In this Film Ireland podcast, Gemma Creagh talks to Director & Co-Writer Mark O’Connor and Co-Writer & Actor Luke McQuillan about their film ‘Amongst The Wolves’.
Also we chat to Finglas teenager Emma Whelan who was recently named Ireland’s Young Filmmaker of the Year at the annual Fresh Film Festival for her film Abhaile, which she wrote, directed, and starred in.
Co-written by O’Connor and McQuillan Amongst The Wolves follows a homeless former soldier who, haunted by PTSD, forms an unlikely bond with a troubled teenager, while he navigates the dangers of life on the streets. The visceral and gripping crime thriller stars Golden Globe® nominee Aidan Gillen (Game of Thrones, Kin, Love/Hate), Luke McQuillan (Darklands, Game of Thrones), Jade Jordan (Twig), Louise Bourke (Let The Wrong One In), Helen Behan (This is England) and newcomer Daniel Fee. Produced by Bread and Circus Productions and Stalker Films.
Amongst The Wolves is in cinemas from 2nd May 2025.
About Emma Whelan
Emma is a 19-year-old filmmaker from Dublin, currently studying Film & Broadcasting at TU Dublin. In 2025, she was crowned Ireland’s Young Filmmaker of the Year at the annual Fresh Film Festival for her powerful short film Abhaile, after being nominated the year prior for best screenplay for a different film she wrote and directed. Abhaile explores themes of class and friendship through the contrasting lives of its central characters. The film reflects Emma’s own experiences growing up and the casual remarks she’s encountered about her home and community. So far, Abhaile has been garnering an honourable reception, also winning Best Director at the First Cut Youth Film Festival. Alongside her studies, Emma has worked in various roles on a number of short film productions in the past couple years, building hands-on experience in the Irish screen industry. She is passionate about telling authentic, emotionally resonant stories that challenge perceptions.
Watch Abhaile here
Ireland’s Young Filmmaker of the Year 2025 Awards presented by Hannah Mamalis & Justine Stafford
