LIMERICK will roll out the red carpet tonight (Thursday April 23) for a dramatic night at the movies for stars and fans alike.
The premiere of Once Upon A Time In A Cinema will be held in the iconic Royal Cinema on Cecil Street at 7.30pm.
And, the beloved former cinema provided the setting for the new feature from acclaimed Cappamore filmmaker David Gleeson (Tolkien, Don’t Go, The Front Line, Cowboys & Angels), set over the course of one evening in a cinema in 1980s Ireland.
The Royal Cinema played host to the filming of the Limerick man’s latest work in November 2024.
Viewers will watch as a cinema owner wrestles with the legacy of the past and the challenges of the future in a drama dubbed “funny”, “wise”, and with “rings of authenticity”.
Featuring a blend of some of Ireland’s most-respected actors and exciting new talent, the offscreen plot twists are just as surprising as those onscreen.
Renowned Irish actor Colin Morgan (Belfast, Merlin) plays Earl Clancy, the manager of a small-town cinema who is firefighting the Friday night from hell while mulling over the sale of his cinema to a shady politician.
Cinema has been a family affair for Mr Gleeson, whose grandfather and father ran the Regal Cinema in his native Cappamore.
Speaking ahead of the upcoming release on his home turf, Mr Gleeson commented: “It’s a love letter to an experience that’s been woven into the Irish soul for a hundred years, a film that celebrates the rollercoaster of emotion that has forever bonded us in the company of strangers.”
“It is my deepest honour to invite audiences across Ireland to rediscover those profound connections, those close bonds we yearn for today more than ever. So come inside and take a seat. In the darkness, no one can see you’re crying.”
Backed by Screen Ireland and Myriad Pictures, Once Upon A Time In A Cinema is a European co-production from Ireland’s Wide Eye Films Ltd, Germany’s Tossell Pictures and Umedia in Belgium.
It is produced by Nathalie Lichtenthaeler and Judy Tossell. The cast includes Colin Morgan, Calam Lynch, Stanley Townsend, India Mullen, Clara Crichton, and Niamh Cusack.
The local premiere will take place as part of the 2026 Catalyst International Film Festival, with screenings, masterclasses, and more taking place across Limerick City this Thursday to Saturday (April 23 to 25).