Irish actor Eva Birthistle’s feature directorial debut, Kathleen Is Here, and short film A Simple Killing, directed by Jason Branagan, will have their world premieres at Raindance Film Festival.
Kathleen Is Here, written and directed by Eva Birthistle (Bad Sisters), will have its world premiere at Raindance Film Festival later today. Birthistle will take part in a Q&A moderated by actor Andrew Scott (Ripley). The Irish actor’s feature directorial debut stars Hazel Doupe (You Are Not My Mother), Clare Dunne (Kin), Peter Coonan (King Frankie), Aaron Monaghan (Redemption of a Rogue), and Liadán Dunlea (The Doll Factory).
The feature follows 18 year old Kathleen, fresh out of foster care, as she returns to her hometown to take ownership of her deceased mother’s house. Alone and seeking a maternal figure, she sets out on a destructive path to find one.
Founded in 1992, Raindance is the largest independent film festival in the UK. Films that have had their UK premieres at the festival include What's Eating Gilbert Grape, The Blair Witch Project, and Memento. Over the years, the festival has hosted guests and filmmakers such as Christopher Nolan, Terry Gilliam, Ken Loach, Quentin Tarantino, and Faye Dunaway.
Irish short film A Simple Killing will premiere at the Raindance Film Festival in London on Friday 28th June. The short was written by Mark Conway, directed by Jason Branagan, and funded by the Offaly Film Bursary. Emer Durcan (Western Front Studios) and Mark de Carreau (Five Line Films) produced the short.
A Simple Killing follows a Vietnamese woman named Mai (Daphne Cheung) in rural Offaly who is contemplating suicide. However, her plans take an unexpected turn when a distressed pregnant girl, Anna (Claire Gavin), seeks refuge from her abusive partner (Aidan O’Callaghan).
Raindance Film Festival 2024 runs June 19th - 28th in London.
