The renowned ENGINE Short Film Scheme is back for a 3rd Edition, which sees emerging filmmakers based in Clare, Tipperary or Limerick engage in a training programme, from which up to six new short films will be commissioned in the region in 2025.
The ambitious short film training and production scheme for emerging talent has already produced 12 films over the first two editions, and seen commissioned films screened globally, picking up awards in London, Belfast, Chicago and screening at the famous SXSW festival in Austin, Texas.
Run by Innovate Limerick through Film in Limerick, Engine Shorts is a partnership between the Local Authorities in Tipperary, Limerick and Clare, and Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board.
The new scheme aims to inspire and support up-and-coming writers, directors and producers to create inspiring, engaging world-class short films that resonate with a wide international audience.
It also offers the opportunity for emerging local crew to gain real-world experience on funded productions and to receive industry guidance.
Shortlisted teams join the training programme to develop their project ideas and up to six teams are awarded production funding of €12,500 each to produce a short film locally.
The Engine Shorts initiative is a key mechanism for developing filmmaking talent in the Mid-West of Ireland, supporting skills and talent development through industry-led training, as well as tailored training and practical experience for crews on commissioned projects.
The commissioned projects are all filmed in the region, crewed by locally-based talent and offer skills training and career development for all those involved.
In 2021, 15 projects were shortlisted after 131 applications were received from across the Mid-West region including five shortlisted applications from Clare.
Each team then went through a supported development process with training and support from Film in Limerick. Following the development stage, the 15 shortlisted teams pitched to an industry panel of Oscar nominee Ruth Negga, Juliette Bonass and Clare Dunne. The successful Clare applicant was Writer / Director Nell Hensey who received funding of €12,500 to make her short film Try and Touch with producer Gemma O’Shaughnessy.
Emma Coleman stars in Engine Short, Try & Touch filmed in Clare
Credit: Eanna Grogan
The 2022 call out saw two films selected from Clare. Remember to Feed the Birds and Baps and Buns were shot in Clare over the last number of years.
The shortlisted for Engine Shorts 3 was announced in April 2025. 12 were shortlisted from over 80 applications.
Each team will now go through a supported development process in the coming weeks with Film in Limerick. Following the development stage, the 12 shortlisted teams will pitch to an industry panel and up to 6 projects will receive funding of €12,500 each to make a short film.
Commenting on the shortlist, Paul C. Ryan, Regional Film manager at Film in Limerick, “We are delighted with the response to the 3rd edition of our short film training and production scheme and we want to thank everyone who took the time to apply. The huge interest and the quality of the projects received, reflects the growing ambition of our emerging talent in the sector in the Mid-West. We can’t wait to work with the writers in the next phase of development.”
The full list of 12 shortlisted writers are as follows:
Oisin McKeogh (Clare) “Call me Anon” Returning to his rural hometown, a young gay man desperate for connection seeks solace in an online hookup – only to be drawn into an unsettling encounter that forces him to confront his past.
Anna Hession (Limerick) – “Make them laugh ”Louise is 15 minutes away from her first stand-up comedy gig. What could possibly go wrong? It turns out, pretty much everything.
Michael Casey – (Limerick) “Limerick Ulysses Or A Very Bad Day To Be Bart Parsley” When the self proclaimed King of Limerick Bart Parsley is dumped by his girlfriend that he cheated on, he learns that an awful lot of his enemies are taking the chance to get their vengeance now that he is no longer under protection of her dangerous brother.
Maeve Stone – (Clare) “Nightshift” Maria, a Filipino nurse, is late for work and on the hunt for her absent Irish-born daughter Jasmine. She finds her, and things come to a head as their radically different childhoods cause resentment and misunderstanding, resulting in the car journey from hell.
Ian Brew (Limerick) “Dish” Haunted by the tragic death of her young daughter, a chef returns to the kitchen in a desperate attempt to rebuild her life. As the pressures of the fast-paced culinary world collide with her grief, she must confront the painful memories that threaten to unravel her, all while battling her own sense of guilt and the suffocating weight of loss.
Shane Vaughan (Limerick) “Maloch” Malachy Lambert, artist and academic, suffers a psychotic break on the opening night of his new exhibition as rumours of inappropriate behaviour with students take on a life of their own.
Tzarini Meyler (Tipperary) “Reborning” – Two women, two prams, one suspicious transaction in a children’s playground. Susie and Tina are from opposite ends of town. But they share an unspoken addiction. As their obsession grows, this unlikely pair must confront the fine line between healing and losing themselves entirely.
Michael Casey (Clare) “Boxed In” Boxed In tells the story of a young Irish couple desperate for their independence, and the mother who sleeps in the room next door.
Caroline Brady (Tipperary) “First Bloom” – A single forty-something country woman has her heart set on her neighbouring farmer, but after years of a one-sided courtship, she discovers her love interest has been keeping secrets all along.
Jamal Alkhraishah (Clare) “The Bridge” The film tells the story of a young Arab man forced to leave his home due to harsh circumstances and finds himself in Ireland, where he faces challenges in integrating into a new society while preserving his identity and culture. The story weaves through moments of inner conflict, homesickness, and hope as he begins to build bridges with the Irish community through his work or talent.
Charlotte Wall (Limerick)- “Drowning” After a lifeguard become a casualty in a rescue gone wrong, she must face her PTSD to save a life and redeem herself in her own eyes.
Mark de Carreau (Tipperary) “Training Day” 2 very opposite Irish guards spend the day walking along a train track looking for body parts in rural Ireland. Usual Suspects meets The Guard.
