"A Nightingale Falling" likely to hit cinema screens in 2014

Published: Wed 9 Oct 2013, 4:17 PM

Last updated: Wed 9 Oct 2013, 5:20 PM

A low-budget film shot mostly in Daingean last summer by a local company is likely to reach cinema screens next year, the Offaly Independent has learned.

“A Nightingale Falling” was shot in July by the Daingean-based company Mixed Bag Media. Director Garret Daly said he’ll be looking for a distributor following post-production work, but hopes to get a cinema release for the film in 2014.

Mixed Bag Media released the first official teaser trailer of the movie last Thursday, October 3, and it has already attracted thousands of views on Youtube.

“A Nightingale Falling” is the tale of two sisters who care for a wounded soldier during the War of Independence, and the resulting tragedy.

Based on the novel by PJ Curtis, the film stars Tara Breathnach (The Last Days of Anne Boleyn, The Tudors), Muireann Bird (Rough Diamond, Jack Taylor: The Magdalen Martyrs) and Gerard McCarthy (The Fall) in principal roles and period costume design by Meritta Gorman-Geoghegan.

It also features locals in supporting roles as well as local extras in scenes including an ambush scene.

In all, taking a cast of 15, extras, crew and others into account, Garret says something in the region of 70-100 people were involved in what was very much a community project.

“There’s been huge community involvement,” he said, adding that the donation of numerous props helped the film’s 1920s setting be believable. As part of the filming Brady’s shop in Daingean was even re-built to how it would have been in that earlier decade.

“A Nightingale Falling” comes on the back of recent successes for Mixed Bag Media including the canal documentary “A Grand Experience”. The change in direction wasn’t easy however, particularly due to the spell of extremely hot weather filming was done in.

“It was incredibly hot, and everyone was in old clothing,” Garret explained, adding that the discomfort was added to as the story spanned a year and characters at points had to wear winter gear. “It wasn’t easy, but we worked through it,” he said.

Last week’s trailer is a great way to introduce locals to the movie they all want to see succeed, Garret said.

Post-production work is scheduled to take up until next March or April, however tentative plans are already being made with a view to cinema distribution for the film.

Interested readers can keep up to date with “A Nightingale Falling” at www.facebook.com/anightingalefalling.

You can check out the film's first official teaser trailer here: