Belfast actor Stephen Rea is to star alongside two young Irish newcomers in
a feelgood movie set in Dublin.
The 60-year-old Oscar nominee will play a busker mistaken for rock legend
Bob Dylan in the film Kisses, which also stars two Irish schoolchildren
plucked from obscurity.
Filming will take place in Dublin over the next five weeks. Production will
then move to Sweden for one week.
The movie, produced by Macdara Kelleher and directed by Lance Daly, tells of
two young children who run away from home at Christmas.
Two Dubliners, Kelly O'Neill (10) and Shane Curry (11), landed the lead
roles after they were chosen from thousands of young hopefuls in auditions
which took place last year.
In the movie, the children run away and on their journey, meet a man at a
stage door, Des "Down Under" Dylan (Rea) who tells them an
anecdote about life.
The children believe the man is music legend Bob Dylan, composer of
legendary hits such as Blowin' In The Wind and Forever Young.
The film also stars Paul Roe of Adam And Paul, and Neili Conroy from
Intermission.
Rea, who was nominated for an Oscar for his role in Neil Jordan's The Crying
Game, is currently appearing in a Sam Shepard play at the Abbey Theatre.
Shooting of the new movie has already got under way and will take place in
and around O'Connell Street, Tallaght and Ringsend.
Scenes include the children making their escape and hitching a ride on a
boat, which is filmed along the canal from Ballyfermot to Ringsend, as well
as Christmas day scenes on O'Connell Street.
Kisses is Lance Daly's third feature film to date. Previous projects have
included The Halo Effect and Last Days In Dublin.
Rea, who helped set up theatre company Field Day, has also starred in movies
Interview With A Vampire, Breakfast On Pluto and The End Of The Affair.
Kisses is being made by Dublin-based Fastnet Films and has been funded
mainly by the Irish Film Board.
Hi: 17°C / Lw: 12°C
Police officers are injured as car fails to stop
Taoiseach's last day spent with Big Ian at Boyne centre
Store is transformed into a lads' sanctuary
Exclusive poll: crime, health, Executive and Ulster's future
15,000 pairs of feet pound the city's streets for annual run
Bank holiday fun at the boat race charity event
Belfast Telegraph's glittering gala ceremony
Agent Provocateur's revealing lingerie launch
Read your entries in our city guides competition
Ship's Belfast beginnings celebrated in exhibition
Applauding Ulster's most exceptional women
Special report on Northern Ireland's worst house fire
Celebrating excellence at the inaugural awards gala 
Special multimedia report on Belfast Wheel