Naomi Sheridan has been working in film and television for years – a love she clearly picked up from her father, Irish playwright and filmmaker, Jim Sheridan. Her latest project, Kiki, debuted at the Light House cinema this weekend as part of the Dublin International Film Festival. Centred on two migrants seeking refuge in an asylum centre, it’s a powerful watch that couldn’t be more pertinent.
The last thing I saw and loved… Dream Scenario with Nicolas Cage.
The book I keep coming back to… I often reread books that allowed me to escape as a kid, like The Chronicles of Narnia. Another one I come back to is Milan Kundera’s The Book of Laughter and Forgetting.
I find inspiration in… films, books, TV shows, and often just the small, simple things in everyday life.
My favourite film is… Casablanca. It manages to be so many things – a great love story, a political story and a story of friendship.
My career highlight is… being part of Virgin Media Discovers at this year’s Dublin Film Festival and getting to make Kiki has been pretty great. We had an amazing team and fantastic support from so many people.
The song I listen to to get in the zone is… there are so many songs and bands I love that it’s difficult to name just one. I have been listening to the song “Circle” by Edie Brickell & New Bohemians lately as it’s helping me to write a specific scene in my head.
The last artist I recommended is… the band Lankum. My cousin, Rossa introduced me to them and I thought they were fantastic. There are a lot of great Irish bands at the moment.
I never leave the house without… I try to take my keys and my wallet but I’m very forgetful.
The piece of work I still think about?is… a friend of mine convinced me to see a play called Gatz. It was eight hours long (with some breaks in between). The Great Gatsby book was narrated, and the cast acted it out. I was sceptical at first, but it turned out to be one of the most amazing plays I’ve ever seen. The main actor, Scott Shepherd, had the entire book memorised and spoke it aloud to the audience. Another play I still think about is a Sam Shepherd play that Ethan Hawke directed called A Lie of the Mind. It was a fantastic cast and they had guys playing saws at the side of the stage, overall, an amazing experience.
My dream cast would be… Annette Benning, Julianne Moore, Kate Winslet and Jessie Buckley. I also love character actors like Jackie Earle Haley and Rob Morgan, and I loved CJ Jones in Baby Driver. At the moment I’m working with Irish actresses Ally NiChiarain and Lydia McGuinness and I’m really excited about our collaboration.
The best advice I’ve ever gotten… was from my mother. She always said, ‘If you don’t like it, change it.’ She was always so supportive of anything me and my sisters attempted, and it gave us all the courage to try new things because we knew that support was there.
The art that means the most to me is… anything by Stephen King as I think he writes characters that feel real and authentic. Also, the short stories of Ray Bradbury are astute social commentary disguised as entertainment.
My favourite moment in Kiki is… when Jide tells his daughter, Adamma, about the adventure Kiki has gone on.
The most challenging thing about being in film is… the constant rejection.
If I wasn’t a director/producer, I would be… hopefully doing something to help animals.
The magic of film to me is… that it allows people to escape, but also to connect with each other.
I wanted to make this film because… I was really worried about the attacks on asylum centres, and I was concerned they were going to escalate further. I felt we often see the protesters outside asylum centres but don’t often get to see the people inside and I wondered what it would be like for a kid to see people outside her window shouting up at her. I think that would be such an intimidating experience.
Three other films you should see at DIFF this year are… I’ve heard great things about Twig and The Teacher’s Lounge, and I’m really excited to see Birdsong.
Kiki tells the story of Adamma and her father Jide. Seeking refuge in an asylum centre, they’re greeted by angry protestors. Things escalate when Adamma ventures into the neighbourhood, alone, in search of her missing cuddly toy, Kiki. Kiki made its world premiere at the Dublin International Film Festival at the weekend and is now available to watch on Virgin Media Player.
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