Irish director Steven O’Riordan and producer Adrian Devane will travel to New York next week to begin filming their documentary ‘No Limbs No Limits’.
The pair received a development fund from the Irish Film Board (IFB) last week to cover production costs, and plan to film from next Monday (April 23) to Thursday April 26 in New York, which will be followed by filming in Cork from May until August.
The documentary is especially close to Steven O’Riordan’s heart as it captures his 15 year-old sister Joanne, who was born with no limbs, and her journey to New York to give a keynote speech at the United Nation’s International Telecommunication Union (ITU). Joanne will discuss how technology has helped advance her education and social environment.
Steven promises the documentary will show people with disabilities in a positive light, and will have a lasting effect on how people with disabilities are perceived. He plans to include scenes with a young boy who has a similar disability to Joanne, in order to give the documentary a global connection. “I want the documentary to be of global interest. It has to have an international feel,” says Steven.
The IFB awarded ‘No Limbs No Limits’ €8,000 in the form of a development loan, which Steven hopes will cover all production costs from filming to editing of a teaser trailer. “It’s fantastic that the IFB are supporting it. With the funding it gives us more freedom to present our own story. New York will give our funders a good indication of what I want the documentary to end up like.”
Julie Gold, the New York-based singer/songwriter best known for her hit ‘From a Distance’ released in 1991, will provide the soundtrack for ‘No Limbs No Limits’. Steven plans a theatrical release in Irish cinemas when post production on the documentary is complete. He plans to use a Dublin-based post house but as of yet has not finalised the details.
‘No Limbs No Limits’ will be Steven’s second foray into filmmaking, with his debut ‘The Forgotten Maggies’ having received its Irish premiere on TG4 last year. This documentary charted the human rights issues surrounding the Magdalene Laundries in Ireland, and was completely self-funded by Steven and co-producer Ger Boland.
Producer Adrian Devane, of 2000AD Productions in Galway, will also executive produce ‘BB agus Bella’ this year, the Irish language animation that is based on the first ever Irish-speaking toy teddy bear Bábógbaby ‘BB agus Bella’ received funding from the BAI Sound & Vision Scheme II in March.
