Short film starring Rathowen actor to debut this weekend
An emotionally-charged 40-minute film starring a Westmeath native is to go on general release on YouTube this weekend. Beach Baby, starring Rathowen native Marie Devine, will appear on the video platform from 7pm on Saturday.
A daughter of Michael and Josephine Devine, Rathowen, and a former student of Loreto College, Mullingar, Marie features alongside her partner Shane Brohan in this short film directed by Matthew Killen.
Marie plays the role of Chloe, who learns that she is pregnant around the same time that her partner, Ethan, is diagnosed with cancer. The story charts the couple’s approaches to dealing with this double whammy of life-changing news.
“I’m kind of nervous waiting for people to see it, to be honest,” Marie told the Westmeath Examiner. “It’s a weird one. People are telling me they can’t wait to see it.
“I’m telling them to bring their tissues! It’s a very emotional one.”
Marie said that while the film had done its circuit of the festival market, at 40 minutes it was perhaps too long of a short film to “fit into the criteria for festivals”.
“It was never made for festivals though,” Marie adds. “The festivals were a plus. It was very much a personal project for Matthew, and a labour of love.
“He felt that it was time to let it out and to allow people to see it.”
Matthew, a native of Downpatrick, County Down, is setting up a link to Marie Curie UK, where donations can be made to those working with people who are terminally ill with cancer.
“We wanted to spread awareness about this, and we hope that the story resonates with somebody to the benefit of the Marie Curie Foundation,” Marie added.
Marie’s acting career is forging ahead after Beach Baby, and at the moment she is involved with an Irish sci-fi project entitled Nevermore.
Nevermore is the brainchild of Jay Cosgrave, who Marie first met while studying at the Irish Film Academy, and who she worked with as a stunt performer on the Netflix historical drama Vikings: Valhalla.
The short film, which was filmed in October and is slated for release this summer, is set 500 years into the future and follows the adventure of the crew of Nevermore.
The project – a rare funded by the Arts Council of Ireland, is produced by Clap ‘n Load Studios.
Stunt work is Marie’s “bread and butter”, and after a successful first season, Vikings: Valhalla resumes shooting at Ashford Studios in Wicklow.
“Everything depends on how Covid goes,” said Marie, who says that during lockdown, she’s been “trying not to go spare” and has been reading voraciously, writing and filing away ideas.
Looking to the future, Marie – a former member of staff at Mergon, Castlepollard – hopes to return to the stage at Dublin’s Smock Alley Theatre, and one day write and direct her own film.