The 2025 Screen Ireland Connemara Fellows are:

• Denise Deegan, Young Doctor Sullivan  (1-Hour TV, Procedural Medical Drama
• Zoë Gibney, Dons Life Goes On (Feature, Drama/Comedy)
• Ellius Grace, Halfcast (Feature, Body Horror)
• Deborah Grimes, The Promised Land (Feature, Drama)
• Ali Hardiman, Private Lies (1/2-Hour TV, Comedy)
• Rita Ann Higgins, The Fracture (Feature, Dark Comedy)
• Nóra Ní Fhlatharta, The Disruptor (Feature, Dark Comedy/Road Movie)
• Brian O’Riordan, Beyond (TV-Limited Series, Surrealist Thriller Drama)
• Sarah-Jane Scott, Small Holdings (TV-Limited Series, Drama)
• Naomi Sheridan, The Pass of the Birds (Feature, Drama)

The mentors and speakers at the Connemara Retreat are:

• Ciara Appelbe (Head of Development, O’Sullivan Productions, Ireland)
• Conor Barry (Producer, Wild Atlantic Pictures, Ireland)
• Ali Doyle (Head of Development and Development Producer at Newgrange Pictures, Ireland)
• Aaron Farrell (Head of Drama, Shinawil, Ireland)
• Jessie Fisk (Creative Producer, Wildcat Pictures, Ireland)
• Karol Griffiths (Development Consultant, Script Editor, UK)
• Olivia Hetreed (Screenwriter, Girl with a Pearl Earring, Mrs Harris Goes to Paris, UK)
• Amanda Livanou (Producer and Founder of Neda Film, Greece)
• Tim Loane (Screenwriter, Director, Actor, Proof, Little Devil, Northern Ireland)
• Peter McKenna (Writer and Producer, Kin, Hidden Assets, Ireland)
• Ruth Meehan (Writer and Director, Ireland)
• Brandi Nicole (Writer and Performer, Your Honor, Ballard, USA)
• Sanjay Shah (Screenwriter/Showrunner, Central Park, King of the Hill, USA)
  Claire Willats (Creative Producer, UK)
  

The Retreat will run October 13 – 17 and is produced by Stowe Story Labs, with support from Screen Ireland and the Galway Film Fleadh and Marketplace. At the Retreat, each fellow participates in three, one-hour, one-on-one script note sessions with three different industry mentors. Other content includes panel discussions, in-conversation interviews and Q&As with mentors and invited speakers, writing exercises, peer-group sessions, and time to write and revise.

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