dlr First Frames 2025/26 Award Winners
Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council is delighted to announce the two short films awarded funding under the dlr First Frames Scheme for 2026 – Birthday Swim and A Seagull Bit Me. Both films will be shot on location in Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown and are due for completion in Autumn 2026.
Birthday Swim
In the film Birthday Swim, a homesick Filipina nurse, struggling to find connection in Ireland, joins a fearless group of sea-swimming women and discovers an unexpected warmth in the cold Irish Sea. It is personal film for director Maríssa Aroy and a love letter to immigrant women, particularly nurses, who navigate homesickness, language barriers, and emotional isolation while holding families together across continents. The screenplay is by Liosa Mack, based on a story by Maríssa Aroy. Birthday Swim will be produced by Niall McKay and Larissa Brigatti at Spectra Entertainment
A Seagull Bit Me
A Seagull Bit Me, is a story about defiance, resilience, and the undeniable boldness of nature's perfect chip thief - the seagull. It's a twist on a classic transformation tale - where one woman's fateful encounter with a seagull leads to her embodying its most brazen qualities. It is written and will be directed by Kristina Yee. Producers Ciarán Charles and Chris Hees said “Rockall Films is all about championing new talent, so we’re thrilled to be working with Kristina as she continues to establish herself as a formidable Writer/Director across both the animation and live-action landscape.”
dlr First Frames is fully funded by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council’s Arts Office and Economic Development Unit and managed by IADT. Mentoring support as well as additional equipment and facilities are provided by the National Film School, IADT.
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