“Too small to be a Republic. Too large to be an insane asylum”

Open Asylum, Colm Villa’s debut feature film, is a drama set in Northern Ireland during the early 1980s. The story follows Tom Bradley, a young metalworker whose life is disrupted by the intense political and social upheavals of the time. The film explores both personal and societal struggles amidst conflict, with a particular focus on class and sub-classes—a theme often overlooked in narratives about the Troubles.

Villa’s direction, shot on location in Derry and surrounding areas, effectively captures the raw atmosphere of the era. The choice to use Super 8mm film adds a distinctive, nostalgic texture to the visuals. The restored version of Open Asylum introduces a new score by Score Draw Music, featuring jazz trumpeter Linley Hamilton, which enhances the film’s emotional depth.

The title reflects Villa’s intention to highlight the paradoxical nature of life in Northern Ireland during this period. It contrasts the idea of 'asylum' as both a place of refuge and a mental institution, suggesting a space of safety and confinement. This evocative title was chosen to represent the unsettling normalcy amidst the surrounding violence and unrest.

In crafting Open Asylum, Villa applies several key storytelling principles: Ambiguity, Anticipation, Escalation, Ironic Contradiction, and Transcendence. These principles enhance the film’s portrayal of class dynamics, underscoring the impact of poverty and deprivation often left unaddressed in similar narratives.

The film’s production, spanning 14 months, has been met with critical acclaim on the international festival circuit. Open Asylum won Best Feature Film at the Brazil International Film Festival 2023 and the Mexico International Film Festival 2023 and continued its success into 2024 with wins at the Golden Reel Awards and the Liberty Film Awards. It was also featured in the official selections of the Belfast Film Festival and the Foyle Film Festival in 2022. Open Asylum stands as a significant work in contemporary cinema, offering a stark reflection on the complexities of class and conflict.

Starring: Frankie McMenimen, Tommy McAteer, Hugh Gallagher, Alan MacKenzie, Tony McMenimen, Colm Villa, Robin Percival, Alwin Hanna, John Roddy, Connor Porter, Nina Hutton, James Rooney, Ruby Boyd, Teresa Malaugh, Brian Magee, Chris Smalls, Noel Duddy, Claire Toland, Brian Lacey, Marie Gilmour, Christina Jackson

Production Assistants: Sean Courtney, Sean Hinds & Danny Doherty 

Photography: Sean Austin, Colm Villa, Desmond Mayell

Camera Assistant: Bart O’Donnel

Sound Recording: Jim Nicell

Edited by Steve Keleher

Post Production: Magic Lantern, San Francisco

Prints by Leo Diner, San Francisco & Colour Technique, Beaconsfield

Cameras & Recording Equipment supplied by Audio-Visual Department, University of Ulster at Magee, Derry/Londonderry

Filmed on a Braun Nizo

Stills Photography: Shaun Austin, Colm Villa, Sean Hinds & Tina Jackson 

2021 Restoration

Producer - Archive Restoration: Francis Jones - Northern Ireland Screen

Titles & Additional Editing: Paul McClintock - Northern Ireland Screen

Film Scanning & Digital Restoration: Robert McCormick - RMC Media Partnership

Digital Cinema Package: Ka-Boom Post Production

Colourist: Jim Agnew - Ka-Boom Post Production

Music: Score Draw Music

Audio Post Production: Score Draw Music

Original Score: Fiona O'Kane, Mary Johnson & Richard Hill

Trumpet: Linley Hamilton

Music Supervisor: Lucy McGinn

Audio Restoration: Fiona O'Kane

Sound Design: Stacey McMeekin & Heidi Wilson

Sound Supervisor: Mark Gordon

Final Mix: Simon McCormick - Outpost Belfast

Music Tracks

LAST KING - Written by Pat Dam Smyth & Chris McComish; Performed by Pat Dam Smyth; Licensed courtesy of Karousel Music

A HEART IN MINOR - Written by Mark McCambridge; Performed by Arborist; Licensed courtesy of Arborist

A MAN OF MY AGE - Written By Mark McCambridge; Performed by Arborist; Licensed courtesy of Arborist

BUILT TO BREAK - Written by Travis Gilbert, Richard Hill, Callum Cairns & Andrew Bleakley; Performed by Colly Strings; Licensed courtesty of Colly Strings 

Original Screenplay by Colm Villa & Dermot Logue

Directed & Produced by Colm Villa

Very special thanks to

Risteard MacGabhann 'The LEarning Resources Centre'

Audio-Visual Department, University of Ulster (Magee), Derry/Londonderry also Sean Courtney

Eddie McLaughlin, Philip Wilson & Jim Nicell

David A. Noble - N.W. Arts Trust

Londonderry Arts Association

Paddy Hegarty & Teddy Gallagher at 'Studio 39' - Derry/Londonderry

Declan McGonagle, The Orchard Gallery, Derry/Londonderry

An Garda Siochana, Buncrana, Co. Donegal

'Banty' & Charlie Nash - 'The Sportsman' Derry

Paddy Rice & Quaver Records Derry/Londonderry

Robert Watts (II)

Also to

The Castle, Castle Street Derry/Londonderry

The Cutty Sark - Derry/Londonderry

Noel Lindsey and Band

All the Residents of Cedar Court/Glen View Street Flats

The Glen, Derry/Londonderry

Ken & Peggy Gallagher - all the patrons and staff of 'The Spinning Wheel'/'Hayloft'/'Ken's Den' Derry/Londonderry

John T. Davis - Holywood Films, Co Down

The late, great Gerry Anderson

Martin Bradley

Paddy Doherty - Inner City Trust - Derry/Londonderry

Lelia Doolan - College of Commerce (DIT) Rathmines, Dublin

Muiris MacConghail - The Irish Film Board, Dublin

Johnny Cavanagh

Filmed in Derry/Londonderry and in Co. Derry, Northern Ireland and Co. Donegal, 1979-1980 

©1982

Bullroarer Films Ltd

2021 restoration made possible with funding from Northern Ireland Screen's Digital Film Archive