Oscar-nominated actor shooting movie in Dublin

Oscar-nominated Irish actor Stephen Rea is appearing in a new Christmas film being shot around Dublin.

Kisses, which tells the tale of two young children who run away from home, will bring a festive flavour to parts of O’Connell Street.

The film is written and directed by Lance Daly who also made The Halo Effect and Last Days in Dublin.

The film features two young Dubliners ten-year-old Kelly O’Neill, and Shane Curry, 11, in the lead roles.

They were chosen from thousands of young hopefuls in auditions which took place before Christmas.

The film stars Belfast-born Rea as well as Paul Roe (Adam & Paul) and Neili Conroy (Intermission).

Rea, who appeared in Breakfast on Pluto, was nominated for an Oscar for best actor for his 1992 role in The Crying Game, which was written and directed by Neil Jordan.

Kisses is currently filming in Dublin city centre, Tallaght, Ballyfermot 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, and Christmas Day scenes on O’Connell Street.

Many senior production staff are Irish. Production designer Waldemar Kalinowski, whose previous credits include The Fast and the Furious and Leaving Las Vegas is also working on the set.

Kisses is produced by Fastnet Films with funding from Bord Scannan na hEireann/the Irish Film Board, Zentropa, Film I Vast, TV3, BCI and Section 481.