Paul Mescal film to star 13 intellectually disabled actors

Date when the film will learn if it has advanced in the Oscars race also revealed

As the Academy Award shortlist is due on 16 December, an ensemble of intellectually disabled Irish performers fronts the film.

One of the film's stars is Mark Smith, who is most famous for Making a Mark, his one-man show.

"We're down to the wire now, but it's very exciting", Smith said of the shortlist wait.

Paul Mescal film backs a disabled-led ensemble

As they shape the plot themselves, thirteen of the production's 19 cast members joined the writers' room.

The rest of the ensemble cast includes Teresa Flood, Wesley Fairbrother, Lucy Smith, Keith Foley and Maurice Coll, among others.

For film and television in Ireland, the upcoming short film comes amid a busy year.

JOE readers keep revisiting one of the best Irish movies, while the appetite for ensemble crime stories also shows in Tom Hardy's crime drama.

The story behind Mary Is Missing

Inclusive theatre company Run of the Mill wrote and made Mary Is Missing.

The host company is the Mill Community Centre in Celbridge and Maynooth University, while founder Aisling Byrne is the film's director.

"It exists as a platform for our artists. We had made a previous film under Run of the Mill, which Mark was kind of the star of…", Byrne said.

The film's plot centers on Mary, who is a Yellow Tree Day Service care worker absent from work for two days.

As RTÉ reported, Garda Foley and the care team investigate, uncovering conflicting accounts from the service's users.

FAQ

What is Mary Is Missing about?

Mary Is Missing follows a Garda and a care team investigating a missing care worker.

The pair uncover conflicting accounts from the day service's users.

When will the Oscar shortlist be announced?

The Academy Award shortlist is due on 16 December.

That is when Mary Is Missing will learn if it has advanced in the short film race.