Altitude has acquired the UK distribution rights and international sales on Beards, whilst Irish distribution company Wildcard Distribution will handle the Irish release of the project.
The feature boasts a strong Irish cast lead by IFTA nominee Fionn O’Shea (Handsome Devil, Siege of Jadotville) and Lola Pettigrew (A Bump Along The Way), who recently won the 2019 Bingham Ray New Talent Award at the Galway Film Fleadh. Barry Ward (Extra Ordinary, Maze) and Sharon Horgan (Catastrophe, Game Night) are also set to star in the film.
O’Shea and Petticrew play two closeted teenagers in mid-90s Ireland, who decide to stage a relationship in order to stop everyone speculating about their sexuality. Beards is Freyne’s second feature film after his debut The Cured- a unique take on the zombie-horror genre starring Sam Keeley, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor and Ellen Page.
The feature was developed and financed by Screen Ireland with Atomic 80 Productions and Wrong Men in Belgium, and is produced by Rachael O’Kane (The Cured) and John Keville (The Hole In The Ground).
Beards recently finished production following a five-week shoot in Ireland.