The Drummer and the Keeper
The Drummer and the Keeper

#IrishFilm Preview: The Drummer and the Keeper

Another exciting Irish film that is lined up for release later this year is the Irish Film Board Catalyst Project, The Drummer and the Keeper, written and directed by Nick Kelly.

The film is an uplifting comedic story of an unlikely friendship between Gabriel, a 25-year-old rock’n’roll party animal with bipolar disorder who revels in rejecting society’s rules; and Christopher, an institutionalised 17-year-old goalkeeper who suffers from Aspergers Syndrome and yearns to fit in.

The film stars an ensemble of young Irish actors including Dermot Murphy (Clean Break, Raw),  Charlie Kelly (The Secret Scripture, Jadotville), Adrian Hudson (Striking Out, Rebellion), and newcomer Jacob McCarthy. Established talent includes Peter Coonan (Get Up and Go, Love/Hate), Olwen Fouéré (The Survivalist, Traders) and Aoibhinn McGinnity (Moone Boy, Love/Hate).

The Drummer and the Keeper is the directorial debut of Nick Kelly, whose short film Shoe was shortlisted for an Academy Award® and is produced by Kate McColgan for Calico Pictures (From the Dark) with support from the Irish Film Board. The film shot at locations in and around Dublin for 4 weeks including the iconic Dublin rock venue Whelan’s. You’re Ugly Too and Pilgrimage cinematographer Tom Comerford acted as DoP, with editing by Derek Holland (The Belly of the Whale, Designing Ireland).

Through the intensely competitive Catalyst Project, Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board selected three feature film projects to be given the opportunity to be produced and fully funded by the IFB.  The Drummer and the Keeper was the second film to go into production under this scheme, following Lorcan Finnegan’s Without Name, which will play at the Audi Dublin International Film Festival next month. The third is Aoife McArdle’s Kissing Candice, which we previously previewed.

To keep up-to-date with The Drummer and the Keeper check out their Facebook page and Twitter.