Triskelion Pictures presents a haunting Irish thriller that explores generational trauma and racism, turning the “white saviour complex” on its head. “The Closing” is a film about reconciliation and acceptance, asking the question of how we can move on after the darkest secrets have been brought to light.

This is Irish Film at its best - an unsettling story that has deep roots in the ground and asks us to remember our humanity. 

Irish Cinema is experiencing its renaissance at the moment - with the success of The Quiet Girl, The Banshees of Inisherin and others clear to everyone. The Closing follows in this proud storytelling tradition. 

Burdened with insurmountable debt, pain, trauma and familial obligations, DAVID TAYLOR goes on a journey to a mysterious island to settle his dead father's business affairs and discovers a dreadful dark secret: unbeknownst to David and his mother, Andrew Taylor kept a woman captive on the island for nearly 3 decades and paid the locals to keep her and her daughter subjugated. 

David must now decide whether to free the women who seemed to have suffered enough--or leave them to their own devices--forfeiting a fortune in the process, that could change his life forever.

The Closing welcomes you into a world of grey skies, coarse Gorse bushes, eerily silent forests - and a darkness that cannot be dispelled by the sparse sunlight bathing the island in the summer. 

There is beauty out here, but it only goes skin deep.

The Closing is written and directed by Ronika Merl and produced by award-winning producer Leigh Ariana Trifari and TRISKELION PICTURES LTD. The cast features Shane Robinson (David Taylor) and Gerry Cannon (Andrew Taylor), as well as Aisling Goodwin all from the hit TV show "Vikings: Valhalla", with more cast announcements to be made.

Follow the film's journey at theclosingfilm.com 

Below: Leigh Ariana Trifari, Aisling Goodwin, Shane Robinson, Ronika Merl, Gerry Cannon

Director's Statement

The Closing was inspired by the landscape of Wicklow: its stark mountains, bleak heather, hills that fade into blue, and the ever-changing sky above Ireland. 

The island was imagined as an eery place, something that is removed from the world while being completely in it, completely real. 

Female empowerment and the strength of women who have been made to suffer is a thread that spins itself through this story (and indeed all my work). So is the ugly aftertaste of racism. The realism in which these themes are explored stems from personal experience. I have been subjected to many of the horrors that Anna and Nina go through, and can therefore not only relate to their suffering but shine a light at the darker underbelly of what humans are capable of doing to each other. I know what it’s like to be brought away, to be kept prisoner, to be unable to decide my own fate. 

This is why The Closing is such a deeply personal story for me, and also why it needs to be made with my voice. 

Shane Robinson’s extraordinary performance in portraying a broken and slightly helpless man helped solidify the idea that grew into this story: that David could become a truly grounded and real character, in a setting that was anything but grounded.

Realism in both visual terms as well character terms plays a huge part in my vision. These people feel like they could be us, because in truth - they are us. 

The villagers aren’t evil for the things they do - they are trying to build a future for themselves. Tribalism gets in the way and they forget that Anna and Nina are a part of their community. 

Andrew is not evil for the things he does - he is a broken creature who has never had a chance at even developing a human side. 

All the characters are layered and full of faults, quirks, and problems. 

The Closing is everything I stand for: a fiercely female story, which defies hate, defies racism, defies prejudice, defies the white saviour complex.

We are also happy to announce that Nina Mendes has just been confirmed in the role of Nina Taylor. 

Where Does Your Support Go? 

Filmmaking is complex. To every production, there are a million moving parts. And when they all work together, magic happens. 

The Closing is very much a passion project. We all came together because we really believed in this story, and understand why it's so important that it gets told. 

So let's have a look at what your support here on Greenlit helps us with: 

Camera

The Closing will be filmed on a RED cinema camera, in the very capable hands of our Director of Photography Fiona Graham. This camera creates beautiful images, but it's really our lenses that will be responsible for the unique look of the film. Renting lenses will be a central cost factor for the camera department. 

Locations

Ireland has no shortage of beautiful landscapes, gorgeous mystical forests and hidden away little cottages. But in order to find those, secure the permits and rights to film there, and get our cast and crew to those remote and perfect places, we will need your help. 

Crew

Our Production Design Team is already working very hard, looking at fabric samples, design choices, props, and colour schemes. Our Assistant Director Mikey Kane is working on putting a schedule in place that will ensure we have a smooth and un-complicated shoot. 

Our DoP is working out visual concepts, and together with her Gaffer, she will be working out what each location needs in order to look good on camera. 

Crewing a big production like this one - especially on a small budget like ours - is a challenge. Everyone in the film industry is here because we love what we do. We wouldn't do anything else with our lives, but that still means everyone should be compensated fairly for their time, their effort, and the heart and soul that they pour into the art they are creating. 

Transport and Food

What is so often overlooked is the huge amount it costs to get people there and get people fed.  A film is essentially a company: there are several different departments, each with their own job, and their own responsibility. 

Since most of our locations are quite remote, we will need to bring our cast and crew to these far-off places - and that costs money. A huge chunk of our budget will be spent on things that you cannot see on camera - but that are essential to making a film work. 

A hungry crew will not be able to function efficiently - and starving actors will not deliver lines that have impact. 

Last but not least: Cast

Our stunning cast are highly trained professionals, some of whom have been in the industry for decades.  They do this because they love what they do. They have passion for their characters, and they would do anything to get this film made. But in order to be able to come on board, our actors will need to be paid for their time, expertise, and craft.