'The Ballad of Bobby Shine' is cleaning up at festival awards

The film received a best comedy nomination at the Portobello Film Festival, London and had its Irish premiere at the Film Devour Festival in the Black Box Theatre, Belfast last week, winning both the Audience Choice Award and the Directors Choice Award .

“I'm absolutely delighted for everyone involved in the film that it's received this kind of reception, ” said Gavin, who is based in London but grew up in Belfast and Saintfield where this film is set.

'The Ballad of Bobby Shine' is a surreal comedy that tells the story of the unfortunate death of an undertaker, which leads a student to make her graduation film about 'The Undertakers', a ladies’ football team he founded.

The ghost of Bobby Shine is summoned to help his football team win, but when the dyslexic clairvoyant misreads his signs, the team are relegated.

Amongst the predominantly female cast is Newry actress Holly Hannaway who plays university film maker, Eloise McGregor.

The film also has another Newry connection – the late Rose-Marie Kane's rendition of the traditional Irish song, 'When Irish Eyes Are Shining', is the main soundtrack. Northern Irish actress, Cathy Brennan Bradley co-produced and stars in the film.

Around Christmas 2023 Gavin was in Belfast visiting family and met up with his friend Cathy and pitched the idea to her. “She loved it.”

And with an in-depth knowledge of the local acting community Cathy helped Gavin find the cast.

“I used to do stand-up comedy and stuff like that, and she had seen me perform,” Holly recalled.

“She said, 'you know, there's this mad part...'

“It's such a sweet character, because she's in uni, and just trying to figure out life and how the world works.

"So I was like, I absolutely will evolve in that person.

"It was so nice and Gavin was so good.”

The feeling is mutual.

“Holly is an impressive, exceptional talent who possesses natural comedy timing, and her performance is just unbelievably good,” said Gavin.

“It was an absolute delight to work with her and I would work with her again at the drop of a hat.

"I think it's the nicest atmosphere I've ever been on for one of my films.

"There was no egos, everybody just thought, let's get this film made, let's do it.”

That indeed was the next challenge, as the budget was miniscule.

Largely filmed outside in April and for one day in June they were depending on the Irish weather being kind – which it was. For that one day in June they needed a football pitch.

“And believe it or not, the football pitch was the hardest thing to get. Everybody was taking down their goalposts because it was the end of the season.”

Justin scoured the Belfast leagues looking for somewhere still operating, eventually coming across his old neighbourhood team Saintfield United.

He got a hold of Lindsay Ross from the club and explained that they had very little money and needed a pitch with nets up.

“He said , 'Yeah, well they're up.' Would there be any chance of us being able to film there?' 'Yeah, no problem.' And I said, 'well, look, can we use your changing rooms?' 'Yeah, no problem'. 'Do you mind if we make some food there and make cups of tea?' 'Yeah, no problem. 'Can we use a wee bit of electric? 'Yeah, no problem'.

"Everything we wanted - everything.

"And he didn't charge us a penny.

"He honestly saved our bacon.

"He was just phenomenal and filming on the football pitch I played on as a kid, that's only a stone throw away from where I used to live, was very special indeed.

"I just remember the day of shooting and saying, 'I'm here, I'm doing this. I'd never thought in my life I'd be doing this here, this just feels so right.’”

In university he was briefly mentored by two greats of British cinema - Peter Greenaway, and Ken Russell.

“I remember speaking to Peter Greenaway, who said, 'if you want to have a voice in cinema, you're going to have to learn to write. It'll take you about seven years to find your voice.'

"And he was so right, it did take about seven years to really find the confidence.

"But yeah, I've always leant towards comedy, and my other comedy films have done quite well in the European circuit.

"I've got over 40 awards to my name now.”

Comedy is no stretch for Holly either.

“I used to actually write my own comedy shows. and it was similar to this, that sort of surreal, 'oh, what is going on?' type of comedy. I'm a puppeteer as well,” explained the actress, who got her start at a young age in Newpoint Players at the Sean Hollywood Arts Centre in Newry.

“I was there for years and absolutely loved it.”

The Sacred Heart student went on to study drama and English at Queen's University and has been a working actress ever since.

“I do a lot of accessible theatre.

"For instance, there's a Deaf Arts Festival that I did it a couple of years ago.

"Right now I'm working on a show as part of the Incubate Program, with Tinderbox Theatre Company.

"Then I have a showcase at the Lyric with a company called Rogue Encounters.

"And that is a platform for people of different economic backgrounds and different abilities and disabilities.

“I love the Lyric.

"I've worked in the Lyric on and off for years. I think I've done pretty much every job under the sun in that building. I was a cleaner. I did the bar. I did costume. I was on the main stage - and that was all in one summer.”