'Jimmy’s Hall' – probably Ken Loach’s final feature film and a spiritual successor to ‘The Wind that Shakes the Barley’ – is now halfway through principal photography in Leitrim and Sligo, according to Loach’s longtime producer Rebecca O’Brien.
Ms O’Brien of Sixteen Films spoke to IFTN this week for an update on the production, which follows Leitrim socialist Jim Gralton in 1932 as he re-opens his dance hall, which doubles as a meeting point for his political activities.
Abbey theatre actor Barry Ward plays the title role, alongside Simone Kirby; IFTA-winning ‘Sherlock’ actor Andrew Scott; Brían F. O’Byrne who will play Nidge’s Garda antagonist in ‘Love/Hate’ season 4; and a large ensemble of supporting actors drawn from the local communities.
The film is scripted by Paul Laverty, whose screenwriting credits include such films as 'The Wind that Shakes the Barley', 'Route Irish' and 'Looking for Eric'.
Ms O’Brien, how is the shoot going so far and can you tell us a bit about some of the locations you’ve been using?
‘We’ve been very lucky in that we’ve had the right weather to match what we’ve been filming. Although the weather in the rest of Ireland has been quite good, it was sort of mixed in Sligo and Leitrim which actually suited us! We’re filming all over North Leitrim and Sligo. We built Jimmy’s Hall near Dromahair, which is where most of the filming is taking place. We’ve also been filming this week in a church in Collooney and an area near Ballymote called Newpark. We’ve been filming in Manorhamilton as well. So we’ve been all over the place within a 30-mile-radius.’
How do you and Ken Loach feel to be back filming in Ireland?
‘He’s been enjoying it very much! We all are. There are quite a number of us who were on ‘The Wind That Shakes the Barley’ and for me and Ken, this is our third film in Ireland. It’s my fourth. We did ‘Hidden Agenda’, which was up in the North and a little bit in the South. And then I did a TV series in Dunmore East in Waterford - ‘Echoes’ the Maeve Binchy book, back in the 80s. So we’re basically working our way around Ireland!’
Which crew members have returned from ‘The Wind That Shakes the Barley’?
‘There are a lot of crew who worked on ‘Barley’ and people we take with us wherever we go - people we’ve picked up in Ireland and Scotland.
Eimer Ni Mhaoldomhnaigh is the costume designer again. We have the same sound recordist, assistant director, script supervisor and many others. Our previous trainee on camera is now the focus puller.’
Are there any standout scenes in the film you can discuss?
‘Every scene is a standout scene! We did some big dancing sequences on Tuesday. It was a long day filming traditional dance and jazz dance. There was a bit of singing too, which was fantastic! We’ve had a lot of local people learning to dance for us. There are several local people who are acting in the film as well - some who are experienced actors and some who have never done it before. They are quite local to the area and in a number of key roles, so that’s really nice as well.’
One such local, according to the Leitrim Observer, is Aileen Henry from Killenummery who plays Jimmy Gralton’s mother and has never acted on stage or screen before. Other cast members include Sorcha Fox, Aileen Henry, Conor McDermottroe and Mikel Murfi.
Are there any battles in the film like ‘The Wind That Shake the Barley’?
No, it’s not a war film. It takes place in the year or two after Jimmy comes back to Ireland from New York.
What’s Barry Ward like in the main role as Jimmy Gralton?
‘Well, I wouldn’t be telling you that, would I? Haha! The cast are terrific and we’re really thrilled by all the cast. There’s a good ensemble in the film and that’s the main thing. It’s very much about the group. We’re delighted with all of them.’
Is it true that ‘Jimmy’s Hall’ will be Ken Loach’s final film?
‘It will probably be his last major feature, but it’s very likely that we will go on to make some more documentaries and other sorts of stuff. But this will be his last big feature.’
When do you expect to wrap filming?
‘We hope to finish in the last week in September. I would say the film will come out in early Summer next year, so we’ll see how it goes.
And then submit it for film festival consideration? Cannes must be excited to see it after ‘The Wind That Shakes the Barley’ won the Palmes d-Or…
‘If they want it! I would not like to tempt any fate in these departments! We’ll see if we’re lucky enough to get into there. It’s always a long shot but it’s great when it happens.’
Ms O’Brien, thanks very much for taking the time to talk to IFTN today.
Rebecca O’Brien was nominated for a Bafta award for ‘The Navigators’, which she shared with Ken Loach, and counts among her producing credits such Loach-directed films as ‘Route Irish’, ‘Looking for Eric’ and ‘The Wind That Shakes the Barley’.
‘Jimmy’s Hall’ is a Sixteen Films, Element Pictures, Why Not Productions and Wild Bunch production, supported by the Irish Film Board, BFI and Film4.
