Best selling novelist, Maeve Binchy’s novel “Anner House’ has been adapted to a television movie for RTE and filming has now commenced in Cape Town, the setting of the novel. The film is produced by Little Bird who commissioned the story from international best selling novelist, Maeve Binchy which was then adapted for the screen by Anne Marie Casey. Little Bird, which has production offices in Dublin, London and Johannesburg, is one of Europe’s leading independent film and television producers.
‘Anner House’ is a romantic story of dreams and aspirations. Neil Barry (Liam Cunningham) leaves Ireland after a bitter divorce and custody battle to face the demons of his alcoholism in another place, Cape Town.
A chance meeting with an Irish woman (Flora Montgomery) also trying to extricate herself from an unhappy relationship helps him embark on a journey of self-healing and personal discovery. Inspired by the colourful locals they encounter, and the magical places they visit, Neil helps Ruth fulfil her dream , to open a boutique hotel set against the stunning Cape landscape.
They decide to call it ‘Anner House’ – named after ‘eanar’ the Irish for January, the month when they met. Of course the dream has its own obstacles – their personal predicaments plus coping with the social problems unique to Cape Town. But in the end it becomes clear to Neil and Ruth that they are the solutions to their own problems and the mutual attraction that sparked between them when they first met becomes irresistible.
Liam Cunningham plays Neil Barry man at a crossroads in his life.
Cunningham made his movie debut with a small role in Mike Newell’s Into the West, which was produced by Little Bird. Since then he has gone on to become one of Ireland¹s leading film and television actors. His recent film credits include Ken Loach’s Palme D’or winning film ‘The Wind That Shakes The Barley’ and Neil Jordan¹s ‘Breakfast on Pluto.’ Recent television credits include ‘Murphy¹s Law,’ ‘The Clinic,’ ‘Showbands’ and ‘Prime Suspect.’
Flora Montgomery plays the vivacious and energetic Ruth Maguire. Montgomery won best actress at the Monte Carlo Film Festival 2003 and shooting star at the Berlin Film Festival 2003. At IFTA 2002 she was nominated Best Actress for her role in ‘When Brendan met Trudy’ and won the Best Actress Award for the same role at the Las Palmas Film Festival, Her most recent film was as Michelle in Michael Caton Jones ‘Basic Instinct 2: Risk Addiction.
Conor Muller is Nicky Ruth’s on/off boyfriend. Muller’s film credits include
‘The Honeymooners,’ directed by Karl Golden, Puckoon’ directed by Terence Ryan and Saltwater directed by Conor MacPherson. His recent TV roles include JP O Farell in ‘Proof2’, DCI Patrick Goddard in ‘Murder Prevention’ and Lieut Walker in ‘Island at War.’
Amrain Ismail – Essop is Nita Abed an independent and educated Cape Malay woman who is embarking on an arranged marriage. Ismail is a leading South African theatre film and television actress.
Her recent work includes on TV ‘This Life’ and ‘Generations’ For SABC and films like ‘Twist’ directed by Tim Green, ‘Forgiveness’ for Giant Films and ‘God is African’ directed by Akin Omotso.
Other featured actors include Sizwe Msutu, Carrie Crowley and Phillip O’ Sullivan.
The director is Stephen Burke (No Tears – winner of the Golden Nymph at the Monte Carlo TV Festival 2002) and the producer, Little Bird’s Tora Young.
‘Anner House’ will shoot for 4 weeks in and around Cape Town, South Africa
