STOWE STORY LABS ANNOUNCES THE FÍS ÉIREANN/SCREEN IRELAND FELLOWS TO ITS 2025 CONNEMARA WRITERS’ RETREAT
DENISE DEEGAN, ZOË GIBNEY, ELLIUS GRACE, DEBORAH GRIMES, ALI HARDIMAN, RITA ANN HIGGINS, NÓRA NÍ FHLATHARTA, BRIAN O’RIORDAN, SARAH-JANE SCOTT, NAOMI SHERIDAN
Stowe Story Labs has unveiled its selection of the 10 Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland fellows for its 2025 Connemara Writers’ Retreat. The program is run in partnership with Screen Ireland, the Galway Film Fleadh, the Marketplace at the Galway Film Fair, and the Renvyle House Hotel.
The Retreat will run October 13 – 17 and is produced by Stowe Story Labs, with support from Screen Ireland and the Galway Film Fleadh and Marketplace. At the Retreat, each fellow participates in three, one-hour, one-on-one script note sessions with three different industry mentors. Other content includes panel discussions, in-conversation interviews and Q&As with mentors and invited speakers, writing exercises, peer-group sessions, and time to write and revise. The program is delivered by Stowe’s founder and director David Rocchio and co-founder David Pope.
Speaking about the selection Stowe founder David Rocchio said, “At Stowe, our mission is to help emerging talents develop skills and projects on their way to getting work made and seen. With that in mind, we are excited to work with these talented screenwriters and filmmakers in Connemara. We are deeply appreciative of the Screen Stakeholders Funding Scheme from Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland and our ongoing partnership with Screen Ireland, the Galway Film Fleadh and the Marketplace at the Galway Film Fair, and the Renvyle House Hotel as we do this work together to push story forward.”
The 2025 Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland Connemara Fellows are:
- Denise Deegan, Young Doctor Sullivan (1-Hour TV, Procedural Medical Drama)
- Zoë Gibney, Dons Life Goes On (Feature, Drama/Comedy)
- Ellius Grace, Halfcast (Feature, Body Horror)
- Deborah Grimes, The Promised Land (Feature, Drama)
- Ali Hardiman, Private Lies (1/2-Hour TV, Comedy)
- Rita Ann Higgins, The Fracture (Feature, Dark Comedy)
- Nóra Ní Fhlatharta, The Disruptor (Feature, Dark Comedy/Road Movie)
- Brian O’Riordan, Beyond (TV-Limited Series, Surrealist Thriller Drama)
- Sarah-Jane Scott, Small Holdings (TV-Limited Series, Drama)
- Naomi Sheridan, The Pass of the Birds (Feature, Drama)
The mentors and speakers at the Connemara Retreat are:
- Ciara Appelbe (Head of Development, O’Sullivan Productions, Ireland)
- Conor Barry (Producer, Wild Atlantic Pictures, Ireland)
- Ali Doyle (Head of Development and Development Producer at Newgrange Pictures, Ireland)
- Aaron Farrell (Head of Drama, Shinawil, Ireland)
- Jessie Fisk (Creative Producer, Wildcat Pictures, Ireland)
- Karol Griffiths (Development Consultant, Script Editor, UK)
- Olivia Hetreed (Screenwriter, Girl with a Pearl Earring, Mrs Harris Goes to Paris, UK)
- Amanda Livanou (Producer and Founder of Neda Film, Greece)
- Tim Loane (Screenwriter, Director, Actor, Proof, Little Devil, Northern Ireland)
- Peter McKenna (Writer and Producer, Kin, Hidden Assets, Ireland)
- Ruth Meehan (Writer and Director, Ireland)
- Brandi Nicole (Writer and Performer, Your Honor, Ballard, USA)
- Sanjay Shah (Screenwriter/Showrunner, Central Park, King of the Hill, USA)
- Claire Willats (Creative Producer, UK)
ABOUT STOWE STORY LABS: Stowe Story Labs is a Vermont-based nonprofit dedicated to helping screenwriters and filmmakers from all backgrounds and walks of life develop skills and projects.
