SHOT in Kildimo County Limerick, IFTA-winning short film Calf, directed by Jamie O’Rourke and produced by Mid West studio Carbonated Comet, has made for cut for the list of Oscar-qualifying films.
The short horror film details a grim accident on a farm which leaves young protagonist Cáit facing an impossible choice, one that pulls her into the dark heart of family trauma all set against an isolated backdrop in rural Ireland.
Founded by Limerick man Ronan Cassidy and Greg Burrowes, Carbonated Comet also produced the 2023 horror short You’re Not Home, funded by the Film in Limerick Engine Short Film Bursary.
With production deeply tied to the Mid West region, Calf demonstrates the depth of the local talent across Limerick and the Mid West.
“90 percent of the crew and cast were from Limerick, so it’s an incredible kind of success, I suppose, for the up-and-coming filmmakers of the region,” Carbonated Comet co-founder Ronan Cassidy said. “When I was growing up, there was nothing like this.”
Calf has already caught the attention of major festivals, winning a qualifying award at the Huesca International Film Festival to earn its place for consideration at the 97th Academy Awards.
Isabelle Connolly (God’s Creatures) delivers a gut-wrenching performance as Cáit, a role that positions her as a rising star in Irish cinema, alongside veterans like the Dubliner Kate Nic Chonaonaigh (An Cailín Ciúin/The Quiet Girl).
“At the moment, we’re just kind of campaigning and trying to get as many Academy voters to view us so that they vote for it in November,” Ronan Cassidy told the Limerick Post.
“It’s in the long list, so there’s about 150 shorts, and then hopefully it gets into the short list which is 15.”
The Limerick-made film has also been featured at Oscar-qualifying festivals such as Palm Springs, Melbourne, Busan, and Brussels.
“These things are bloody expensive to make, but then they’re even more bloody expensive to promote and get out there,” joked of the films international success.
The final nominations for the 97th Academy Awards will be released on January 17, 2025.
