Birr short film ‘Whale’ hits international stage as feature takes shape

Filmmaker Lorna Fitzsimons has brought her short film 'Whale' to international audiences, with the film going live on Omeleto.com on Tuesday, February 17.

The seven-minute film, starring Birr-born actress Maura Foley and Dane Whyte-O’Hara, explores how violence echoes through families and institutions, asking difficult questions about judgment, responsibility, and survival.

The project was originally produced by Martha O’Neil of Wildfire Films, whose tragic passing last year affected the team profoundly.

“Her estate very kindly signed the rights over to me, and I’m now working with a new production company,” Fitzsimons said.

The short was written by Ben Conway and funded by Film Offaly, with line producer Gary Hoctor, director of the Offline Film Festival, helping to coordinate the largely local crew.

Fitzsimons said the support from the community in Birr was vital to bringing the film to life.

“Birr is a great filmmaking town. Because of the festival, there’s a strong local filmmaking community, and the town really welcomed us. People were incredibly generous with their spaces and homes, especially considering we were filming during COVID. Even with lockdowns and delays, the support from the town made a huge difference. Because Gary is a local, doors were opened to us, and people really understood the process."

The film has screened at numerous international festivals, having received nominations and awards for its bold storytelling and performances. Fitzsimons said that audiences respond strongly to the material.

“People often tell me their own stories after watching it, and I’ve heard some very difficult, personal experiences. Even backlash is interesting," she said.

"My job as a filmmaker isn’t to judge the characters but to start conversations. If people are talking about it - arguing, questioning, reflecting - then the film is doing what it’s meant to do,” she said.

While the short film has already achieved international recognition, Fitzsimons is now developing a feature-length version of Whale, supported by Screen Ireland and Western Front Studios.

“I’ve written the feature version, and we hope to shoot next year, depending on funding. The script is in a really good place after workshops in Berlin and Mexico, and with guidance from my mentor,” she said.

“We want to make sure the feature captures the nuance and emotion of the short and reaches an even wider audience. Being able to work on the feature is really exciting; it has been a long journey since the short, and I am thrilled to take the story further.”