gallagher as Mrs Lancaster, the owner of the B&B where Phil stayed, and Alan Beirne as Phil’s annoying old schoolmate Phil.

The Athboy Macra film beat out the previous best film winners Athboy Fair Green High Nelly Club, whose original film The Found Ons was based on a story written by Mary Flood and adapted to a screenplay by James Hesnan. The Found Ons netted the best actor for Jim Bird and best director for Vivienne Hesnan.

Enfield Macra na Feirme took home the most awards on the night for its film, Anchorman, a Meath Macra based twist on the Will Ferrell comedy of the same name. These included best actress for Magda Cybulska as well as best scene, best costume and best comedy.

Other entries included D’Red Balloon, based on the 1956 French film Le Ballon Rouge by Athboy-Autonne Twinning Association and Reel Deal Dance Academy, Longwood Macra na Feirme’s interpretations of Grease and Pay Up, another original film, written by Athboy Writers Forum member Patrick Mason.

Each film was screened before an audience in the Darnley Lodge Hotel before being scored out of 10 by the panel of three judges, Gemma Markey (presenter with Meath Daily TV), Shay Casserley and 2017 Blue Jean County Queen Alison Sinnott. Once all films were screened, the audience were then allowed to vote for the film they thought was best. The judges praised the high standard of the productions on each film and the talents of everyone involved.

The films submitted to the event will be available through the Blue Jean Country Queen Festival Facebook page.

The 31st Blue Jean Country Queen Festival will take place on from 1 to 4 June 2018. For more, visit bluejeanfest.com or search Blue Jean Country Queen Festival on Facebook.