LIGHTS CAMERAS ACTION!

SHOOTING for a new feature film gets under way in Dundalk today (Tuesday) following a huge response to a call-out for extras.

‘Wildfire’ is the first full length feature film by the Newry native Cathy Brady, a two-time IFTA-winning director who won Best Short in 2011 for her first film Small Change and again in 2013 for Morning. She is best known for her work on the TV comedy series ‘Can’t Cope/ Won’t Cope’. The film tells the story of two sisters who grew up on the fractious Irish border. When one of them, who has been missing, finally returns home, the intense bond with her sister is re-ignited. Together they unearth their mother’s past but uncovered secrets and resentments which have been buried deep, threaten to overwhelm them.

Cathy began her journey in making this film by casting the lead actors Nika McGuigan (The Secret Scripture, Traders) and Nora-Jane Noone (Brooklyn, The Magdalene Sisters, The Descent). From there, over a year-long workshop process of improvisations, transcript, rehearsal, voice and dance drills, she created the story and wrote the script.

The casting director for the film is Dundalk-born Nick McGinley from Shaheen Baig Casting who was delighted with the response to the call out to open auditions in Dundalk and Newry.

‘I was the casting director for the Irish actors and children so I met as many people who turned up for the auditions as I could and then passed on my recommendations to the producers,’ said Nick.

So there will be plenty of familiar faces to be spotted when the film comes out next year.

Shooting for the film began in Newry last week and will continue both north and south for six weeks.

The project had development and production support from the BFI, Screen Ireland, Northern Ireland Screen and the Wellcome Trust. Film4, Sulcata Productions, Illium and Lexis Media also co-financed production.

Other films which used Dundalk as a location in recent years include ‘Kissing Candice’ and ‘ Good Vibrations’.