Irish horror film You Are Not My Mother in Official Selection at the Toronto International Film Festival
Posted: 4th August 2021
Bankside Films boards international sales
Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland is delighted to congratulate writer/director Kate Dolan and producer Deirdre Levins on the Official Selection of You Are Not My Mother to the 46th Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). The Irish horror film was funded as part of Screen Ireland’s POV scheme, a production funding initiative established in 2018 to support new and emerging female filmmaking talent with distinct voices. You Are Not My Mother will receive its World Premiere in the Midnight Madness programme at the festival in September, TIFF’s wild and raucous midnight screenings of the best in action, horror, shock and fantasy cinema. The film is one of only six selected for Midnight Madness this year from around the world.
In response to the news, writer/director Kate Dolan said: "I have always followed the Midnight Madness programme at TIFF ever since I was an aspiring film student. So many of my favourite films have been in this strand. To have my debut feature premiere here is an absolute dream come true. The pandemic obviously threw up a lot of obstacles but thanks to an extremely hardworking and optimistic cast and crew we have a great film that I’m so excited to share with the world.”
Deirdre Levins of Fantastic Films, producer of You Are Not My Mother, commented: “We are absolutely thrilled to be premiering You Are Not My Mother at TIFF as part of the Midnight Madness programme. Kate's is an exciting new voice in the film arena and we are so grateful to Screen Ireland for their unwavering support, along with a wonderful cast and crew, whose work and commitment was an inspiration under such challenging times for the industry.
Working alongside Screen Ireland and world sale agents Bankside Films we look forward to bringing to audiences a unique, contemporary and in equal measure haunting take on Irish folklore and mythology."
Bankside Films yesterday announced it had boarded You Are Not My Mother for international sales. Stephen Kelliher of Bankside Films said of the acquisition: “We have been huge fans of Kate’s work since we first saw Catcalls and are thrilled to be working with her on her impressive debut feature which will haunt audiences with its modern and compelling take on the ancient mythology of the Changling.”
Starring Hazel Doupe, Carolyn Bracken, Ingrid Craigie, Paul Reid and Jordanne Jones, You Are Not My Mother is the first feature film from Kate Dolan and was developed and financed as part of Screen Ireland’s inaugural POV production funding scheme for female filmmaking talent. Established in 2018, POV was launched to support new and emerging Irish female filmmakers through the development and production of feature films at the required budget of €400,000. After an intensive development process that included mentorship, workshopping and story development, four projects including You Are Not My Mother were selected for production on the scheme.
It's the week before Halloween and Char’s mother, Angela, has inexplicably disappeared. All that remains is her abandoned car. When she returns home without explanation the following evening, it becomes clear to Char and her grandmother, Rita, that something is amiss. She might look and sound the same, but Angela’s behaviour has become increasingly frightening, as if she has been replaced by a malevolent force. When Halloween arrives, a night steeped in ancient myth and legend, Char realises that she is the only one who can save her, even if it means potentially losing her forever.
The film is produced by Deirdre Levins and executive produced by Brendan McCarthy and John McDonnell of Fantastic Films in Ireland. Celine Haddad acts as executive producer for Screen Ireland.
You Are Not My Mother joins another female-led Irish film, Nathalie Biancheri’s Wolf, produced by Jessie Fisk and Jane Doolan, in Official Selection at the Toronto International Film Festival this year.
The 46th Toronto International Film Festival will take place 9 – 18 September, 2021.