Galway writer scales new heights with new movie
A Galway writer is celebrating the release of her new movie – starring acclaimed actress Sheila Hancock – which opens in cinemas across Ireland and the UK this weekend.
Elizabeth O’Halloran’s first feature film, ‘Edie’, is set in Scotland, with Sheila Hancock in the titles role as an 83-year-old woman, who – in the aftermath of her controlling husband’s death – attempts to fulfil a life-long dream she long thought impossible…to climb a demanding mountain in the Scottish Highlands.
She employs Johnny (Kevin Guthrie) to help her prepare for the climb but they ultimately spark an unusual friendship.
Elizabeth herself spent several weeks living in the Scottish Highlands to research the screenplay.
She also climbed the mountain in question while researching the film. And she reveals that before they got to the base of the mountain, they had to hike for about 12km through boggy terrain.
“I remember thinking this film is madness – how is a film crew and more importantly, Sheila, who was 83 at the time, going to not only climb this mountain, but give an emotional performance on camera the whole time. But she did. And it’s really incredible.”
Elizabeth was born in Limerick, but moved to Gort when she was six. She attended Gort Community School, before studying film and television at GMIT and graduating from London Film School in 2008 with an MA in screenwriting.
Growing up in the west of Ireland, she searched for excitement in books and became an avid reader. That, and the fact that her mother, Mary Foudy O’Halloran, is an artist contributed to her passion of writing and all things creative.
“We would have always had a lot of arts and crafts things in the house and I would have always been drawing, painting or doing something like that,” she says. “She raised us so we would always be occupied.”
‘Edie’ opened in the Eye Cinema this weekend.