Last October, suspenseful feature Kathleen Is Here screened in cinemas across the country. Now, Molly McCann - who played young Kathleen - joins the cast of the next film in the Hunger Games franchise while lead Hazel Doupe wowed audiences globally with her performance as Marian Price in FX's Say Nothing.
Kathleen Is Here is available to stream online, so we look back at the drama that struck a chord with so many. Talking performances and patience, Film Ireland contributor Dolapo Agunbiade sat down with titular star Doupe and first-time feature director and writer Eva Birthistle to learn what it took to bring this poignant narrative to life.
Kathleen is Here tells the story of a troubled young woman who moves back into her late mother’s home. Having aged out of the care system, Kathleen (Doupe) tries her best to fit in with suburban life. However, she struggles at every turn. As a character, Kathleen first graced the screen as a short film in 2020, but Birthistle stresses that she had always envisioned expanding the story with a full-length script. It was when she was in the process of developing her feature, that Screen Ireland strongly recommended that she shoot it as a short first.
Starting with a Short
The 2020 short film, Kathleen Was Here was shot in just two days. The short’s festival success paved the way for the feature-length film. Reflecting on this journey, Birthistle noted, “It took a while to get the film off the ground, but I think it all happened in the right way now.”
Before that, however, the concept for Kathleen Is Here was inspired by a social media post. “Initially, when I started writing it, it was a different story but the same thematically... It wasn’t until I saw a vlog of an American teenager who was in foster care at the time, openly sharing her experiences, that I was struck by her need to connect,” Birthistle explains.
Hard-hitting Themes
The film delves into challenging themes that may be disturbing or triggering for some viewers. Doupe reveals how she relied on Birthistle during intense days on set: “There was one day where we had a really tense scene, and Eva knew exactly what to do. She just knew I needed a moment to myself and that we might need a couple of takes.”
Birthistle adds, “As an actor, I always feel that if I’m doing really emotional scenes, I only have it in the tank to do it a few times, so I wouldn’t want to ask [Doupe] to do it too many times.” She emphasises the importance of mindful direction: “I don’t think that’s healthy, and I think you have to be careful and mindful of what you’re asking of your actors.”
Shifting Behind the Lens
Moving from a successful career in acting, Birthistle reveals her lack of formal training in directing. Instead, she utilises her extensive on-set experience as an actor to guide her. “I didn’t go to film school or do any courses on directing; I just picked things up over the years,” she says. She advises other creatives who wish to broaden their skill set, “It’s really a matter of trial and error, finding what suits the individual. I think it varies from person to person.”
Watch Dolapo's interview in full here.
