JohnCrowley's ensemble drama Intermission, which started shooting in Dublin on Aug31, has sealed a£550,000 ($863,000) investment from The Film Council's NewCinema Fund and a US distribution deal with IFC Films.

Crowley, anaward-winning theatre director whose latest play On An Average Day starring Woody Harrelson and KyleMacLachlan, is currently running in London's West End, makes his filmdebut on Intermission, a hard-hitting story of interweaving lives in Dublin.

It stars buddingIrish superstar Colin Farrell, Colm Meaney, Cillian Murphy, Kelly MacDonald andShirley Henderson. Stephen Woolley andNeil Jordan's Company Of Wolves produces, along with Alan Moloney's ParallelFilms. The film is written by Mark O'Rowe.

Co-funded by the Irish Film Board, Intermission will bereleased by Buena Vista International in the UK and Ireland.

"We are thrilled to besupporting a project as witty, smart and energetic as Intermission with such ahigh level of talent," said Paul Trijbits, head of the New Cinema Fund.Co-funding with the New Cinema Fund is the Irish Film Board.

IFC, which is thedistribution company behind current US indie smash My Big Fat Greek Wedding, has enjoyed success with Y Tu Mama Tambien from Mexico and Together from Sweden, although its marketing and distributionchief Bob Berney recently left the company to head up Newmarket CapitalGroup's new US distribution company Newmarket Films. The division isbeing overseen at present by IFC Entertainment president Jonathan Sehring.