Banbridge creative helping bring ambitious student film The Parts We Play to the screen

A Banbridge creative is among the team behind an upcoming student short film exploring the difficult choices facing young people pursuing careers in the arts.

Joshua Galway is serving as production designer on The Parts We Play, a drama written and directed by Queen's University Belfast student filmmaker Kristyn Anthony. The film examines ambition, sacrifice and the reality that success can sometimes come at a personal cost.

The story centres on Moira, a struggling theatre actress who finally secures the breakthrough opportunity she has always wanted. However, as she throws herself into her career, her relationships begin to suffer, forcing her to confront the consequences of the choices she has made.

Explaining the premise, Anthony said: "Our film is about Moira, a young out-of-work theatre actress who finally lands her breakout role. But, by prioritising her career, it pushes the man that loves her away. As she takes the stage on opening night, she must learn to come to terms with the painful reality that being at the top can be lonely when you have no one to share it with."

The project is being brought to life by a team of emerging filmmakers, with Anthony directing from a screenplay she also wrote. She is joined by producer Aoife Neeson, director of photography Jacob Barclay, editor Indie Gilbert, production designer Joshua Galway, and sound recordist Kyle Hughes.

For Anthony, the story emerged from a desire to tell an honest and relatable story about life as a young creative trying to establish a career in a highly competitive industry.

"When I began to think of the idea, I was sure I wanted to highlight the struggle of trying to make it in a creative industry," she said. "I always loved complicated protagonists who don't always make the right decisions. It makes them seem more human to me."

She said the screenplay was partly inspired by Joachim Trier's acclaimed 2021 film The Worst Person in the World and its central character, Julie.

"I'm inspired by Trier's The Worst Person in the World and the characterization of Julie, the main character," Anthony explained. "She is a complicated individual who moves through life trying to figure out who she is between her career and her love life, often wounding herself and others on the way."

At the heart of the film is a theme many people in their twenties will recognise: uncertainty.

"Your twenties are a funny time," Anthony said. "I don't think anyone my age has their life figured out. That's what made me write this screenplay."

While the film is fictional, Anthony admits that it draws from the experiences of herself and her peers as they prepare to leave university and enter a challenging job market.

"Myself and my peers have experienced the competitiveness of the film industry, as final-year students eager to break into it, so I can say there is truth behind the narrative," she said.

"All of us are desperate for jobs or a bit of security beyond university, hopefully within the film industry. I see this in music, acting, dancing and other creative fields."

Although the film focuses on a young actress, Anthony's fascination with the world of theatre also played a major role in shaping the story.

"I always had a fascination with the theatre, never having performed on stage as an actor but adored watching my friends who did," she said.

"I see so much passion and talent pouring from them and hope to see them become successful in that field."

As with many independent productions, one of the most significant challenges facing the team has been securing the funding needed to complete the project.

"Funding is the main hurdle," Anthony said. "As student filmmakers, we have to fund our films ourselves through means of crowdfunding or fundraisers."

To help raise money for production costs, the crew launched an Instagram page, @thepartsweplayfilm, where supporters can follow the film's progress and learn about fundraising events.

Among those events is a pub quiz fundraiser at Belfast's Botanic Inn, which has already attracted strong support from members of the public and local businesses.

"We've already started an Instagram to promote the film and are using that platform to provide updates, one being our pub quiz fundraiser," Anthony explained.

"We invite everyone to the Botanic Inn on November 19 for a pub quiz. Tickets are only £5 with the link in our Instagram bio to purchase."

She added: "We've received amazing support from local businesses like Blue Train Coffee Shop and No Alibis Bookstore, who have donated prizes and vouchers for our winning team, with more prizes coming soon."

The response has been encouraging for a production still in its early stages.

"We really appreciate the support we've already received and encourage people to follow along our journey throughout production, especially if they have given to the funding," Anthony said.

Alongside the fundraising effort, Anthony credits collaboration as one of the most important ingredients in bringing the project from script to screen.

Several members of the crew have worked together before, helping to create an atmosphere of trust and shared creativity.

"Most of the crew I have already had the pleasure of working with before," she said. "I am confident when I bring an idea to them that it will be brought to life."

She believes every member of the team plays a crucial role in shaping the final film.

"Each person is responsible for their own department, adding their personal flair to the project," Anthony said. "Collaboration is essential because each and every person betters the film."

"I value feedback from each department and their commitment to the project. We all resonate with the screenplay ourselves, making it a special film to work on together."

The cast is made up largely of performers from Queen's Players, with Anthony praising the talent and dedication they have brought to the production.

"As for my actors, they truly bring the vision to life," she said. "Most of our cast are made up of the fabulous Queen's Players, who I have worked with and seen perform on many occasions."

"It is a pleasure to work with such upcoming, local talent. I'm looking forward to filming with this fabulous crew and cast."

With filming preparations continuing and support growing, The Parts We Play aims to tell a story that will resonate with anyone who has ever struggled to balance personal relationships with professional ambition, while also showcasing the work of a new generation of Northern Ireland filmmakers, including Banbridge's Joshua Galway.