Western Front Studios

09/09/2026

Casting Call ☎️

Applications in by the 16th of September

Follow instructions on the poster💪

12/07/2026

Irish Premiere of our beautiful@film Horseback at Galway Film Fleadh.

It was lovely to meet the gang again. Iour stars Mohammed and Hilda Fay. Our fantastic director Mark Mc Auley and DoP Brian Durcan

Thanks you to Bairbre O'Toole and Liam O’Toole from Screenshow Productions.

Thanks to my producer partner Dorothy Whittaker

I’m so proud and grateful to have been involved and can’t wait yo@see you all again at the next one.

07/07/2026

TRAILER DROP 🎬

We are incredibly proud to finally share the trailer for HORSEBACK.

Set in the west of Ireland, Horseback follows Ali, a young Palestinian refugee seeking asylum with his family. As he struggles with grief and displacement, an unexpected friendship with a piebald pony and a Traveller woman offers hope, connection and the possibility of healing.

We’re honoured that Horseback will have its Irish Premiere at the Galway Film Fleadh, screening in Irish Fiction Shorts Programme 5 on Saturday 11th July to a sold-out audience. We can’t wait to finally share this film with you.

CAST
Jeevan Basra • Mohammed Anabtawi • Nassef Abdelmonem • Hilda Fay • Bairbre O’Toole • Sheila Moylette • Souad Alahmad • Elizabeth O’Toole • Billy Brennan • River 🐴

WRITER Bairbre O’Toole
DIRECTOR Mark McAuley
DOP Brian Durcan
PRODUCERS Emer Durcan & Dorothy Whittaker
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS Liam O’Toole & Bairbre O’Toole

POST

Editor – Stephen Staunton
Post Production – First Element
Colourist – Natalia Witowska
Original Score – Natasa Paulberg
Sound Design – Nikki Moss
CREW
Craig Kenny • Alisha Mullen • Croia McDermott • Shauna Griffith • Laurent Murray • • Mike Cafferkey • • .davtyan__ • .turpin • Dee Cafferkey • .mjordan • • Meabh Scully • Taher Anabtawi • • • Mohammed El Qassem • Katie Davies • .ellison • Síle Gorman • • •

A huge thank you to every cast and crew member who brought Horseback to life. We are so proud of this collaboration and can’t wait to share it with audiences.

🎟️ Irish Premiere

02/07/2026

23/06/2026

🎬🐴 IRISH PREMIERE | GALWAY FILM FLEADH 🐴🎬

We’re delighted to announce that HORSEBACK will have its Irish Premiere at the Galway Film Fleadh as part of Irish Fiction Shorts 5.

📍 Galway Film Fleadh
🗓 Saturday, 11 July
🕘 9:15 AM
🎞 Irish Fiction Shorts 5

A Western Front Studios & Screen Show Productions film.

CAST
Hilda Fay, Jeevan Basra, Mohammed Anabtawi, Nassef Abdelmonem, Bairbre O'Toole, Sheila Moylette, Souad Alahmad, Elizabeth O’Toole, Billy Brennan & River 🐴

KEY CREW
✍️ Writer: Bairbre O'Toole
🎬 Director:
🎥 Director of Photography: brian durcan
🎭 Casting Director: Shauna Griffith
🎨 Production Designer: Ani Davtyan
👗 Costume Designer: Dee Cafferkey
🎞 Editor: Stephen Staunton
🎵 Composer: Natasa Paulberg
🎧 Sound Designer: Nikki Moss
🎬 Producers: & Dorothy Whittaker
⭐ Executive Producers: Liam O’Toole & Bairbre O’Toole

A huge thank you to our incredible cast and crew. We can’t wait to share HORSEBACK with audiences in Galway.

ShortFilm IndependentFilm WesternFrontStudios ScreenShowProductions FilmFestival SupportIrishFilm MadeInIreland IrishShortFilm FilmCommunity

23/06/2026

Film Mayo launches the brand new website and Film Bursary of €15,000🎬🍾

With a wonderful panel discussion headed by Niamh Fagan , , Martina Niland -all proud Mayo Film Makers. 🫶🏻💪

Followed by the inaugural Mayo Film Collective meeting headed by and Emer Durcan - thank you all for coming out and voicing your opinions. Looking forward to the next one.

Well done Film Mayo and all the team at Mayo Arts Office.🌟🌈🩷

01/06/2026

🎬 Huge congratulations to Michael Carolan on his YDA 2026 nomination for RTE Storyland - Collision 🌟

Michael’s work on Collision is truly stand-out. As Writer and Director, he brought together an ambitious production involving stunts, pyrotechnics, hurling sequences, intimacy coordination, large numbers of extras, and countless moving parts, all while delivering a deeply human and emotionally resonant story.

Leading a talented team with professionalism, creativity and vision, Michael guided Collision from script to screen beautifully. The fact that he also wrote the screenplay makes this achievement even more remarkable. He is a serious talent and undoubtedly one to watch, and we’re delighted to see him recognised alongside such an incredible group of directors.

Produced by Emer Durcan, Western Front Studios, with stunning cinematography by Brian Durcan and a powerful standalone score by Rival Consoles, Collision is a testament to what can be achieved by a dedicated and passionate team.

Congratulations also to our fantastic cast:
✨ Cillian – Cuan Hosty Blaney
✨ James – Cameron Brady

And to the incredible post-production team:
🎞️ Editor: Julian Ulrichs
🎧 Sound Design: Paul Rowland
🎬 First Element Post

We’re immensely proud of Michael and our Westport-based team who helped bring this story to life.

📺 Collision is available now on the RTÉ Player. We’d love for you to watch it and let us know what you think.

WesternFrontStudios IrishFilm IrishFilmmaking Westport MayoFilm ScreenIreland RTE EmergingTalent FilmDirector ProudProducer WatchCollision RTEPlayer

25/05/2026

Would you like to do your work experience on a film in Achill Island?

We are looking for local budding filmmakers to join our team:
Shoot dates: 04th to the 17th of June
apply as in the poster🎬💪

25/05/2026

Would you like to do your work experience on a film in Achill Island? We are looking for local budding filmmakers to join our team:
Shoot dates: 04th to@the 17th of June
-apply as in the poster

25/05/2026

Achill island casting call.