EXCLUSIVE: Picturehouse Entertainment has acquired UK distribution rights to Frank Berry’s The Lost Children Of Tuam, winner of Best Irish Film
EXCLUSIVE: Picturehouse Entertainment has acquired UK distribution rights to Frank Berry’s The Lost Children Of Tuam, winner of Best Irish Film at Galway Film Fleadh.
The distributor will release the film in October, within the qualification window for the 2027 Bafta Film Awards.
Picturehouse Entertainment acquired the film from Dublin-based Volta Pictures Distribution, which will release the film in Ireland on September 25.
Based on a New York Times article by Dan Barry, The Lost Children Of Tuam tells the real-life story of Catherine Corless, who discovered the possibility that 796 children may have been buried in unmarked graves at the Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home in Tuam, County Galway. The discovery, made while researching for a local history class, began a campaign for justice for both victims and survivors of the home.
Monica Dolan leads the cast with Andrew Bennett and Ian McElhinney, with a script by Rebecca Lenkiewicz. Liam Neeson produces the film for El Paso Films, having optioned Barry’s article, with producers Jules Daly for Big Red Films, Chelsea Morgan Hoffmann, Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe for Element Pictures, and Martina Niland for Port Pictures.
The film is presented by Screen Ireland and BBC Film, in association with Fremantle, Coimisiún na Meán, mk2 and RTÉ. mk2 handles worldwide sales.
The Lost Children Of Tuam won the Best Irish Film Award on its debut at Galway Film Fleadh last month, previously won by titles including Christy, Kneecap and Song Of The Sea. It will have its international premiere as a Centrepiece title at Toronto in September.
“We were completely blown away by The Lost Children of Tuam,” said Sara Frain, Picturehouse Entertainment managing director. “It is a powerful and deeply moving story, with a truly remarkable central performance from Monica Dolan. We are looking forward to collaborating with Volta and the Element team once again to bring this important film to audiences across the UK and Ireland.”
“We are thrilled Volta and Picturehouse are joining forces again for this film that we are deeply passionate about,” said Element Pictures co-CEO and founder Lowe. “Catherine Corless’ work has affected so many around the globe either personally connected to the Mother & Baby Homes or inspired by her activism, and we believe The Lost Children Of Tuam will have deep resonance with Irish and UK audiences and beyond.”
The film joins a Picturehouse Entertainment slate which includes Cristian Mungiu’s Palme d’Or winner Fjord and Hirokazu Koreeda’s Sheep In The Box.
