Athlone's Leah Egan to make short film in her home town

Leah Egan knows Athlone as well as anyone. It's the place where she grew up, after all. But she is currently examining the town from a new angle, because it's about to become the set for a short film she will be shooting in late September.

"It's really interesting when you look at Athlone through a different lens, after being so accustomed to the place," she said.

"It's been fun to walk around the town, look at it through that lens, and think, 'where are we going to shoot?'"

I See A Voice is the name of the short film written by the Coosan woman, and it focuses on a deaf woman's lived experience in modern-day Ireland.

Last week, it was announced that Leah had been chosen as the 2024 winner of the Westmeath Film Award. This annual prize is a bursary of €10,000 to go towards the production of a 10–15 minute film or documentary in the county.

The funding will facilitate the creation of I See A Voice, which Leah will direct, with backing from producer Aaron Eccles and the production team at Drawn in Pen Productions.

Speaking to the Westmeath Independent on Monday, Leah said I See A Voice was a project that she's wanted to make for some time.

"I have close deaf family friend, and she gave me loads of encouragement, and I have a writing mentor friend as well. So, after a bit of encouragement, I put the application together and submitted it for the Westmeath Film Award.

"They gave me the call (about being chosen for the award), and I couldn't believe it, to be honest.

"You have these things in the works for a very long time, so when you finally get somebody who is willing to support it, and put their trust and faith into something you've written and created, it's a big moment.

"The local spaces, and local businesses, have already been so supportive and everybody is excited about the fact that we'll get to shoot a film in Athlone."

Westmeath Arts Office said the film award aligns with its plans to support filmmaking activity in the county, and to promote Westmeath's diverse rural and urban landscapes as an ideal location for filming.

Leah has featured in a number of prominent acting roles over the years, including on Irish TV soaps Fair City and Ros na Rún.

However she will be directing, instead of acting in, I See A Voice, having recently picked up her first directing credit on Ros na Rún also. She last week issued a casting call for members of the deaf or CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) community to become part of the upcoming short film.

"We'd love to hear from anybody in the deaf community that wants to get involved, anybody local to Westmeath, Irish Sign Language (ISL) interpreters, ISL monitors, or anybody who's keen to be an extra," she said. "Acting experience is preferred, but not essential."

Full details of the casting call are on Instagram (spinster.production) or by emailing: casting@drawninpen.com

It's hoped that I See A Voice will be on the film festival circuit next year, and the intention is to have a screening of it for locals, in Athlone, also.