Bloodsucking Aliens Land In Donegal

Bloodsucking aliens have invaded the quiet Donegal community of Inishowen this week, as the film crew for Hollywood film 'Grabbers' landed in town.

The 100-strong cast and crew of the comedy-horror film have given January trade in the picturesque region a boost, but the area's bars could be in for the biggest peak in profits if the film's story line has any truth to it.

Described as 'Tremors' meets 'Waking Ned', the film stars Richard Coyle of the movie Coupling, Ruth Bradley from The Clinic, Russell Tovey of Being Human and Commitment's star Bronagh Gallagher (pictured) and depicts an alien invasion on the coast of Ireland.

However, the movie plot twists when the heroes discover that getting drunk is the only way to survive, as bloodsucking aliens can't stand the taste of drunk people.

The film's script has gained a lot of attention within the film industry and was listed on the 2009 UK Black List (a list of the most liked unproduced screenplays within the film industry) before production began.

The film is produced by Forward Films and Samson Films – who were behind the international hit, Once – and is backed by the UK's Film Council, the Irish Film Board and Sony Pictures who will also distribute the film in the UK and Ireland.

The monster movie is being directed by Brit Jon Wright and was written by Cork man Kevin Lehane.

According to the Inishowen News, the Carlton Redcastle Hotel is being used as the movie's production base and management has enjoyed block-booking of rooms for the past month while rooms were also booked out for use as editing suites and accounts offices.

The crew move on to Belfast at the end of this week while Bronagh Gallagher - already known for both previous big screen movie roles and her Commitments musical background - is even busier, as she plays Belfast's Out To Lunch Festival on Saturday with her own band for a now sold-out gig.

Bronagh first appeared in 1991 in Alan Parker's hit movie The Commitments and then in an impressive succession of roles on stage, television and the big screen, staring in films such as Quentin Tarantino's Pulp Fiction, George Lucas's Star Wars: Episode 1 and David Caffrey's Divorcing Jack.

Bronagh released her first solo album Precious Soul in 2004 on the Salty Dog Records label, produced by John Reynolds. With spectacular arrangements and instrumentation by Brian Eno, Precious Soul is an exuberant marriage of classic Nashville Country and Memphis Soul.

See: www.cqaf.com/outtolunch/bronagh_gallagher

(DW)