FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

IFTA AWARDS 2026

Horseshoe

In Horseshoe, four estranged siblings return to their crumbling family home in the West of Ireland after the death of their father. As they attempt to navigate inheritance, grief and long-buried grudges, their time together unearths far more than expected, including secrets that just might shatter what little bond remains between them.

Director: Edwin Mullane, Adam O'Keeffe
Writer: Adam O'Keeffe
Producers: Edwin Mullane, Adam O'Keeffe, Maureen O Connell

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?

Edwin Mullane & Adam O’Keeffe (Filmmakers): “It was a bit of a whirlwind – the opportunity to shoot an (at that stage) unfunded micro-budget feature film in the Bundrowes House and with this cast and crew came together before the story did, so we reverse engineered the story in a sense. There was an unfilmed short film script that we had developed a few years ago that concerned two adult siblings and a will, which was a very different beast, but that provided the initial seed idea; it fit really well with what we had available to us inasmuch as we had a big house, a stunning location in Sligo and the surrounding areas, and an ensemble cast who’d worked together for so long that they practically were siblings in real life. It was also an invaluable opportunity to showcase the beauty, talent, and innovation that exists in the West. And we have to thank our cinematographer Jass Foley, not only for being such a source of creativity and cleverness, but for giving us the push we needed. He told us, ‘Stop talking about doing the thing and just do the thing’, so that’s what we did.

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

Edwin & Adam: “If you watch the closing credits, you’ll notice just how many people were involved in the making of this project. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again, this film was truly a team effort with every single person coming on board with enthusiasm, generosity, and a real belief in the story we wanted to tell. To see so many people come together – from veteran performers like Lalor Roddy to local farmers who very kindly loaned us their generators when Storm Eowyn knocked out the power during an interior shoot day – that is beyond gratifying. It’s a testament to the community and a huge vote of confidence to see so many folks all willing to row in the same direction..”

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

Edwin & Adam: “Because we had our four Canavan siblings lined up first, and because they were coming to the table with years and years of working together, we knew from the get-go that Carolyn, Jed, Neill and Eric would be a driving force for the story. You can see in watching the film the looks and the gestures and the comfort level that those four have any time they’re sharing the screen. That’s not an alchemy that can be manufactured, that’s just how the four of them are all the time. So their dynamic, their innate understanding of each other, and also their incredible talent as storytellers in their own right was vital to shaping how the story came together and how it unfolded on screen."
 

Q: What does it mean to have your work acknowledged by your peers in the Irish film community and showcased at the IFTA Awards?

Edwin & Adam: “It means so much. Of course we are unbelievably proud of what we achieved – making any film is a mammoth accomplishment, regardless of what kind of budget and timeframe you have at your disposal. But we took what little we had and ran with it and fortunately, the cast, the crew, and the audiences all ran with us. It has been the best possible whirlwind from start to finish and to be recognised by our peers who all know what a joyful challenge it can be to get something made, that’s a real cherry on top."