Irish Film and Television Award nominee and Dublin International Film Festival Winner 'ANN' will have its cinema release on the 28th of April at selected cinemas nationwide. ANN is set over one day - the 31st of January 1984 - and is based on the true story of 15-year-old Ann Lovett who gave birth at the Grotto in Granard nearly 40 years.
The story, by Ciaran Creagh, aims to shine a light into the last day of Ann Lovett's life - a teenage girl who ended up abandoned by society and a victim of prejudice, taboos and traditions. Speaking on this morning's Joe Finnegan Show, Mr Creagh said he visited Granard as part of his research into the film.
He added that he was more interested in Ann's story than anything people living in the town had to say - knowing that a veil of silence still remains around's the 15-year-old's death and that of her infant son.
"I tried to capture not just the incident itself but actually the time. At the end of the day it wasn't just about the church - it was about everybody; the church; and the State. We have all these other things that have happened in our country too, like the mother and baby homes.
"It's very hard when you look at something through the eyes of 2023 and compare that to the eyes of the 1980s, they are such different times," said Mr Creagh.
