A Belfast-set boxing short film, Guard, is in the pipeline after an online funding campaign reached its target ahead of schedule to raise some much-needed funds for the project, which will be helmed by The Fall’s Bronagh Taggart and her husband, Jonathan Harden.
The pair set up a website, www.belfastboxingfilm.com, in a bid to ensure that the film sees the light of day.
Taggart will play a female boxer and the script has piqued the interest of the likes of Liam Neeson, Gillian Anderson and James Nesbitt.
“It’s the most magnificent, poignant script and I have every confidence that Jonathan and Bronagh will make it the incredible drama it deserves to be,” said Nesbitt when speaking to the Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland edition).
Belfast’s Michael Conlan has also added some heavyweight boxing backing to the film. He said: “Guard’s a cracking project and it’ll be a great wee film. I’m getting behind it and I encourage boxing fans at home to do the same. A boxing movie set in Belfast—it’s been a long time coming.”
Fans flooded www.belfastboxingfilm.com in order to support the funding drive, the target of £12,000 was surpassed yesterday and the film should go into production in 2017, which will also see the release of Paddy Considine’s movie Journeyman as well the film Jawbone, Johnny Harrison stars in that one.
From the website: ‘Guard is a short boxing film set in Belfast. Written by and starring Bronagh Taggart (The Fall), it will be cast by Emmy winner Robert Sterne (Game of Thrones), shot by BAFTA winner Michael Lennox (Boogaloo & Graham), produced by RTS winner Sean Murray, and directed by Jonathan Harden (Peep Show, Unforgotten).
