DCU Alumni's award-winning film 'Róise & Frank' out in cinemas nationwide
Róise & Frank has been the subject of much praise this year, and had a screening at the Galway Film Fleadh as well as winning numerous awards including Best Ensemble at Dublin International Film Festival, and scooping the Audience Award at both the Santa Barbara and Sonoma International Film Festivals.
The film is written and directed by Rachael Moriarty and Peter Murphy ( Traders, 2015) and produced by Cúán Mac Conghail of Macalla Teoranta ( Arracht 2021) The film was funded by Screen Ireland, TG4 and the BAI as part of the Cine4 scheme.
It is being distributed by Break Out Pictures, and screens in IMC Santry and Savoy, Movies@Swords, the Lighthouse Cinema in Smithfield, and in cinemas across the country.
Both Rachel and Peter are graduates of DCU. Rachael Moriarty is a multi-award winning director in drama and documentary for film and television, previously winning an Irish Screen America award and two Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA) awards for her work. Traders, a feature film which she co-wrote and co-directed was released in Irish cinemas in 2017, subsequently bought by HBO and took awards at festivals in Brussels, Belfast and LA.
Peter Murphy graduated from DCU with an honours degree in Communications in 1991 and had early success with THE PROFESSIONALS, a sports series he produced in 1996. Since then he has directed for some of the most successful television companies in Ireland. He also spent a number of years directing inserts for 'The One Show' on BBC ONE. These were co produced by Green Inc in Belfast and London’s CTVC.
'Róise & Frank' is set and filmed in the Gaeltacht seaside town of Ring in Co Waterford, and tells the story of the recently widowed Róise (actress Bríd Ní Neachtain) who is struggling in the aftermath of her husband Frank’s passing.
Grief-stricken and lonely, Róise has distanced herself from the world and those dearest to her. But when a stray dog appears out of nowhere, following her every move, a rejuvenated Róise comes to believe in the reincarnation of her husband and the power of enduring life in its next, hopeful steps.
Róise & Frank is an up-lifting tale of shaggy dogs, a grieving widow, the national game of hurling and finding hope in the darkest of places and is winning audience’s hearts everywhere it goes.
The film also stars Cillian O’Gairbhi as Alan, Róise’s son and young newcomer from Ring Ruadhán de Faoite.
Speaking on the upcoming release, directors Peter Murphy & Rachael Moriarty commented that they were “thrilled that Róise & Frank will be in Irish cinemas this Autumn. International audiences have loved the story of Róise, the dog and the hurling so we are hoping our home crowd enjoy it too!”
Read the Irish Times' Donald Clarke's review of 'Róise & Frank'