Casting As a Financial Trigger: How to Attach Talent That Unlocks a Greenlight

Sat 11 July | 16:30 – 17.30 | Ballroom 3, Galmont Hotel

Practical strategies for securing cast attachments that drive financing, funding, and pre-sales in international co-productions. 

Presented by:  

Casting Society (CSA), Global Chapter

Spotlight

Filmmakers Europe

The purpose of this panel is to explore the increasingly critical strategic role of casting in international film and television financing, particularly within the European co-production landscape. The discussion will bring together the key players in the “cast attachments” dance: casting director, world sales, talent rep and producer. Discussion will focus on how films are packaged, financed and greenlit through talent attachments, and the challenges of balancing market realities with creative vision. 

Topics will include:
The goal is not to argue that casting alone finances films, but rather to delve into: 

• when and why cast becomes existential to a film 

• exactly how bankable actors influence pre-sales, financing and green lighting 

• relationships between casting, producers, world sales and talent reps 

• best practices for packaging in today’s market 

• how to balance commercial realities and creative vision 

​

Speakers

Louise Kiely has a Degree in Law from University College Cork. She also trained at The Gaiety School of Acting. She was an Actor for a period before setting up Louise Kiely Casting in 2005. Upcoming credits include THE ISLE OF MAN TROPHY RACE (Amazon MGM), GROWN UPS (Netflix), and WEDNESDAY S3 (Netflix MGM). Further credits include WOLFWALKERS (Cartoon Saloon) THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN (Disney) & NORMAL PEOPLE (BBC, RTÉ, Hulu). Louise was nominated for an Emmy in 2020. Louise & her colleague Karen Scully were recipients of the award for Best Casting in a TV Series in the Casting Directors Guild of UK & Ireland in 2021. Both the nomination & the award were for her work on NORMAL PEOPLE. 

Cassandra Han is a two-time Artios Award-nominated casting director specializing in UK casting and German-language productions. An American who has been based in Europe since 2003, she has built a career connecting international productions with talent across the UK, US, Germany, Austria, Switzerland and Italy. 

Her recent work includes THE WEIGHT starring Ethan Hawke and Russell Crowe (Sundance 2026), THE PHYSICIAN II (Constantin/Amazon), and SAMIA, directed by Yasemin Şamdereli, which received a Special Jury Mention at the Tribeca Film Festival. Her German-language credits include two upcoming Amazon features, SHE SAID MAYBE for Netflix, A TRILLION DOLLARS (Paramount+) and several films in the wildly popular THE THREE INVESTIGATORS franchise. 

Alongside her German-language work, Cassandra has become a sought-after UK casting director for European and international productions, with recent credits including GOULD LOVER, BLACK GOLD, LEFT SEAT starring Richard Gere and Michelle Rodriguez, MISS FALLACI for Paramount+, and QUEZON. Earlier highlights include Italian casting for FORD V FERRARI, Terrence Malick’s A HIDDEN LIFE and two seasons of Netflix’s BARBARIANS. German casting for international projects includes THE GERMAN (Lionsgate) and the upcoming feature THE NIGHTINGALE. 

Cassandra is President of the Global Chapter of the Casting Society and a member of both the European Film Academy and the German Film Academy. 

Clare McGinley (Chair) is Head of Casting at Spotlight, the leading casting platform connecting performers with casting professionals across the UK and Ireland. Clare works closely with actors, agents, casting directors and producers, giving her a unique perspective on performer discovery, industry trends and the evolving relationship between talent and opportunity across international markets. 

Lisa Cook 

Previously an actress based in the UK, Lisa returned to Dublin in 1989 and together with her brother Richard, founded The Lisa Richards Agency. Originally established with the aim of representing young emerging talent, the agency grew to look after and promote some of the finest talent in the country, both here and abroad, with many of their clients developing international careers. 

The company also has offices in the UK and Helsinki and now represents a wide range of talent including: Comedians, Writers, Theatre and Screen Directors, Editors, Designers & DOPs. 

Morris Epstein  

Morris Epstein has been a talent agent at The Lisa Richards Agency since 2011, representing a wide range of Irish actors working across film, television and theatre. 

With over a decade of experience championing Irish actors, Morris has worked closely with actors at every stage of their journey, helping to guide and develop careers both nationally and internationally while navigating the opportunities and challenges of an ever-evolving industry. A passionate advocate for Irish talent, he is known for identifying and nurturing emerging performers and helping them build successful careers on screen and stage.