FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

IFTA AWARDS 2024

Made in Dublin

Tells the story of Finn, an aspiring actor who makes a living working in a restaurant in Dublin. A meeting with a famous director with a dark past ends up in conflict.

Director: Jack Armstrong
Writer: Chris Harris, Jack Armstrong
Producers: Melissa Lawlor, Mel Sutcliffe

Filmmaker Q&A

Q; What was the genesis of this film, and how did it evolve over the course of development to production and completion?

• Jack Armstrong (Writer, Director): "Made in Dublin was born out of Covid lockdown.  Myself, Melissa Lawlor and Chris Harris had worked together before and enjoyed the experience so we decided to develop and shoot a movie together."
• Melissa Lawlor (Producer): "When I read the first draft of the script I was excited by it ; it was dramatic and made me laugh at the same time. I couldn’t wait to bring the story to life! Following a number of script revisions we began working with a casting director we knew well to find our cast. After that we spent a few months scouting locations before going into prep with the rest of our key crew. Once the shoot was wrapped it was straight into post production for the guts of eight months.  The entire process was a long road but we were blessed with our entire cast and crew. Filmmaking is truly a team effort!"

 
Q: What did you feel was the most fulfilling element of working on this film?

• Jack: "It's the whole creative process to be honest, writing, casting and working with actors, working with the cinematographer Federico Alfonzo to design the look, with the designer, working with the composer, with Melissa and Chris.  I always enjoy the collaboration."
• Federico Alfonzo (DoP): "As the Director of Photography, I would say that the most fulfilling aspect of filming Made in Dublin was working closely with Jack to craft a visual narrative that did it justice and captured the essence of the script."

Q: What do you hope audiences will take away from the film?

• Stuart Cullen (Actor): "First of all - I hope they're entertained and have fun! There's a lot of interesting characters and brilliant performances to back them up, and I think whether it's the comedy, the conflict, or the desperation of the storylines, that the audience will be enthralled from start to finish. Oh, and be careful using taxi apps!"
• Jack: "I hope they find the film entertaining first and foremost. It looks great, has a fabulous soundtrack, great performances so i hope they switch off for an hour and a half and enjoy it.  I made it for entertainment not social commentary, although there are a number of relevant themes running throughout the film."

 
Q: To what extent was your on-screen talent vital to the success of the film?

• Jack: "The cast were vital and all did very well. For an indie film it has a very large cast; one bad performance and the game is up and I’m glad to say all the performances are very impressive with some standouts."

 
Q: What’s the most interesting/inspiring piece of feedback you’ve received from people who have seen the film?

• Jack: "One of the principle actors said he was so engaged in the story he forgot to watch his own performance - which is a good sign.  With a number of different storylines, culminating in the final act I think there is something for everyone to enjoy."

 
6. Can you speak to the growth in the Irish film industry in recent years and how it helped your film get off the ground? 

• Melissa: "The growth of the Irish film industry has been truly incredible. Ireland’s tax framework has attracted big Hollywood films which has resulted in development of local talent. We now have best in class crew which bring their skills and commitment to all films produced in Ireland."