Irish-American actor Aidan Quinn and American actress Taylor Schilling are in Galway this week where production is underway on Samson Films’ latest feature ‘Stay’.
Quinn, who was born in Chicago to Irish parents, was partly raised in Ireland and has shot a number of Irish films throughout his 28-year career. These include IFTA-winning 'Eclipse', for which Quinn took home the Actor in a Supporting Role award in 2010, and 2003’s ‘Song For a Raggy Boy’, which was filmed in Dublin, Cork and Spain, and directed by Irish filmmaker Aisling Walsh (Wallander).
Quinn also starred alongside Liam Neeson in Neil Jordan’s 1996 biopic ‘Michael Collins’, as well as taking the lead in his brother Paul Quinn’s 1998 feature ‘This Is My Father’, which is set in 1930’s Ireland.
Schilling is best known for playing Zac Efron’s (17 Again) love interest in Scott Hicks’ romantic drama ‘The Lucky One’, which came out in April of this year. This break out role paved the way for the 27-year-old to be cast in another lead role in Ben Affleck’s upcoming thriller ‘Argo’, due for release this October.
'Stay' is based on the novel of the same name by Vancouver-based writer Aislinn Hunter. Viewers will see Schilling's character move back home to Canada after discovering the father of her unborn baby has no interest in raising the child.
German director Wiebke von Carolsfeld (Marion Bridge) is helming ‘Stay’, while Dublin’s Samson Films is co-producing with Canadian-based production companies Amerique Films and Submission Films.
David Collins and Martina Niland are producing for Samson, with Martin Paul-Haus producing for Amerique Films and Andrew Boutilier for Submission Films. Ronald Plante (Monsieur Lazhar), also from Canada, is the director of photography, with John Hand (True North, Eden) acting as production designer and Lara Campbell (My Brothers) as costume designer. John Brady of Solas Studios is the line producer.
The Galway production will move to Montreal next week for one week of filming, with it scheduled to wrap on July 14. Post-production will take place in Canada.
The film is financially supported by the Irish Film Board, Alliance Films, Telefilm Canada & Sodec (the film financing agency of Quebec). It received €300,000 from the IFB in the last round of funding.
