Funded both by the IMDb Script to Screen Award and the Kildare ShortGrass Film Bursary, WFT Member Katie McNeice’s LAMBING is set to screen at 12:15 Thursday July 7th at the Town Hall Theatre. This film is produced by fellow Member Mo O’Connell and stars WFT Member Rebecca Hickey.
LAMBING stars Fiach Kunz (Game of Thrones) as shy young dad David, who must face his anxiety around gender and bullying when his baby is born intersex. Opposite Kunz is Johanna O’Brien (Foundation) in the role of expectant mother Caoimhe, and Pat Shortt (Garage, Calvary) as the ominous and forceful character of David’s father, John. Supporting cast are Cate Russell, Joe McNeice, WFT Member Rebecca Hickey and Gerry Cannon.
The film is written and directed by WFT Member Katie McNeice, a multi-award winning Writer Director who crafts thoughtful identity-films with a particular focus on sexuality and gender, and produced by powerhouse and fellow member Mo O’Connell (HUM). LAMBING was shot by Emmy-Nominated Cinematographer Richard Kendrick (Song of Granite), edited by McNeice, and features an original score from rising talent Emer Kinsella (Sense8, In Orbit).
Response
“What I’ve always wanted for LAMBING is not just to broaden our understanding of intersex but to create a real sense of urgency to support and understand minority identities in Ireland. Even within the LGBTQI community itself, we need to work harder and with more heart for those of us who are intersex, trans and gender diverse. Show up to marches, fight back against discrimation, seek out what you don’t understand and make yourself a more informed and involved part of the community.
“The second aspect of LAMBING is the message that before we can meaningfully speak about minority identities such as intersex, we need to dissemble our long-standing and often toxic ideas of gender. We need to get to a place where we realise we have no more right to put our fear or prejudice on gender diverse bodies than we do our hands.
“Thank you so much to the Fleadh for taking me back for another year with LAMBING and to everyone involved in bringing the film to life, in particular the IMDb and Kildare ShortGrass Films Teams, Producer Mo O’Connell, Cinematographer Richard Kendrick, Simon and Ashley McDermott who kindly let us short in their home, our cracking cast and crew, and Ruth Treacy of Tailored Films who was my mentor through Screen Skills Ireland throughout the shoot.”
–– Writer Director & WFT Member Katie McNeice
“We’re delighted to be bringing our short film LAMBING to the Fleadh this year. We had a wonderful experience shooting in Kildare last year and were very fortunate to work with many local crew who helped us bring the film to fruition. Many thanks to Lucina Russell and her Team at ShortGrass Films for their continued support. We are very proud of the film we have produced and can’t wait to share it with audiences in Galway.”
–– Producer & Fellow Member Mo O’Connell
Katie McNeice’s other work includes the ZeBBie-Nominated IN ORBIT, WHALE FALL and FOCAIL BAILE CROI, which was recently awarded the 2022 Screen Kerry Short Film Bursary. Her debut feature screenplay WHO WE LOVE which she co-wrote with Graham Cantwell recently earned her an IFTA Nomination for Best Script Film and the Rising Talent Award at the Kerry International Film Festival.
McNeice’s upcoming features include coming-of-age drama THE DEEPEST BREATH which is in development with Wild Atlantic Pictures, and which she’s adapting from the LGBT children’s novel from Meg Grehan. She is also set to direct New Stage Films’ neo noir thriller NORTH OF NOWHERE written by Sam Ulemann and produced by Juliane Wothe. Katie is represented by Jasmine Daines Pilgrem of Lisa Richards Creatives.
Mo O’Connell is an award-winning filmmaker and founder of production company 3 Hot Whiskeys. Her work includes the recently wrapped BRUISE, Screen Kerry Commissioned short HAVEN and Screen Ireland funded short HUM. She is developing the feature film FAIR GAME based on her short film GIRLS, via the Screen Ireland Spotlight Scheme with co-writer & WFT Member Gemma Creagh. Mo’s Screen Skills mentor is Emma Norton of Element Pictures.
