God’s Creatures, starring Emily Watson and Paul Mescal, gets a release date

Emily Watson as Aileen O’Hara & Paul Mescal as Brian O’Hara in GOD’S CREATURES
Courtesy of A24

BFI Distribution announces the release of the Irish drama God’s Creatures in UK cinemas on 31 March 2023. The critically acclaimed film has been acquired from American studio A24. The BFI is partnering with independent Irish distributor Volta Pictures, who have acquired the film for release in Ireland, a week earlier on 24 March.

GOD’S CREATURES is a quietly devastating drama set on the coast of Ireland. In a windswept fishing village, a mother is torn between protecting her beloved son and her own sense of right and wrong. A lie she tells for him rips apart their family and close-knit community in this tense, sweepingly emotional epic.

GOD’S CREATURES, which premiered at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival Directors’ Fortnight, stars Emily Watson (Breaking the Waves, Hilary and Jackie), Paul Mescal (Normal People, Aftersun) and Aisling Franciosi (The Fall), supported by Declan Conlon and Toni O’Rourke, and is directed by New York based filmmakers Saela Davis and Anna Rose Holmer (The Fits), their feature debut as a directing team. The producer, with her company Nine Daughters, is the multi-award-winning Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly (Lady Macbeth, Ammonite). Shane Crowley wrote the screenplay based on a story he co-wrote with Cronin O’Reilly.

The film picked up five BIFA 2022 nominations: Emily Watson for Lead Performance; Paul Mescal and Aisling Franciosi for Best Supporting Performance; Shane Crowley for Best Debut Screenwriter and Danny Bensi and Saunder Jurriaans for Best Original Music.

The Nine Daughters production was developed with the support of Screen Ireland, BBC Film and A24. It was co-financed by A24, BBC Film, Screen Ireland and the Western Region Audiovisual Producers Fund/WRAP.

Producer Fodhla Cronin O’Reilly said “We couldn’t hope for more brilliant, supportive partners than the BFI and Volta Pictures. Our film has found its home with them. It has been a joy to tell this story with Emily, Paul, Aisling, and the wider cast, all of whom give performances that are both intimate and iconic. We’re so excited to share God’s Creatures with British and Irish cinema audiences very soon.”