A new Irish feature film FRÉWAKA (from the Irish word Fréamhacha, meaning Roots) is beginning production in Ravensdale, Co. Louth, Ireland today, Monday 22nd May.
Written and directed by Aislinn Clarke, the horror film stars Clare Monnelly (Doineann, Moone Boy), IFTA-winner Bríd Ní Neachtain (Best Actress Film 2023 for Rosie and Frank) and Ukrainian actress Alexandra Bystrzhitskaya (F20).
FRÉWAKA follows the story of Shoo (Monnelly) a student palliative care nurse who is plagued by a trauma from her past that has a disorienting effect on her present – her relationship, her career and her ability to function.
“I’m thrilled to be shooting Fréamhacha in Carlingford, where my grandmother grew up, and in Ravensdale, where my family spent many Sundays in the mountains. This film is an original take on Irish folklore and contemporary Ireland, exploring the tension that exists between past and present, the personal and the public. It’s a pleasure to work with Doubleband and Wildcard on this Cine4 project, bringing together Clare Monnelly and the legendary Bríd Ní Neachtain as our principal cast.”
Aislinn Clare, Writer/Director
Clarke holds the Academy of Motion Picture and Sciences Gold Fellowship 2020. Her feature film The Devils Doorway, which was the first Irish horror to be directed by an Irish female filmmaker, played at many international festivals and earned Aislinn a Screen International Rising Star Award nomination.
FRÉWAKA is produced by Dermot Lavery for DoubleBand Films (Doineann, Road) and Patrick O’Neill for Wildcard (Black 47, The Hole In The Ground), with Greg Martin acting as Executive Producer for Screen Ireland.
The film was developed through the Cine4 scheme and funded by Screen Ireland, TG4, Coimisiún na Meán (formerly the BAI) with the Television Licence Fee, and Section 481. The Cine4 scheme previously developed the Academy Award nominated The Quiet Girl.
DoubleBand Films is an award-winning Belfast based production company with a 30-year track record for making quality factual programmes and feature films with distinctive storytelling, while Wildcard is Ireland’s leading independent film distributor, that has just celebrated 10 years in business and has recently expanded its business to include film production.
International sales rights for FRÉWAKA are being represented by Wildcard.
Doineann is a superb film. Great to see this film being made and more full homegrowns coming to our screens. Looking forward to seeing more being made. Can’t wait to see Small Things Like These on the big screen – soon, I hope.
Patricia Twomey