Athlone filmmaker Leah Egan celebrates dual win

By Rebekah O'Reilly

Athlone filmmaker Leah Egan is celebrating dual success as her short films Shelter and I See A Voice picked up major awards on the festival circuit.

The projects, her first two as writer-director, have earned Best Cinematography and Best Writing, with Leah describing the recognition as both unexpected and deeply meaningful.

Her latest film, I See A Voice, had its first industry screening on Monday at the Women in Film and Television showcase. Leah arrived with the usual nerves that come with unveiling a new piece of work, but the reaction surpassed anything she anticipated.

“The response was overwhelmingly positive!” she said. “A director I greatly admire came up afterwards and told me that she and her producer loved the film so much they were going to learn sign language because of it. That’s a moment I’ll keep.”

The film, which centres a Deaf protagonist, clearly struck a chord with viewers, something Leah had hoped would spark meaningful connection and conversation.

One moment in particular stayed with her - a Deaf audience member offering Deaf applause during her acceptance speech.

“That’s the point,” she said. “They’re the moments that stay.”

For Leah, the success of Shelter and I See A Voice feels both affirming and somewhat surreal.

“It makes my legs wobble if I think about it too closely,” she said. “Not because I’m insecure, but because I didn’t anticipate either of my films being as successful as they have. The goal wasn’t approval, I’m simply doing what I do.”

What matters most to her is that the stories resonate with audiences.

“In Shelter, it’s shared humanity. In I See A Voice, it’s the vital importance of representation and inclusivity. People don’t want sermons, they want stories. Stories enhance lives.”

Winning Best Writing for I See A Voice was particularly significant given the cultural detail and care required. The film is 75% Irish Sign Language, and as a hearing filmmaker Leah approached the project with what she describes as “humility from the get-go.”

“That was the biggest challenge,” she said. “I worked and reworked the script through constant consultation with the Deaf and ISL-fluent community to make sure the film walked the walk of its own message.”

She highlights the contributions of the Deaf cast and team, including leads Lisa Kelly and Emma Barrow, ISL monitors Frances Jordan and Natashia Reid, and consultant Charlotte Ó Dálaigh, as essential to the film’s authenticity.

“Given the consultative nature of the process, it’s deceptive to have one name on the award,” she said. “I welcome it as an acknowledgement of what we achieved together.”

Shelter, which won Best Cinematography, was born from Leah’s desire to humanise the faces often lost behind global headlines, particularly in the early days of the war in Ukraine.

“With world events as they are, we’ve become desensitised to the images flooding our feeds,” she said. “Shelter was about centering the hearts hidden within those headlines.”

The film was shot on the anniversary of the war’s outbreak, a coincidence that brought an added emotional weight to the production. Working alongside cinematographer Jaro Waldeck and collaborators Louise Richardson and Sara Ryan, Leah crafted a raw, intimate visual style.

“We shot handheld. Bare makeup. Intelligent lighting. We got up close and personal. Vulnerable, tired, scared. No bells or whistles.”

Still photography and “selfies” taken by the characters themselves became powerful storytelling tools.

“Seeing these women as people, just like us, is what drives the message home," she said.

Leah keeps the details of upcoming projects close to her chest, staying true to her philosophy of “show, don’t tell.”

“I don’t like to talk about the work until it’s done,” she said. “You can’t fully know the shape something will take until it takes it.”

What she will share is that she’s currently developing three new projects, alongside returning to acting after recovering from a significant injury.

“Stories are the love of my life,” she said. “As long as I’m creating and growing, I’m happy. Everything else is a bonus.”