Principal photography is a week in on the feature ‘Wide Open Spaces’ penned by Arthur Mathews (Father Ted), directed by Tom Hall (Bachelors Walk) and starring Ewen Bremner (Fool’s Gold), Ardal O’Hanlon (Father Ted) and Owen Roe (Alarm).
‘Wide Open Spaces’ is a belated coming of age comedy set in a remote part of Ireland about two slackers working to pay off a debt by helping to build a Famine Theme Park for a dodgy local entrepreneur. With a classic double-act at the centre, ‘Wide Open Spaces’ is a unique take on male friendship and how it is easier to break up with a girl than with your best friend.
‘Wide Open Spaces’ is an international co-production between Irish company Grand Pictures (Spin the Bottle, Stew, Paths to Freedom) and Scottish company Mead Kerr (Night People). Cinematographer is Tim Fleming (Once). The film is being funded by Bord Scannain na hEireann (The Irish Film Board), Scottish Screen, RTÉ and BBC Scotland. Entertainment One are handling world sales.
Post Production will take place in Scotland with Scottish crew also involved in the shoot in Ireland. ‘Wide Open Spaces’ is the first of three projects that Scottish Screen has committed to invest in alongside the Irish Film Board; the other projects will shoot in Scotland. “Scottish Screen is delighted to be entering into what we hope will be a sustained partnership,” said Carole Sheridan, Head of Talent & Creativity at Scottish Screen.
Simon Perry, Chief Executive, Bord Scannán na hEireann/the Irish Film Board commented on the buoyancy of local film production saying "Wide Open Spaces is one of three feature films in production this week. ‘Perrier's Bounty’ directed by Ian Fitzgibbon and starring Cillian Murphy, and ‘One Hundred Mornings’ directed and written by Conor Horgan have also started production indicating that the high levels of Irish film production experienced this year are being maintained. This year IFB-funded film and television projects contributed an estimated total of over €70 million to the Irish economy, showing a significant return on government investment in this sector."
Paul Donovan of Grand Pictures commented: “This is a very funny script with great comic talent attached. We believe Wide Open Spaces will make audiences laugh out loud at the absurdity of all our lives.”
