ScreenDaily is reporting that Irish actors Nora-Jane Noone and Nika McGuigan will play the leads in Cathy Brady’s debut feature Wildfire, which is about to begin production.
Noone and McGuigan will play two sisters who grew up in the shadow of the Irish/Northern Irish border. When one of them, who has been missing, finally returns home, the intense bond with her sister is reignited. Together they unearth their mother’s past but uncovered secrets and resentments which have been buried deep threaten to overwhelm them.
Brady’s journey in making this film began by casting McGuigan (The Secret Scripture, Traders) and (Brooklyn, The Magdalene Sisters, The Descent). From there, over a year-long workshop process of improvisations, transcript, rehearsal, voice and dance drills, she created the story and wrote the script. Brady has previously worked with McGuigan on the first series of Deadpan Pictures’ hit comedy Can’t Cope. Won’t Cope.
Wildfire is produced by Carlo Cresto-Dina for Tempesta Films, Charles Steel for Cowboy Films, and David Collins for Samson Films. Lizzie Francke, Celine Haddad, Lauren Dark, Emma Duffy, Robert Halmi and Jim Reeve are executive producers, with support coming from the BFI, Screen Ireland, Northern Ireland Screen and the Wellcome Trust, with Film4, Sulcata Productions, Illium and Lexis Media as co-financiers.
“What excited us by Wildfire was firstly Cathy’s energy and talent,” said the producers, “but also the unique generative process Cathy wanted for this: trying to create a film that is different because it’s made differently. “
Wildfire will shoot on location in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland for 6 weeks, with Crystel Fournier (Girlhood) is DoP. London-based Great Point Media will attempt to sell the film at the forthcoming American Film Market in Los Angeles.