Midlands duo's film gets Ireland and UK cinema release

The midlands-set football drama, Lakelands directed by Robert Higgins and Patrick McGivney from Granard, is being brought to Irish and UK cinemas on May 5 by Wildcard Distribution.

Lakelands was shot in Westmeath, Longford and Leitrim.

The film, nominated for four IFTAs including Best Film, Actor and Actress, is the debut feature from Higgins and McGivney.

Among its stars are emerging Irish talent Éanna Hardwicke (Vivarium, Normal People), who was named as one of Screen International’s Rising Stars Ireland recently, and Danielle Galligan (Netflix’s Shadow and Bone) as well as Gary Lydon (The Banshees of Inisherin), Dafhyd Flynn (Michael Inside), and Lorcan Cranitch (The Dig).

Lakelands had its world premiere at the Galway Film Fleadh last summer, where it picked up the Best Irish Film prize and Hardwicke and Galligan were both awarded the Bingham Ray Talent Award for their performances in the film.

The film follows Cian, a young Gaelic footballer struggling to come to terms with a career-ending injury after an attack on a night out.

He undertakes a search for his own identity in a small town where Gaelic football is a religion, and identity is defined by what you can do on the pitch.

Lakelands was produced by Robert Higgins and Patrick McGivney for Harp Media with support from Screen Ireland, Creative Ireland, Longford Arts Office and Backstage Theatre, and was co-produced by Chris Higgins and Andrei Bogdan.