Emerging Screenwriter Caroline Farrell Awarded Stowe Story Labs/Galway Film Fleadh Fellowship
Posted: 8th December 2022
Dublin-based screenwriter Caroline Farrell has been awarded a fellowship to attend the July 2023 Marketplace at the Galway Film Fair as a result of her success in the first annual Stowe Story Labs/Connemara Writers' Retreat this past October. Farrell will be presenting her horror feature Iona's House. This fellowship is made possible through a collaboration between Stowe Story Labs, Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland (Screen Ireland), Northern Ireland Screen, and the Galway Film Fleadh.
In alignment with the Stowe Launch model, the Stowe team will guide Farrell through the advanced script development process to help her prepare for the Marketplace. Steps will include further script notes; the development of ancillary materials such as a look book, one-pager, treatment, the budget, all as needed and appropriate; help developing and perfecting a pitch of the material; and help with researching and planning how to best use the time at the Marketplace.
Farrell is a top emerging screenwriter and filmmaker from Dublin. In 2022, she was awarded a Stowe Story Labs/Screen Ireland Fellowship in Screenwriting, and was a BBC Writers Room top 3% finalist. She is the writer/director of the 2018 short film, Framed, selected for screening at over 30 festivals worldwide and winning Best Short Horror Film at the Underground Cinema Film Festival. She wrote and co-produced the 2013 short film Adam and the 2015 multi-award-winning In Ribbons, the only Irish film to screen at the Women Deliver Global Conference in Copenhagen in 2016. During lockdown 2020, Farrell made an experimental short film HEART(h), which screened at The Little Cinema. She is the author of the novel, Lady Beth, which she adapted from her screenplay. It won a Best Novel Award at the Carousel Aware Prize Awards 2017, and was an Eric Hoffer Award Winner in 2019.
Farrell attended Stowe’s inaugural Connemara Writers’ Retreat as a Screen Ireland Fellow with her feature project Iona's House. In addition to the general programming of the Retreat, Farrell received three, one-hour, one-on-one script note sessions with three different industry mentors at the Retreat.
I'm honoured to be selected 'Stowe Story Lab/Galway Film Fleadh Marketplace Fellow 2023', with massive appreciation to Stowe Story Labs, Screen Ireland and the Galway Film Fleadh. Also huge respect to the talented screenwriters, producers, speakers and supportive mentors I had the opportunity to work with and be inspired by during the inaugural Connemara Writers Retreat 2022. I'm excited to be awarded this amazing opportunity and to be moving forward with my feature screenplay, Iona's House.
- Caroline Farrell, Stowe Story Labs/Galway Film Fleadh Fellow
The October 2022 five-day retreat brought twenty emerging screenwriters and filmmakers from around the world together to Renvyle, Co. Galway, to work on story with top industry mentors. Seven spots were reserved for screenwriters from the Republic of Ireland and funded by Screen Ireland’s Screen Stakeholders Funding Scheme. One spot was reserved for a screenwriter from Northern Ireland, funded by Northern Ireland Screen.
David Rocchio, Founder and Director of Stowe Story Labs, said:
We loved working with all of the writers and filmmakers in Connemara. The breadth of talent and story was empowering and the mentors were wonderful. To cap the experience by supporting Caroline as she works to get Iona’s House made is an honour.
CEO of the Galway Film Fleadh, Miriam Allen, said:
We are delighted to support Caroline Farrell with a fellowship for the Marketplace in 2023 with her project Iona's House. The Connemara Retreat was full of wonderful writing and people. It is a testament to Caroline to earn this spot, and we congratulate her and very much look forward to working with her.
Gráinne Bennett, Skills Development Executive–Creativity & Creative Collaboration at Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, said:
Our congratulations to Caroline Farrell for her selection as the Stowe Story Labs/Galway Film Fleadh Fellow following this year’s successful inaugural edition of the Connemara Writers' Retreat. Screen Ireland is proud to support emerging screenwriting talent and the development of innovative and creative Irish screen stories. We look forward to seeing Caroline further develop her creative work for next year’s Fleadh Marketplace.
All participants in the 2022 edition of the Connemara Writers’ Retreat will be awarded admittance to the 2023 Galway Film Fleadh, including a place in the festival’s annual Screenwriter’s Masterclass. Participants will also receive an application waiver for their projects for the festival’s marketplace, the Galway Film Fair.
About Stowe Story Labs
Stowe Story Labs is a 501(c)(3) non-profit based in Stowe, Vermont, which offers labs, retreats, writing programs, and mentoring programs to top emerging screenwriters, filmmakers, and creative producers from around the world. Learn more about Stowe Story Labs and its programs here.