Public screening of new Co. Tipperary detective film takes place in Carrick-on-Suir this week

A public screening of a new detective film written, shot and directed in Carrick-on-Suir takes place at Brewery Lane Theatre in the town on Saturday, February 23. 

If Anyone Asks... is a missing person mystery  film featuring a cast of 16 local actors including AIMS Award winning actress and singer Irene Malone. 

It's the Tudor Artisan Hub's most ambitious film project to date and was made in association with Writing Changes Lives.  The project received Culture Night 2018 funding from the   Department of Culture, Heritage and  Gaeltacht and Creative Ireland Programme in partnership with Tipperary Co, Council. The Tudor Artisan Hub also funded  the project. 

The   first  screening of the short film took place at Brewery Lane last Saturday night. The private screening was attended by the cast, writers, directors, production team, their friends and family and was very well received. 

The film could more accurately be called a mini-series as it's divided into six chapters written by six different screen writers. 

Its plot centres on the disappearance of a woman, who is an artist, at the launch of her art exhibition. The exhibition is set in  the Nano Nagle Community Resource Centre in Carrick-on-Suir. 

The cast members range in ages from 9 to 70. They are a mix of experienced actors from  Brewery Lane Drama Group and Carrick-on-Suir Musical Society as well as some new to the acting. 

The cast includes: Eugene O'Keeffe, Catherine Whelan, Irene Malone, Walter Dunphy, Breege Phelan, Will McLellan, Sheenagh Raggett, Aibhlin Ní Shé, David Shee, Tadgh McLoughin, Finn McLoughlin, Ruaidhrí Lynch, Ellen Foley, Tommy Kennedy, Ruairí Connell and Laura Regan. Maria Clancy was the film's acting director.  Piltown based artist Tony Oakey did the film's artwork. 

Twenty-four year-old Patrice Cooney, who co- directed the film with  Rehan Ali, said Tudor Artisan Hub founder Linda Fahy wanted to do a film in collaboration with  Margaret O'Brien, who runs the Writing Changes Lives creative writing workshops and Brewery Lane Writers Festival. 

 Five of the Writing Changes Lives writers  Maura Barrett, Joe Whelan, Theresa Ryan, Lorna Grant and Daragh McLoughlin wrote  scripts for the film.  The finished scripts were put together into a unified story and Rehan Ali wrote the final sixth chapter. 

Patrice, who is from Carrickbeg, Carrick-on-Suir, said  the film was shot over a period of a week in Carrick-on-Suir last summer.  

Two chapters of the mini-series were ready to be shown at Culture Night in Carrick-on-Suir last September. 

Patrice and Rehan  spent the past six months editing to  create the final film.  

"Each episode of the film has a different tone because they were each written by a different writer. I edited three of the chapters and Rehan edited the other three and you can see the artistic differences," she explained. 

She is pleased and relieved with the audience reaction the film received at the private screening  last Saturday.

 "I am very happy to see everyone was happy with it. It's always nerve-racking the first time a film is shown. I would be confident showing it again now because of the reception it got." 

Tickets for the public screening of If Anyone Asks... at Brewery Lane Theatre cost €10 and can be booked by contacting the Tudor Artisan Hub at  Main St., Carrick-on-Suir at (051) 640921.  #

The film, which is rated PG 13, starts at 8.15pm and there will be refreshments and music entertainment by The Wood of O duo Breege Phelan and Will McLellan.