Michael Kiniron’s critically acclaimed feature film, THE SPARROW – winner of Best First Irish Feature at the Galway Film Fleadh and the Punto de Encuentro audience award at the SEMINCI Film Festival in Valladolid, Spain – will be released in Irish and UK cinemas on July 5th.
Tiarnan is an award-nominated Writer and Director with over a decade of experience working in Film and Television in both the UK and Ireland. Tiarnan primarily works in comedy and has written and directed several festival-touring short films, a micro-budget feature film, and has collaborated with a number of comedians and actors – including Omid Djalili, Paul Reiser, Adrian Dunbar, Sir Ian McKellen, Ray Winstone – on various TV pilots, sketches, music videos and live shows.
Most recently, Tiarnan’s dark comedy short film LAID TO REST premiered at the Fastnet Film Festival in Schull, Ireland, before going on to screen at various national and international film festivals. Alongside this, Tiarnan was also the 2nd Unit Director on the Apple TV comedy TRYING starring Imelda Staunton, Rafe Spall and Esther Smith.
Tiarnan previously optioned drama series TO THE GRAVE to Escape Films, and now has a number of exciting projects in both the comedy and drama genres that he is developing for 2024.
Award-winning Irish LGBT screenwriter and development executive with a passion for genre-skewed works. Cal’s work ranges from dark drama and psychological thriller to elevated horror, grounded sci-fi, comedy and even children’s stories – always passionate about writing bold, fun, offbeat content that pushes boundaries and reflects salient contemporary issues. Cal has been a development executive at Tailored Films in Dublin for 5 years and currently manages a lean slate including feature films and scripted TV series. His first series in funded development, YESTERDAY’S GIRL, is with TG4 and Creative Europe.
Jimmy Smallhorne is a writer, director and actor, particularly renowned for THE MIRACLE CLUB, 2BY4, LOVE/HATE, TAKEN DOWN, CARDBOARD GANGSTERS, DARKLANDS, and DEAD STILL. In addition to this he was the co-founder of the legendary Bronx Irish Theatre Company.
with STEPHEN JONES, JIMMY SMALLHORNE and DIN WYCHERLEY has just aired on TG4!
Link to reel: BRIAN DOHERTY 2023-11 on Vimeo
Link to Spotlight: https://app.spotlight.com/0456-8944-2383
An accomplished, innovative and collaborate director, best known for his critically acclaimed feature films TWICE SHY and TRAMPOLINE, as well as his award-winning short comedy POGNOPHOBIA.
Thomas recently became one of the first filmmakers in Ireland to work with virtual stage production, the same technology used on ‘The Mandalorian’.
With years of industry experience, Thomas has directed TV and commercial content alongside his feature projects. He has also directed animated content for both broadcast TV and commercials and has written and directed an Irish language educational series for the BBC.
In addition to his creative work, Thomas has worked with a variety of corporate clients, including The White House, Speedo, Amazon, Canterbury, Unreal, Adobe, DK, Scholastic, and NASA.
With a unique perspective on the filmmaking process and a proven track record of success, Thomas is sure to continue making waves in the industry for years to come.
Eve is a writer and actor from Kildare. She has worked in film and television since graduating from the Gaiety School of Acting in 2016. Her writing focuses on the relationships between women. She writes character-driven scripts that strive to capture the complexities of our most intimate relationships. She recently graduated from Atlantic Technological University with a first-class Honours Degree in Writing & Literature and is currently developing a number of projects for both film and television. ONE DAY YOU’LL THANK ME is in development with Port Pictures (EP Martina Niland).
A writer passionate about creating stories that centre on marginalised and underrepresented groups – stories that not only entertain but also spark debate and conversation. Andrew began his career in theatre, with his first play DEATH ROW COWBOY transferring from Dublin to London. Moving to film, Andrew co-produced and wrote the multi award-winning short film BRENDA, and created the minidocumentary REBIRTH, both of which aired on RTÉ. Supported by Screen Ireland on the Spotlight Development Scheme, he developed his feature film FISHSCALE and recently completed the BBC Writersroom Voices programme where he developed the TV series ROUTE ’94. Andrew is currently working with Yellow Film & TV, who have optioned his original TV series.
Roisin Agnew is an Italian Irish filmmaker and researcher based in London.
She has recently worked as a games writer for PlayStation developing a new IP as part of its first writers’ room. She directed THE BAN (2024) that premiered at Docs Ireland in June and wrote YARA (2023) in competition at the Galway Film Festival in July. She is currently in development with her first feature with Screen Ireland and Tailored Films (The Apprentice, Bring Them Down).
She is a Visiting Lecturer at The London Film School and a PhD student at the Centre for Research Architecture, Goldsmith. She has worked as an assistant producer on Grierson Award-nominated film THE PLAN THAT CAME FROM THE BOTTOM UP (2020). She has worked for Irish and Italian TV (RAI, TV3, RTE) as an assistant producer and prior to that she worked as a breaking news subeditor at The Irish Times.
Roisin’s fiction has appeared in The Dublin Review and MAP Journal. She’s been published by The Guardian, The Irish Times, Vice, Elephant Magazine etc. She curates Storming Heaven, a London screening series assembled around activist film.
She’s won the Next Generation Artist Award in Literature (2021) from Arts Council Ireland and is a graduate of the Edinburgh Talent Lab (2022) and won JETS Berlinale (2021).
Award winning director as comfortable producing full scale drama as he is creating intelligent and innovative documentary. He has a number of large-scale credits in which he has a developed a proven ear for story and emotion. Over his twenty year career, Maurice has worked on numerous international co -productions, and has credits with HISTORY US, BBC, Channel 4, ZDF, ARTE, FIVE and RTE. Maurice has won 5 Irish Film and Television Awards (IFTAs) and was awarded Best Director at the London Independent Film Festival 2013.
Most recent work includes in 2022: CONFIDENTIAL for the Irish Government. 2020: Directed the three -part drama PENANCE for Channel 5/Westroad Pictures which was one of the channel’s highest viewed dramas of 2020; SAVING THE TITANIC for Tile Films; COLD CASE COLLINS for Big Fellow Productions; Lead Director on BLOOD – Season 1 & 2 for Channel 5/Westroad Pictures which made Empire Magazine’s best TV of 2020 list. 2018: Directed and co-wrote the critically acclaimed and award winning Feature Documentary I DOLOURS for Screen Ireland/New Decade Films – released in cinemas and then acquired by Netflix.
Sam has produced the six-part drama NORTHERN LIGHTS for Lionsgate and Deadpan and was then Head of Development for Deadpan. Prior to this he was the Drama Development Executive for RTÉ where he worked on HIDDEN ASSETS, SMOTHER and NORTH SEA CONNECTION as well as their development and production slate. He Executive Produced the three storyland titles, MUSTARD, EVERY FIVE MILES and BALOR HALL and the short films, PICTURE DAY, FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE and THE WALL. Has been the inhouse story-editor for animation company, JAM Media and Script Producer for RTÉ’s, FAIR CITY where he directed multiple blocks. He has written, directed and script edited for ATN Seven’s HOME AND AWAY in Sydney and currently has multiple shows in development.
Tom Sullivan is an award-winning writer and director who was born in Dublin and studied Earth Science at University College Galway. After graduating in 1995, he began acting and has worked consistently in film and television since then. In 2010, Tom began writing and directing short films. His first short, ASAL(2011), premiered at the 2011 Galway Film Festival where it won the Tiernan McBride Award for Best Short Drama. Tom has consistently created award-winning content since then, including his debut feature film ARRACHT (2019) which was nominated for 11 IFTAs (and won two), won The Critics Circle Award Virgin Dublin Film Festival, Audience award at Glasgow Int. Film Festival, Best Film at Kimolos Int. Film Festival and was chosen to represent Ireland in the Best International Feature Film category at the Academy awards 2021.
Award-winning Irish screenwriter and director. He studied English and Philosophy at Trinity College Dublin and went on to study directing at the prestigious National Film and Television School, (NFTS) London. He has had projects selected for the Torino Film Lab, the Britlist, eQuinoxe, EAVE and is a Berlinale Talent Campus alumni. Michael’s first produced feature as screenwriter, STRANGERLAND, an Australian set mystery drama starring Nicole Kidman, Hugo Weaving and Joe Fiennes, had its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival, 2015. THE SPARROW, Michael’s feature film debut as writer/director, premiered at the Galway Film Fleadh 2022 where it won Best First Irish Feature. Subsequently, it won the meeting point audience award at Valladolid Film Festival and has been nominated for two Irish Film and Television Awards.
Caroline is The Irish Times bestselling author of nine novels and has been translated into various languages. She is also a Screenwriter and Creative Director of Document Films. As a Screenwriter she has written and directed seven successful short films that have played at festivals all over the world, including a Galway Film Fleadh winning short and she was also the recipient of the Cineuropa award.
Caroline has co-written her first feature film, BRIDE SQUAD, optioned by Vico Films, IRL and Myriad Pictures, US. Her second feature THE QUIET WOMAN is being developed with support from Screen Ireland. Caroline is currently writing her first TV drama, MAKE YOURSELF AT HOME – again with development funding from Screen Ireland. She adapted her novel, THE WEEK I RUINED MY LIFE, for TV supported by the BAI & Canadian Media Fund. Caroline has also written for Irelands longest running soap, FAIR CITY. She is also a regular panelist on Ireland’s popular all female talk show ‘Midday’.
Paul has written some of the UK’s favourite and best known TV and radio commercials. He has won various awards for his writing including: D&AD, Creative Circle and the Aerials. He was also presented with a Radio Academy Fellowship at the House of Lords. In 2001, his first novel FATHER FRANK was published to great critical acclaim. He followed this with three more – UNTORN TICKETS in 2003, THE MAN WHO FELL IN LOVE WITH HIS WIFE in 2005 and THE LIFE OF REILLY in 2007. More recently, he has turned to screenwriting. He is currently adapting UNTORN TICKETS into a screenplay and has THE HUTS, a TV comedy drama, in development with the BBC. He has also adapted FATHER FRANK for the screen with Mallinson Television Productions.
2022: NO WORRIES IF NOT –TV sketch series for RTÉ Television; 2021: LET THE WRONG ONE IN – Comedy Horror Feature Film starring Anthony Head; Winner of Jury Prize at Screamfest 2021; Nominated for Best Director and Best Screenplay at the Irish Film and Television Academy Awards 2023; 2019: DARKLANDS – two episodes of TV crime series produced by Parallel Films for Virgin Media; 2014: FROM THE DARK – Horror Feature Film Starring Niamh Algar; premiered at Fantastic Fest 2014; 2012: STITCHES – Comedy Horror Feature Film starring Ross Noble; Winner of the Carmel Jove Jury Award at Sitges 2012; 2009: THE DISTURBED – Horror Feature Film starring Carla McGlynn; premiered at Galway Film Fleadh 2009; 2004; DEAD MEAT – Comedy Horror Feature Film starring Marian Araujo.
2023: In development SOMEWHERE IN NORWAY – Take Ten Productions. 2022: ONE WAY – Feature Film directed by Andrew Baird and starring Kevin Bacon and Travis Fimmel. International Sales by Highland Film Group. 2021: NIGHTRIDE – Feature Film directed by Stephen Fingleton and starring Moe Dunford. Winner of Best Actor Award (Moe Dunford) at Irish Film and Television Awards 2022); 2022: SIMON – Short Film written and directed by Ben Conway and Peter J McCarthy and starring Aaron Monaghan – premiered at Galway Film Fleadh 2022 – won Best Drama and Best Irish Film at Fastnet Film Festival 2023; ; 2021: BUGALOO – Short Film written and directed by Ben Conway and Peter J MCarthy and starring Moe Dunford; premiered at Galway Film Fleadh 2021.
2022: NO WORRIES IF NOT – TV sketch series for RTE Television; 2021: LET THE WRONG ONE IN – Comedy Horror – Feature Film written and directed by Conor McMahon and starring Anthony Head funded by Screen Ireland; Winner of Jury Prize at Screamfest. 2021: Nominated for Best Director and Best Screenplay at the Irish Film and Television Academy Awards 2023. 2014: FROM THE DARK – Horror Feature Film written by Damian Fox and Conor McMahon, directed by Conor McMahon and Starring Niamh Algar; premiered at Fantastic Fest 2014. 2012: STITCHES – Comedy Horror – Feature Film written by David O’Brien and Conor McMahon, directed by Conor McMahon and starring Ross Noble; Winner of the Carmel Jove Jury Award at Sitges 2012. 2009: THE DISTURBED – Horror Feature Film written and directed by Conor McMahon and starring Carla McGlynn; premiered at Galway Film Fleadh 2009. 2004: DEAD MEAT – Comedy Horror Feature Film written and directed by Conor McMahon and starring Marian Araujo.
2022: ONE WAY – Feature Film directed by Andrew Baird and starring Kevin Bacon and Travis Fimmel. International Sales by Highland Film Group. 2021: NIGHTRIDE – Feature Film directed by Stephen Fingleton and starring Moe Dunford. Winner of Best Actor Award (Moe Dunford) at Irish Film and Television Awards 2022); 2022: SIMON – Short Film written and directed by Ben Conway and Peter J McCarthy and starring Moe Dunford; premiered at Galway Film Fleadh 2022; 2021: BUGALOO – Short Film written and directed by Ben Conway and Peter J MCarthy and starring Moe Dunford; premiered at Galway Film Fleadh 2021.
Award-winning writer, journalist and story consultant working in the film and television industry. She has designed and delivered training in Storytelling On The Screen across the world and works as a credited co-writer and an uncredited script doctor. Several of Mary Kate’s projects have been award Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland development funding, including SPARTACUS RISING, a television series co-written with Gavin Ryan; HEART OF DARKNESS, an adaptation of Joseph Conrad’s novella; and the original feature screenplays for MY HUCKLEBERRY FRIEND, AIRLIFT TO BIAFRA (an adaptation of the true life story of Father Tony Byrne) and KICKING THE HABIT. Mary Kate was Ireland’s First Grand Slam Champion Storyteller at The Moth. She was also a Grand Slam Champion Storyteller at The Moth in Los Angeles and a Champion Storyteller at The Dublin StorySlam. You can hear one of her stories on The Moth Radio Hour – https://themoth.org/stories/carry-him-shoulder-high – and on Tik Tok, where it has amassed over one million views – https://www.tiktok.com/@mothstories/video/7245791769315609899.
Mary Kate has turned her true-life stories into a piece of theatre, MAKING A SHOW OF MYSELF, which received standing ovations and rave reviews in its first sellout run during November/December 2023 and ever since – find out more here www.makingashowofmyself.com.
2022: LAMB – Screen Ireland Focus Short; Winner of the Audience Award for Best Short Film at the Cork International Film Festival 2022; Official Selection at Tribeca Film Festival 2022; Nominated for 2023 IFTA Award for Best Short Film; 2016: HOMECOMING – Winner of Best Narrative Short Film at Kerry International Film Festival 2016. 2023: VOCATION – Feature Film Screenplay in development with Screen Ireland and Coper Alley Productions.
A graduate of RADA, with a BA in Acting and a Film Production Diploma from Ballyfermot College, Maureen (Mo) O’Connell has made several award-winning shorts and an award-winning, micro-budget, slacker comedy feature film, SPA WEEKEND. Some credits include – 2022: HAVEN (multi-award-winning) – Semi-Finalist Flickers Rhode Island Intl Film Fest 2023 and Best Short Film B3 Biennale 2023; 2022: BRUISE (multi-award-winning) – Official Selection Galway Film Fleadh 2022 and Best Arthouse Fastnet Film Festival 2023; HUM (multi-award-winning) – Winner of the Audience Award for Best Short Film at the Emerging Lens Film Festival 2021; 2019: SPA WEEKEND (multi-award-winning feature) – Winner of Best International Feature at Polish International Film Festival 2020 and Winner of SHE IS ON FIRE Award Berlin Female Filmmakers Film Fest 2019.
