Two Irish productions, Christine Molloy and Joe Lawlor’s Rose Plays Julie and Malgorzata Szumowska’s The Other Lamb, have been announced as part of the Official Competition line-up for the 2019 BFI London Film Festival.
Both films join a selection of 10 films, representing 16 countries that will compete for the Best Film Award. Of these 10 films, 60% of the selected productions are directed or co-directed by women, with both Irish films deriving from either a female director or co-director.
Rose Plays Julie, a drama/thriller will receive its World Premiere in London this October. The Irish/UK co-production, produced by Samson Films and Desperate Optimists, stars Ann Skelly, Aiden Gillen and Orla Brady, and is a frank, immersive and gripping feminist drama.
During a term studying animal euthanasia, veterinary student Rose (Ann Skelly) decides to contact Ellen (Orla Brady), the birth mother who gave her up for adoption. But Ellen, who is now a successful London-based actress, doesn’t want to know. Undeterred, Rose will not be ignored and curiosity leads her to discoveries that shake the fragile identity she has built for herself.
An Irish-Belgian co-production, The Other Lamb will join the BFI line-up after it receives its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival this September. The film also marks Silver Bear-winning Polish director Malgorzata Szumowska’s English language debut.
Produced by Subotica Productions and shot on location in Ireland, The Other Lamb is written by Australian screenwriter Catherine S McMullen and stars Raffey Cassidy (Vox Lux), Michiel Huisman (Game of Thrones) and Denise Gough (Paula).
Pegged as a haunting and nightmarish tale, The Other Lamb centres on a young girl born into an alternative religion known as the Flock that consists of an all-female congregation led by a charismatic preacher known only as Shepherd. The film follows its protagonist as she grows skeptical of the preacher’s leadership and challenges him following a supernatural event.
Both Irish projects are supported by Screen Ireland.
Films Selected for LFF 2019 Official Competition:
Rose Plays Julie (Ire-UK)
Dirs: Christine Molloy, Joe Lawlor
The Other Lamb (Ire-Bel-US)
Dir: Małgorzata Szumowska
Lingua Franca (US)
Dir: Isabel Sandoval
Moffie (SA-UK)
Dir: Oliver Hermanus
Monos (Col-Arg-Neth-Ger-Swe-Uru-US)
Dir: Alejandro Landes
The Perfect Candidate (Ger-Saud)
Dir: Haifaa Al Mansour
Saint Maud (UK)
Dir: Rose Glass
Fanny Lye Deliver’d (UK-Ger)
Dir: Thomas Clay
Honey Boy (US)
Dir: Alma Har’el
La Llorona (Guat-Fr)
Dir: Jayro Bustamente