Paradise found and no film lost

by Rose Rushe

THE film-making scene hots up this Friday March 19, a beautiful day out in Thornfields, Ahane. This fine old property and demesne, home to several households of Haselbeck-Flynns, is location for ‘Lost and Found’ which is contract bound to honour a city shoot too.

Directed by Liam O’Neill of Carlow-based Paradox Productions, ‘Lost and Found’ is one of two winners of Film Limerick bursaries of €15,000 each, under Limerick  City of Culture auspices.

We hear from project manager Ronan Cassidy that the nub of this likeable tale is: ‘Charlie’s heart is in the right place now that he thinks he has found a way to help his grieving and struggling Mom. But when he petnaps local animals and claims the rewards, things don’t end up as he intended’.

Oh dear, whispered Pollyanna and as we know, no good will come of bad money. So what lies ahead for entrepreneurial Charlie (Lee O’Donoghue, age 10)? Caroline Morahan plays his bereaved Mom, Liam O’Brien is the good Fr Tom and Nigel Mercier is cast also.

Sign up for the weekly Limerick Post newsletter

Sign Up

Simon Maguire of LIT’s film course has volunteeed as editor, Sean Flynn is production manager. Film maker Gerry Stembridge has oversight of this work, as with co-winner Cashell Horgan’s ‘The Clock Maker’s Doll’ set for medieval Limerick, and The Trilogy Project.

Interestingly, Limerick Animal Welfare and Maxi Zoo Ireland are supplying live support to Charlie and indeed, his pocket that will or won’t fill with petnapping profit. Quite properly, Thornfields’ wide open spaces are rich in March hares and Easter rabbits.

Cassidy and crew are looking forward to seeing national and international reactions to the locations used. The young Ennis Road man, a professional in sound himself, makes clear that “I would like to thank the ‘Lost and Found’ team for their hard work and dedication over the last few months. Limerick City of Culture is delighted to be supporting the Film”.

Foonote: Neither director Liam O’Neill or producer Magdalena Puzmujzniak are drawing down a fee for this film.