EXCLUSIVE: UK sales agent Bankside has boarded Irish filmmaker Dallan Shovlin’s directorial debut You’ll Never Believe Who’s Dead, starring Ardal O’Hanlon, Michelle Fairley and Simone Kirby, and unveiled a first look.
Peter Claffey, Ruth Codd (who recently appeared in The Celebrity Traitors), Jacob McCarthy and Stephen Rea also star, with Bankside introducing the Christmas heist film to buyers at the European Film Market (EFM).
As an Irish family reunite for Christmas, talk turns to a local robbery. After discussing how they could do a better job, they accidentally put their theory to the test.
Producers are Kneecap collaborators Trevor Birney of Fine Point Films and Patrick O’Neill of Wildcard, alongside Olly Butler of Orb Films. Anna Mannion and Sam Atwell from Tri-Moon Films are co-producers. Butler and Birney produced Lisa Barros D’Sa and Glenn Leyburn’s football drama Saipan, also sold by Bankside.
The feature shot in Ireland and is in post-production. Financiers are Screen Ireland, Yellow Moon, BCP Asset Management, UK Global Screen Fund, and Northern Ireland Screen.
”You’ll Never Believe Who’s Dead is Ireland’s first cynical Christmas comedy film,” said Shovlin, who worked as a second assistant director on Kneecap. ”I was drawn to aspects of how we show up for each other at Christmas. The way in which families communicate their needs, or don’t, at this most vulnerable time of year. The key to a good comedy is that no one realises they’re in one, and that became our north star. I’m incredibly proud of the cast and crew who trusted this story and worked so hard to bring it to life.”
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