Film Ireland Podcast

Presents: StarGAZE Participants Billy Buckley, Eleanor Rogers & Lewis Doherty

In today’s episode, we’re delighted to partner with the GAZE International LGBTQIA Film Festival and the National Talent Academy for Film & TV Drama to celebrate this year’s StarGAZE programme participants We’re joined by producer Billy Buckley, writer-director Eleanor Rogers, and producer-director Lewis Doherty to discuss their creative journeys, the projects they’re working on, and the impact StarGAZE has had on their careers so far. Listen now on SoundCloud, Apple, Spotify, Acast and Amazon, or subscribe to Film Ireland wherever you get your podcasts [https://www.filmireland.net/film-ireland-podcast/]. https://www.filmireland.net/podcast-in-conversation-with-stargaze-participants-billy-buckley-eleanor-rogers-lewis-doherty Billy Buckley Billy is an emerging queer producer from Galway focused on contemporary Irish and queer storytelling. With a background in live-action drama, his work explores identity and morality.He was casting director and production manager for Soulmate Wanted with Heritage (premiered at Rhode Island International Film Festival 2023) and production manager on Medicinal (Galway Film Fleadh 2024, “Best of Kerry” winner). His short Where Will We Go? explored the defective concrete crisis and screened at Disappear Here Film Festival before broadcast on Virgin Media. In 2024, he joined the National Talent Academies’ First Credit scheme, mentored by Maggie Ryan. His latest short Over the Moon, about a young trans man revisiting his past in the Burren, premiered at Dublin International Film Festival 2025. Billy also produces music videos for queer artists and works with Tiny Ark across commercial and documentary projects. Eleanor Rogers Eleanor is a queer writer, director, and photographer from Co. Louth. A First-Class Honours graduate of IADT, she wrote and directed Breastfriends (2018), which premiered at GAZE and won Best Irish Short before screening internationally. She was nominated for Best Under 25 Director at Underwire and has since directed music videos for artists including Elkae and PureGrand. In 2022, she was selected for Screen Ireland’s Spotlight TV Comedy scheme. In 2024, she was filmmaker-in-residence at An Táin, where she developed her debut feature Going Somewhere. Lewis Doherty Lewis Doherty is a queer Irish producer/director working across film, TV, and documentary. Starting in the camera department, they progressed to director of photography on indie and major productions including Dungeons and Dragons. Their directing work includes Pastor Ed, and documentaries such as It Takes a Village, When It Rains (Docs Ireland award winner), Viet-Glish, and Outlasting (BBC NI), selected for Docs Ireland and GAZE 2025. They have also worked on unscripted shows including Britain’s Got Talent, Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune. Lewis has participated in development programmes including Sheffield DocFest and Cork International Film Festival IGNITE Docs. They were runner-up at the 2024 Docs Ireland Feature Pitch and are a 2025 Celtic Media Festival finalist. They also mentor emerging talent and have worked with BFI Film Academy. National Talent Academy for Film & Television Drama Established in 2021, the NTA (an initiative of Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, managed by Ardán) supports emerging talent across Ireland. It provides training, mentorship, and career pathways for writers, directors, producers, and creatives, with a strong focus on regional and diverse voices. The Academy aims to remove barriers to entry and build a connected, inclusive screen industry. GAZE International LGBTQIA Film Festival Founded in 1992, GAZE is a cornerstone of Ireland’s LGBTQIA cultural landscape. Now internationally recognised, it showcases over 100 films annually alongside panels and events. The festival champions bold queer storytelling across genres, celebrating the full spectrum of LGBTQIA experiences while fostering a strong community of filmmakers and audiences. Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today. So make sure to subscribe and listen back! ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Presents: Colin McIvor, Director/Co-Writer of 'No Ordinary Heist'

In this Film Ireland Podcast, we’re delighted to be chatting with Colin McIvor, director and co-writer of No Ordinary Heist as the film arrives in cinemas across Ireland and the UK. Inspired by true events in Belfast in December 2004, No Ordinary Heist tells a gripping fictional story of two bank employees forced into a chilling scheme, orchestrating a £26.5 million robbery to save their families’ lives, while those behind it never set foot inside the bank. Taut, claustrophobic and immersive, the film stars Eddie Marsan, Éanna Hardwicke, Eva Birthistle and Michelle Fairley. We chat with the Colin about working across television and commercials, the importance of creative collaboration, and how he built tension and atmosphere in this high-stakes, emotionally driven story. This podcast has been made possible with the support of Screen Ireland’s Stakeholder’s Scheme. The film was produced by Ruth Carter, Damon Lane and Johanna Hogan for Picture Locked Productions and Next Wednesday Films with funding from Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, Northern Ireland Screen, RTÉ, Epic Pictures Group and Wildcard. The film is released theatrically in Ireland and the UK from Friday 27th March and will come to Sky Cinema as a Sky Original later in the year. Listen now on SoundCloud [https://soundcloud.com/film-ireland/presents-colin-mcivor-director], Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/presents-colin-mcivor-director-co-writer-of-no/id914998854?i=1000757900127], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/episode/4j737yHADom9b7LFvJcZAC] and Amazon [https://music.amazon.in/podcasts/e915d669-a7ff-44de-beef-b4024635c3d1/episodes/37114094-e999-4a06-b08e-ef8013d54c14/film-ireland-podcast-presents-colin-mcivor-director-co-writer-of-'no-ordinary-heist'], or subscribe to Film Ireland wherever you get your podcasts [https://www.filmireland.net/film-ireland-podcast/]. COLIN MCIVOR No Ordinary Heist marks Colin's third feature film, based on the remarkable £26.5m Northern Bank Robbery, and stars Eddie Marsan and Éanna Hardwicke. Its world premiere took place at Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2026, from which it went on to make its Irish premiere at Dublin IFF, followed by its UK premiere at the Glasgow IFF. It is due for theatrical release in theatres across the US, UK and Ireland in March 2026. Previously, Colin wrote and directed a number of award-winning short films. His debut feature film, Cup Cake, starring Michelle Fairley (Game of Thrones) and Clive Russell (Game of Thrones), won numerous international awards, including Best Feature at Rhode Island International Film Festival and the Audience Award at Belfast Film Festival. His second feature, Zoo, as writer/director, starring Toby Jones (The Hunger Games) and Dame Penelope Wilton (Downton Abbey), was released in US (Samuel Goldwyn) and UK (eOne) cinemas to great critical acclaim. Zoo went on to win its category at Seattle International Film Festival, Giffoni Film Festival, Filemon Int. Film Festival, Castellinaria Int. Film Festival and Doha Int. Film Festival. He has also directed numerous TV dramas, including, recently, the WW2 epic World on Fire (2023) for primetime BBC One. Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today. So make sure to subscribe and listen back! ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Presents: VFX Behind the Scenes with James Carson (Sony Imageworks) & Dean Koonjul & Noel O’Malley (Union VFX)

What does it take to create the visual worlds of modern cinema? Recorded on location at RENDR 2026 in Belfast, we catch up with CG & On-Set Supervisor Noel O’Malley and BAFTA-winning DFX Supervisor Dean Koonjul of Union VFX. With credits spanning Ex Machina to 28 Years Later and Poor Things, they discuss their exciting careers, creative collaboration, and the changing demands of high-end visual effects across film and TV. After, (at timecode 31:37) we speak to James Carson, CG Supervisor at Sony Pictures Imageworks, whose work includes KPop Demon Hunters and the upcoming feature Project Hail Mary starring Ryan Gosling. In this conversation, he reflects on his career journey from Belfast to supervising major international productions, sharing insights into working in animation and live-action, and working with teams on ambitious projects. This series of talks was recorded in The Spinners Mill Studio, a podcast and DJ studio based in Banana Block [https://bananablock.org/?ref=filmireland.net] offering tailored solutions for DJ sessions, small-scale events and podcasting from concept to final distribution. We are delighted to present a very special speaker series in partnership with RENDR Festival [https://www.rendrfestival.com/?ref=filmireland.net] and supported by the National Talent Academy for VFX [https://www.nationaltalentacademies.ie/vfx?ref=filmireland.net]. JAMES CARSON - CG SUPERVISOR James is a CG Supervisor at Sony Pictures Imageworks, most recently working on the global phenomenon KPOP Demon Hunters for Sony Pictures Animation and Netflix. Carson is currently supervising the live-action feature Project Hail Mary, directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and starring Ryan Gosling. His other CG Supervisor credits include the animated feature In Your Dreams and the Academy Award®-nominated Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Carson joined Imageworks in 2015 and has served as a Lighting TD and Lighting Lead, working on both animated and live-action projects. His additional Imageworks credits include: In Vaulted Halls Entombed, Mulan, the Academy Award®-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Smurfs: The Lost Village, The Angry Birds Movie 2, The Meg, and Alice Through the Looking Glass. Prior to Imageworks, Carson worked in various roles at Image Engine, ScanlineVFX, Prime Focus World, MPC, DNEG, and Zoic Studios. Carson is from Belfast, Northern Ireland. UNION VFX Headquartered in Soho, London with a sister company in Montréal, Union has established an unrivalled reputation for seamless invisible effects on a wide range of projects building strong creative relationships with really interesting directors including Danny Boyle, Susanne Bier, Martin McDonagh, Marjane Satrapi, Sam Mendes, Fernando Meirelles & Yorgos Lanthimos. The studio’s regular clients number some of the world’s top filmmakers, who return to Union time and again as a trusted technical partner and creative ally. The team works closely with clients throughout every phase of the creative process. Union has been the sole visual effects studio behind many prestigious film projects, including Three Billboards Outside, Ebbing Missouri, Florence Foster Jenkins, T2: Trainspotting, 127 Hours, Black Sea, The Two Popes, Radioactive, The Dig, Stan & Ollie, Mamma Mia! Here we go again, The Gentlemen, Empire of Light, The Banshees of Inisherin and Poor Things. Episodic projects include Black Mirror, The Regime, Moon Knight, Trust, The Third Day, The Irregulars, Pistol, The Undoing, Happy!, The Crown, Outlander, For All Mankind, The Wheel of Time, The Sandman, The Power and Slow Horses. A significant highlight on the Union roster saw the company joining Danny Boyle’s creative team to deliver the short films for the London 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony [https://www.unionvfx.com/work/london-2012/]. RENDR FESTIVAL This is a unique event [https://www.rendrfestival.com/?ref=filmireland.net] celebrating creative craft and artistry in a fully immersive two-day festival exploring the space between Creativity and Technology. Ignite your imagination with inspiring speakers from the worlds of Film, Gaming, Animation, Immersive, and more! Learn from the best, with 30+ creatives from the likes of Netflix, Pixar, Walt Disney Studios and Epic Games among others. Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today. So make sure to subscribe and listen back! ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Presents: Creative Producer Laura McNicholas, 'Spilt Milk'

https://www.filmireland.net/podcast-in-conversation-with-creative-producer-laura-mcnicholas-spilt-milk/In this Film Ireland Podcast, we’re delighted to be chatting with creative producer Laura McNicholas, as her film Spilt Milk hits cinemas across the country. Founder of 925 Productions, Laura has been doing exciting work developing and produces television drama and feature films. Following a series of acclaimed shorts and extensive work across the industry, now her debut feature, Spilt Milk, has enjoyed a successful festival run, picking up major awards including the MUBI Audience Award at the Glasgow Film Festival, the Golden Slipper for Best Film at the Zlín International Film Festival, and a top prize at the Olympia International Film Festival for Children and Young People, alongside many others. We chat with Laura about her career journey, bringing Spilt Milk to the screen, and her approach to developing strong, character-driven stories. Listen now on SoundCloud, Apple, Spotify, Acast and Amazon, or subscribe to Film Ireland wherever you get your podcasts [https://linktr.ee/filmireland?ref=filmireland.net]. https://www.filmireland.net/podcast-in-conversation-with-creative-producer-laura-mcnicholas-spilt-milk/ Spilt Milk In a gritty 1980s Dublin inner city neighbourhood, 11-year-old Bobby (Cillian Sullivan - Blue Moon) idolises TV detective Kojak and sets up a private eye agency with his best friend. However, when Bobby’s rebellious older brother goes missing, their investigations turn chillingly real — leading them into secrets and danger far beyond what children are ready to face. Nevertheless, Bobby’s brave, loving and inspirational Mother (Danielle Galligan -House Of Guinness) leads him through these tough times. The filmmaking team includes Cathal Watters (The Dry, Peaky Blinders, Foundation), director of photography; Shane McEnroe (Foundation, Abigail, Disenchanted), production designer; Gwen Jefferes Hourie (Sing Street, Abigail, I Kill Giants); Colin Monie (Hallam Foe, The Magdalene Sisters), editor; Scott Twynholm (Vanilla Sky) as composer and Áine O’Sullivan (The Tourist).   Spilt Milk is in cinemas from 20th March 2026. [https://www.filmireland.net/content/images/2026/03/Screenshot-2026-03-21-at-13.03.05-1.png] LAURA MCNICHOLAS Laura established and runs 925 Productions, which develops and produces television drama and feature films. Her debut feature, Spilt Milk, had its world premiere at the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival and was nominated for four Irish Film and Television Academy Awards, including Best Film and Best Director. Spilt Milk went on to win the MUBI Audience Award at the Glasgow Film Festival, the Golden Slipper for Best Film at the Zlín International Film Festival, and a top prize at the Olympia International Film Festival for Children and Young People. It also received audience awards at the Mediterranean Film Festival Split, the British & Irish Film Festival Luxembourg, and the Kerry International Film Festival. Further festival selections included its US premiere at the Chicago International Film Festival and a screening at Cinemagic International Film and Television Festival. Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today. So make sure to subscribe and listen back! ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Presents: Brendan Muldowney Director of One Last Deal, Pilgrimage, The Cellar

In this Film Ireland Podcast, supported by Screen Ireland, we’re delighted to be chatting once again with director Brendan Muldowney. An accomplished filmmaker, Brendan is the talent behind features such as Pilgrimage and The Cellar, and now his latest offering, One Last Deal, explores the high-stakes world of sports. Set against the ruthless backdrop of football politics, this is a fast-paced, pressure-cooker thriller, with Danny Dyer delivering a standout performance. Directed by Muldowney (Pilgrimage, The Cellar), the film sees Dyer (The Football Factory, Marching Powder, Rivals) take centre stage as Jimmy Banks, an old school football agent who desperately needs to get his troubled star footballer one last big payday before Jimmy’s life, and his player’s reputation, comes tumbling down. When the prospect of a major new deal with a promising young player appears, Jimmy sees a route to get himself back on top… but when a blackmailer calls and the shady dealings of his past resurface, can Jimmy keep calm and get the job done? Written by Peter Howlett and shot on location in Ireland last year, the film was produced by Paul Kennedy (Nightride) for Village Films, Richard Bolger (Father, Mother, Sister, Brother) for Hail Mary Pictures, and Patrick O’Neill (Kneecap) for Wildcard, with support from Screen Ireland / Fís Éireann and Northern Ireland Screen. Listen now on SoundCloud [https://soundcloud.com/film-ireland/presents-brendan-muldowney], Apple [https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/presents-brendan-muldowney-director-of-one-last-deal/id914998854?i=1000755795327], Spotify [https://open.spotify.com/episode/4IkRjn8uvJ1mkW2zCVwe33], Acast [https://shows.acast.com/film-ireland/episodes/69b9848f9472186e415a035d] and Amazon [https://music.amazon.in/podcasts/e915d669-a7ff-44de-beef-b4024635c3d1/episodes/10bc0db7-5a95-4204-a2d1-ce7980b8e421/film-ireland-podcast-presents-brendan-muldowney-director-of-one-last-deal-pilgrimage-the-cellar], or subscribe to Film Ireland wherever you get your podcasts [https://linktr.ee/filmireland?ref=filmireland.net]. BRENDAN MULDOWNEY Brendan is an Irish writer/director. After graduating from the National Film School/IADT he wrote and directed 9 award winning shorts. His debut feature Savage (2009) was nominated for 6 Irish Film and Television awards and he was nominated for the IFTA ‘Rising Star’ award. His second film, Love Eternal (2013) has played at over 80 festivals worldwide and was winner of the ‘Dublin critics circle’ award for best Irish film at the 2014 Dublin Film Festival. His film Pilgrimage (2017) starring Tom Holland, John Bernthal and Richard Armitage, premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival and sold to multiple territories, including the US (RLJ Entertainment) and the UK (Studio Canal). His last feature, The Cellar (2022), premiered at the SXSW film festival. It has made a theatrical box office of over 2 million worldwide and is streaming on Shudder and multiple platforms. He is represented by the Independent Talent Agency. He is one of the founders and co-owner of the Irish production company SAVAGE PRODUCTIONS. He has taught at the LIR, Huston School of Film, Filmbase, and mentors under the Screen Skills Ireland – Mentorship Programme. He lectures in directing. This episode has been made possible with the support of the Screen Ireland Stakeholders Fund. Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today. So make sure to subscribe and listen back! ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.