Stowe Mentor and Board Member, and Head of Development at O’Sullivan Productions, Ciara Appelbe, and Stowe Screen Ireland/Fís Éireann Fellow Kim Bartley, formed a partnership to make the short film STRAY (starring Eva Birthistle and Isabelle Connolly).

Read on to learn about that partnership, the art it generated, and how Stowe has helped contribute to other collaborations out of Connemara.

Interview by David Rocchio

David Rocchio (DR): If I am remembering this right, you two met at our 2023 Connemara Writers’ Retreat, Ciara as a mentor and Kim as a fellow. How did meeting there lead to making a short film together?

Ciara Appelbe and Kim Bartley (The Team): As you say, in October 2023, we met at the Stowe Connemara Retreat, where Kim was attending as a mentee and Ciara was there as a mentor. We hit it off immediately, discovering that we had overlapping interests. Kim mentioned she was interested in making the transition from documentary to drama and we decided to meet up after returning home to continue our conversation.

During our coffee meeting, we discussed the various projects we were working on, and Kim mentioned that she was seeking advice on finding a producer for her short film project. Kim was thinking of applying for the National Talent Academy Film & TV 2024 Short Film Scheme. Ciara suggested that we team up and apply together, and we ended up submitting our application in January 2024 and our application for Stray was successful.

This experience was a great example of how Stowe Retreats can facilitate meaningful connections between mentors and mentees, and how collaboration can lead to real outcomes.

DR: Can you tell us a bit about the film? And how did you put together the production?

Team: Stray tells the story of Ella, a troubled teenage girl who, after her foster placement breaks down, finds herself with nowhere to go. With social services unable to find a new placement, she’s reluctantly assigned to Sam, a social care worker with whom she has a relationship albeit a rocky one. After a year of homelessness living in a hotel and watching her mom struggle, Ella is angry and distrustful of the world around her.

When Ella is removed from her residential care home following another outburst, the two are forced into an unexpected road trip during the school holidays. As they journey through unfamiliar terrain, both Ella and Sam are challenged to confront their fears and vulnerabilities. Throughout their time together, they begin to understand that trust is a two-way street, and that healing can come from the most unlikely of places.

The National Talent Academy (NTA) Film & TV 2024 Short Film Scheme is an initiative of Screen Ireland/Fís Éireann, managed by Ardán. It is designed to support emerging filmmakers in Ireland. This scheme provides a platform for talented individuals to develop, produce, and showcase their short films. It is typically aimed at early-career filmmakers and offers funding, mentoring, and training to help them bring their projects to life. The scheme provides financial backing for short film projects, which can cover aspects like production, post-production, and other essential costs. Successful applicants receive guidance and support from industry professionals, helping them refine their skills and navigate the film industry. The goal is to discover and foster new voices in filmmaking, providing a stepping stone for future careers in the Irish film and television industry.

After securing funding for Stray through the National Talent Academy (NTA) Film & TV 2024 Short Film Scheme, Kim worked closely with her NTA mentor and Script Editor Karol Griffiths (another Stowe mentor!) to refine the script, ensuring it was both compelling and true to its emotional core. Once the script was finalised, the next step was to begin casting and scouting locations.

2023 Connemara Writers’ Retreat Group Photo

We then set about finding the right actors and the perfect locations to bring the story to life. Once both the cast and locations were confirmed, we turned our attention to assembling the crew. Our goal was to build a team that shared our vision for the project, ensuring that everyone, from the director of photography to the sound team, was aligned with the story we wanted to tell.

With everything in place, we were ready for a 3-day shoot in September 2024. Post-production was completed in January 2025, and we are thrilled to announce that Stray will have its world premiere at the Dublin International Film Festival (DIFF) in February 2025.

DR: Congratulations on that premiere! And I’m so pleased to see another Stowe mentor, Karol Griffiths, on board as script editor for STRAY. Can you tell us about that process and the value of working with a script editor?

Team: It was during the Stowe Connemara Retreat that we also had the opportunity to meet script editor Karol Griffiths, as she was also attending as a mentor. From the moment we met, it was clear that Karol was the perfect fit for this project, and we were thrilled when she offered to come on board as a script editor once the funding was secured. With Karol's expertise, Kim further refined the script, ensuring it was in the best possible shape before moving forward with casting and location scouting. Karol has also worked as script editor on Kim’s upcoming first feature LEMONADE — the script Kim submitted to Stowe before being selected for the 2023 Stowe Writers’ Retreat. Kim will be directing the feature film LEMONADE later this year.

DR: Again, congrats on the premiere at DIFF. Do you have a festival program set or is it still evolving? And what else are you working on?

Team: Stray will have its world premiere at the Dublin International Film Festival (DIFF) on Friday 21st February 2025. Although it’s not set yet, we are also hopeful Stray will be featured in many more festivals worldwide throughout 2025.

Just after we wrapped on Stray, we were thrilled to learn that our application for Screen Ireland development funding for a feature film was successful. This is a project we’re collaborating on with writer Niamh O’Connor, another Stowe fellow whom Ciara has been working with for the past few years. Kim had the chance to meet her at the Connemara Retreat, where Niamh brought this feature film project. So, it seems like another Stowe baby is born!

Ciara Appelbe

With over 25 years of experience in film and television production, Ciara Appelbe began her career as an Assistant Director on the set of shows like the BBC’s Ballykissangel and spent 10 years in production office roles before moving to executive production. Since 2006, Ciara has worked for World 2000 Entertainment, the company responsible for The Tudors (Showtime) and Vikings (MGM). Ciara now leads development at O’Sullivan Productions nurturing an exciting slate of projects and emerging writers.

Ciara graduated from University College Cork with an Honors Degree in Psychology and Geography. To complement her film and TV work, Ciara acquired a Certificate in Counseling Skills and a Graduate Diploma in Integrative & Humanistic Psychotherapy. Combining a wealth of industry experience with grounding in Psychology and Psychotherapy, Ciara is uniquely placed to produce many of the projects dealing with important and sensitive issues addressed in the various features, TV series, and documentaries on the development slate.

Kim Bartley

Kim Bartley is an award-winning Irish filmmaker celebrated for her documentary work that often shines a light on untold human stories and critical social issues. Bartley has a distinctive visual style, crafting stories with intimacy and authenticity. STRAY marks her first foray into narrative fiction, highlighting her versatility as a storyteller and director. Kim goes into production later this year on LEMONADE, her first narrative feature as writer-director.

Interview by David Rocchio, Stowe Founder & Director

David Rocchio is an attorney, writer, and Emmy-nominated filmmaker. David conceived and co-produced with James Rogan The Gun Shop, an Emmy-nominated one-hour documentary commissioned by the UK Channel 4’s Cutting Edge series, where it premiered prime time and was awarded top reviews. It then played worldwide. David’s award-winning short films have played internationally, including the Cannes Short Film Corner and Italy’s Capalbio International Short Film Festival (Best of Capalbio). His most recent short film Gary, Jr. was produced and directed by Bertha Bay Sa Pan.

In addition to creating his own work, David founded and runs the nonprofit Stowe Story Labs, which is dedicated to helping top emerging screenwriters and filmmakers get work made and seen. Now in its twelfth year, Stowe works with approximately 200 emerging talents annually at labs, retreats, workshops, advanced development programs, mentoring programs, and film production programs.

David’s last job as a lawyer was as Legal Counsel to Vermont’s then-Governor Howard Dean. He was a nationally certified EMT and member of the Mt. Mansfield Ski Patrol (Stowe, Vermont) for 22 years, and he remains an avid backcountry skier. David lives in Stowe.

STRAY — Collaboration Out of Connemara

Stowe Mentor and Board Member, and Head of Development at O’Sullivan Productions, Ciara Appelbe, and Stowe Screen Ireland/Fís Éireann Fellow Kim Bartley, formed a partnership to make the short film STRAY (starring Eva Birthistle and Isabelle Connolly).

Read on to learn about that partnership, the art it generated, and how Stowe has helped contribute to other collaborations out of Connemara.

Interview by David Rocchio

ICE TOWN — Thawing the fundraising process through fiscal agency.