A recent terror alert in Prague has halted production on the 25 minute Irish-Czech co-production ‘Mrs. Friendly’. The short, set in Ireland and Prague, began shooting last month with Irish actors Sara James (Boy Eats Girl and The Big Bow Wow) and Richard Wall (Anton) in the cast.
Debut director Declan Cassidy tells IFTN the shoot on the Arts Council funded short has been “progressing well”. However, a terror threat, described by Czech Interior Minister Ivan Langer as "unprecedented in the history of the Czech Republic" has production company Timesnap seeking alternative locations here in Ireland for as many of the Czech scenes as possible.
"We've postponed shooting in the Prague until the situation is clarified," said Cassidy. "In the meantime we've decided to film a number of scenes originally planned for Czech Republic here at home instead. There is no reason to expose our cast and crew to unnecessary risk."
Shooting on a micro-budget, ‘Mrs Friendly’ tells the story of a young married couple, Robert (Richard Wall) and Jessica (Berni McLaughlin), and the silent crisis in their marriage brought about by Robert's cyber-affair with Czech woman Jarka (Corina Grant). The situation comes to a head when Robert, on the pretext of a business trip, flies to Prague to consumate his internet affair. However, Jessica's forceful friend, Beck (Sara James), has seen through his deception.
Cassidy has previously directed documentaries in India and South America that include 'War on Waste' (2002) and most recently 'The Crew Cut'.
