Production begins in Ireland this week on Fréwaka, a horror film written and directed by Aislinn Clarke.
The feature stars Clare Monnelly (Moone Boy), Bríd Ní Neachtain (The Banshees of Inisherin and a recent IFTA winner for Róise & Frank), and Ukrainian actress Aleksandra Bystrzhitskaya (F20).
Fréwaka follows the story of a student palliative care nurse, played by Monnelly, 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.
Fréwaka will be told in both Irish and English. The title originates from the Irish word fréamhacha, meaning roots.
Clarke holds the Academy of Motion Picture and Science’s Gold Fellowship 2020, which supports emerging female filmmakers. Her feature film The Devil’s Doorway was the first Irish horror to be directed by an Irish female filmmaker.
Fréwaka is produced by Dermot Lavery for DoubleBand Films and Patrick O’Neill for Wildcard, with Greg Martin acting as executive producer for Screen Ireland.
International sales rights for Fréwaka are being represented by Wildcard.
Production on the feature will take place in Ravensdale and Carlingford in Co Louth.
The film was developed through Ireland’s Cine4 scheme which backs original films in the Irish language.
Features previously developed under the Cine4 scheme include The Quiet Girl, which was nominated for Best International Feature at the 2023 Academy Awards.
Speaking about the film, writer-director Aislinn Clarke said: “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.”
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