Siobhán McSweeney, who recently won a BAFTA for "Derry Girls," is set to start filming "West the Road" alongside "Harry Potter" alum Imelda Staunton, Eileen Walsh of "Catastrophe," and Hannah Waddingham of "Ted Lasso" in County Kerry.
The new Irish film, described as "a wonderful celebration of life and the indomitable force of female friendship," will reportedly begin filming in Ireland later in 2023.
The plot, according to the synopsis, follows the "story of a group of women brought together by the death of their childhood friend Margaret."
"When they discover that Margaret was forced to give her daughter up for adoption at the age of 15, the group embark on a journey from the West of Ireland up the Wild Atlantic coastline - accompanied by a donkey called Thatcher - in search of the child so that Margaret's mother, Bridie, can meet the grandchild she never knew she had," the synopsis continues.
"What follows is a story about friendship, love and the unstoppable resolve of women as they rediscover the joy of living."
"West the Road" was been written by and will be directed by Ita Fitzgerald. This will be her debut in full-length movies after a masterful career in TV and shorts. Production is due to commence production later this year in County Kerry.
Speaking to LiveForFilm, Fitzgerald said: “It is a dream come true to work with these amazing and talented women."
Producer Stephen Kelliher said: “'West The Road' is a wonderful celebration of life and the indomitable force of female friendship."
He added, "We are thrilled to be able to tell this story with such a talented cast and crew who will deliver a film that is full of laughter, joy and a great deal of emotion."
Bankside Films will be introducing the film to buyers in Cannes later this month and represent worldwide rights.
McSweeney, who played Sister Michael in the smash hit Irish TV show "Derry Girls," won the Female Performance in a Comedy Programme BAFTA this past Sunday, May 14.
The Cork native's acceptance speech has since garnered international press attention as it appears that her speech was edited down on the BBC iPlayer after she referred to the "indignities, ignorance, and stupidity of your [Derry's] so-called leaders in Dublin, Stormont, and Westminster."
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