'I was on billboards all over Ireland': Child scouted from direct provision centre to star in film

Set to be released in the coming days, the story centres around two little girls whose worlds collide to form an unbreakable friendship

Sun, 01 Mar, 2026 - 19:00

Sarah Horgan

A direct provision centre is the last place one might expect to be scouted by a talent agent. However, that was exactly what happened to Bitania Ayele.

Bitania was discovered while participating in drama classes alongside other children at Kinsale Road Accommodation Centre in Cork.

Ann Marie Lewis, who had been teaching acting there on a voluntary basis noticed the nine-year-old’s talent very early on. Since joining her company, the Lewis Talent Agency, Bitania has secured several high-profile screen and photographic gigs.

It follows a difficult few years for Bitania, from Ethiopia, who had moved to Ireland at the age of four with her mother Lemlem.

“I didn’t know any English,” Bitania told the Irish Examiner.

The nine-year-old knew she had made it after spotting herself staring back from a billboard.

“I was on billboards all over Ireland.

Our teachers took us to the playground, and I could see myself looking back on an ad for MiWadi FAI football camps.

"It was a bit embarrassing because I was only in second class. Not all of the children could see the billboard because it was too high for them. That was when I was in Bunscoil Chríost Rí in Turners Cross," she said."

Bitania is now a third class pupil of Scoil Mhuire Killorglin after moving to Kerry with her family last July.

The little girl is no stranger to the screen, having appeared in RTÉ KIDSjr’s Auntie B’s Fantastic Facts. However, she took on her most meaningful role yet in a short film by British based Jason Henry Hogan titled White Knuckle Summer.

Set to be released in the coming days, the story centres around two little girls whose worlds collide to form an unbreakable friendship. Bitania’s mother was also cast in the movie after the director approached her to come on board.

'It was meant to be just Bitania and her on-screen dad, but they changed the script so that I could play her mother.'

“It wasn’t planned,” Lemlem said.

“I was reading lines with Bitania, and they thought I was good at acting. It was meant to be just Bitania and her on-screen dad, but they changed the script so that I could play her mother.”

Bitania had been selected from a number of children across Britain and Ireland to star in the film. Due to the movie's theme, the director had been adamant he wanted a child with firsthand experience of direct provision to play the part.

“The little girl in it lives in a hotel,” Bitania said. “There are people protesting outside because they don’t want her and the others to be there. Her own friend’s mum doesn’t want them playing together.”

'Just like a Disney castle'

The actor was able to draw on her own experiences for the project.

“It can be hard living in a hotel with other people. I can remember one woman banging on the door and shouting at me just for going into the bathroom. That was scary," she said.

"I had a lot of fun too though. One lady made me a beautiful cake for my birthday. I will always remember because I wanted to be a Disney princess and this looked just like the Disney castle. It even had the number six on it.”

Bitania has high hopes for the future.

“I would really love to be an actor when I grow up. I love watching movies with my dad. Every one of them he recommends, I say I don’t want to watch. By the end of them, I am usually asking when the sequel is coming out.”

Lemlem says she would also like to pursue acting from her time on the project with her daughter.

Lemlem, who is a chef, would also like to pursue acting.

“I really enjoyed working on the film, even though it was difficult at times. One of the scenes showed protests at the centre, and it was so real. You could even see the eggs being thrown and people crying. I’m really lucky that it was quiet on the Kinsale Rd, and we never had to deal with protests.

"I have experienced judgement though because of my skin colour and accent. I’m so grateful for the kindness of people who helped us when we were in the centre on Kinsale Rd.

"It was hard when I brought over Bitania first because she wasn’t used to the culture. She didn’t want to eat the food because it was so different. For a while, I could only get her to eat cornflakes. Although we missed home, I wanted her to be safe. I didn’t want her growing up in a civil war.”