Lord of the Dance Michael Flatley has advised his fans to ‘follow your dreams’ after he won the best actor award at the Monaco streaming film festival.
The Irish dance legend wrote, directed and starred in the spy thriller Blackbird.
Much of the production for the movie was financed by Flatley himself, and many critics dismissed the film as a vanity project.
However, Flatley was honoured at the prestigious Monaco streaming film festival and won the award for best actor for his portrayal of former spy ‘Blackbird’ who has his retirement interrupted by a visit from an old friend.
The award is a great achievement for the popular star after he stepped away from his normal career as a dancer to tackle a new challenge.
He took the opportunity to thank his fans and his support team and stressed the importance of following your dreams.
Flatley said: “A dream come true! I’m honoured to receive the award for Best Actor at the Monaco Film Festival.
“Just a reminder to Follow your Dreams!”
He also explained his vision when writing the movie, and how he wanted to pay tribute to Hollywood thrillers of the past.
The Riverdance star said: “I wanted to make a modern movie reminiscent of old Hollywood. The classics were always entertaining without being excessively violent or complicated.
“We shot the movie in Barbados, Ireland and London, capturing some of the most cinematically picturesque locations on film, all of which have a special place in my heart.
“I’m honoured to be showing ‘Blackbird’ at the inaugural Monaco Streaming Film Festival. It’s an innovative venture and opens the doors globally to a rapidly evolving digital marketplace.”
The founder of the Monaco Streaming Film Festival Tony Davis spoke to Variety about Flatley’s film.
He said: “Michael Flatley’s debut feature film is such a pleasant surprise – he brings his renowned stage presence and energy, which we have all experienced over the past 25 years, to the big screen in a gripping romantic thriller.
“Blackbird is beautifully filmed in stunning exotic locations, and a brilliant supporting cast help Flatley deliver something his legions of fans all over the world are going to love – he’s quite simply a star.”
Other people to be honoured at the awards included football legend Pele, who won the Lifetime Achievement award and Julian Lennon, who was given the Outstanding Impact Award.