Film Hub NI, part of the BFI Film Audience Network, is delighted to announce its first ever Irish language Collective film tour across Northern Ireland with Róise & Frank, an up-lifting tale of a shaggy dog, a grieving widow, a young hurling star and finding hope in the darkest of places, which is winning audience’s hearts everywhere it goes.
Eight community cinemas in Northern Ireland will show this award-winning Irish Language movie as part of this autumn’s Film Hub NI Collective Tour, which brings the best independent films to local places across the north. The tour starts at one of Film Hub NI’s newest community cinemas Raidió Fáilte in Belfast on Tuesday 4 October and finishes at Newcastle Community Cinema on Thursday 10 November.
Róise & Frank tells the heart-warming story of the recently widowed Róise (Brid Ni Neachtain) who is struggling in the aftermath of her husband Frank’s passing. Grief-stricken and lonely, Róise has distanced herself from the world around her and those dearest to her. But when a stray dog starts to follow her every move it leads her to believe in the reincarnation of her husband and the power of hope. Set in the Irish-speaking Gaeltacht around Ring, County Waterford, the film stars Barley as Frank the loveable mutt, Cillian Ó Gairbhí as Róise’s son Alan, Lorcan Cranitch as Donncha her neighbour and Ruadhán de Faoite as Maidhchí a talented young hurler.
Róise & Frank is written and directed by Rachael Moriarty and Peter Murphy, produced by Cúán Mac Conghail of Macalla Teo., and supported by Screen Ireland, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) and TG4 through the Cine4 scheme. The film is being distributed by Break Out Pictures and goes on general release this month.
Sara Gunn-Smith, Marketing and Audiences Officer for Film Hub NI said: “We are delighted to announce our first Irish Language Collective film tour, with the gentle, moving and funny Róise & Frank. The film has been a huge success on the festival circuit in recent months 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 Festival.
“I think audiences across Northern Ireland will fall in love with this tender story which has captured the hearts of audiences worldwide and is being distributed by the same company as An Cailín Ciúin (The Quiet Girl), Ireland’s entry for Best International Feature at the 2023 Academy Awards. There is clearly an appetite for Irish language film and we’re proud to play a small part in bringing Róise & Frank to a wider audience.”
Directors Peter Murphy and Rachel Moriarty will be joining the Film Hub NI screenings across Northern Ireland by zoom for specially recorded Q&As to give local audiences an insight into the making of this film.
Rachael Moriarty and Peter Murphy said: “It’s such an honour to be part of this initiative by Film Hub NI. Róise & Frank is a story about losing a loved one and how hard it can be to find a way to live on, a deep and human story but with humour and hurling in the mix also. Animal lovers have been loving it as there is some great canine acting! We are thrilled that Róíse & Frank is connecting with audiences internationally and we’re very excited to share it now with the Film Hub NI audience.”
Community Cinema Tour
| Venue / Ionad | Date / Dáta |
| Raidió Fáilte (Divis Street, Belfast) | Tuesday 4th October |
| Roe Valley Arts and Cultural Centre (Limavady) | Thursday 6th October |
| Ormeau Community Cinema (Belfast) | Thursday 13th October |
| Flowerfield Arts Centre (Portstewart) | Thursday 20th October |
| Fermanagh Film Club (Enniskillen) | Wednesday 26th October |
| Ionad na Fuiseoige (Twinbrook, Belfast) | Wednesday 26th October |
| Portrush Film Theatre | Thursday 10th November |
| Newcastle Community Cinema (Festival) | Thursday 10th November |
Film Hub NI is part of the BFI Film Audience Network, a UK wide project to ensure that the greatest choice of film is available to diverse audiences across Northern Ireland. The initiative is supported through National Lottery funding, distributed by the British Film Institute.
For ticket information please visit Film Hub NI.
+ Film Hub NI
Press Pix attached: Film Hub NI welcomes 2 new members for screening of Roise and Frank – also via google drive link below – with captions embedded.
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1jHfEzxuqf8t7GEYmq863Q6g1YL76aH55?usp=sharing
Film Stills for Róise & Frank available to download from link below: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1KerVKT-aC_8B8FNpWE8LYKBn-gpsv3MF?usp=sharing
