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 EOIN MACKEN
Eoin began studying film after he finished a psychology BSc in UCD, Dublin. He studied acting in New York, under Nina Murano and the late Vincent Chase, then cinematography in Ballyfermot. Whilst acting in the beloved BBC series MERLIN, Eoin wrote a film for his co- star Tom Hopper, originally named LEOPARD, that premiered in Galway FF and went on to be released around the world. In 2014, he released his debut novel Kingdom of Scars, which was nominated for an Irish Book Award for best debut author. Eoin was the lead on the NBC series THE NIGHTSHIFT for 5 years, and on the George RR Martin Netflix series NIGHTFLYERS, as well as appearing in numerous films such as RESIDENT EVIL, KILLING JESUS, CLOSE and THE HOLE IN THE GROUND. In 2018, he directed the highest rated episode of the NIGHTSHIFT for NBC and Sony and made a documentary for Sightsavers and RTE. Eoin’s next book, Circus, is being released in 2021, and he can currently be seen on screen in ABC’s STUMPTOWN.
Director's statement
"There are certain songs you listen to, books you read and images you see that resonate with something deeply primal inside you, that draw you into what the artist was experiencing and expressing, and leave a mark on your psyche. That is what I felt when I first read Rob Doyle’s novel - Here Are The Young Men. I was captivated, repulsed, scared and fascinated by the characters he had created. The story is dark, dangerous, and compelling and it was Rob’s words that initially drew me into this story. There is a coarse musical tone to the lyrics and the structure in Rob’s work, that draws from the rawness of Joy Division, Primal Scream, and the pulpy sort of music that digests inside your bones. It immediately felt cinematic and I knew I wanted to explore the story on screen, and imbue the images and characters with that same music. The characters are flawed. They are confused. They are angry. They are beautiful. They are violent. They are young men trying to find their way into a world that they don’t understand yet. The script and the film evolved over time into something closer to a commentary on how society at that time can shape and threaten the minds of young men who don’t yet have their own certainties, who don’t have a proper feminine influence that they understand. Who are misguided and make terrible choices, who don’t know how to be responsible yet. The soundtrack is heady, raw and beautiful, the same with the acting which is tender and aggressively exposed, and the cinematography which is more colorful to temper some of the darkness in the film. I wanted to paint a picture in each image, really dig into these characters, feel threatened by them, and feel saddened for them. They make mistakes. Terrible mistakes. The lead character of Matthew makes a moral choice which I want the audience to consider, terrible as it is. There is immorality in these lead characters, a darkness that cannot be forgiven, and there is a sadness in seeing this. But it’s authentic, it appeals to the vibrancy and possibility of fractured youth, and how that can thread a dangerous path if left unchecked. It’s about youth. It’s about society. It’s about young love, and the mistakes people make if left unchecked. It’s about the magnetic pull of overbearing television and media influences that appeal to the violent excesses in the human spirit, it’s about love, redemption, fear and anger. It’s a story that should leave a residue, like a song that buries in your bones, a sentence that freezes your brain, or a photograph that causes you to momentarily forget yourself. That’s what HERE ARE THE YOUNG MEN is".
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