Private Project

Award winning film Bugaloo - Directed by Peter McCarthy & Ben Conway - Starring Moe Dunford and Ruairi Heading

Theo is on the run from the police while still in handcuffs. He hides out in a nearby mansion with the help of Arthur, the supposed owner. Things take a turn for the strange when Arthur challenges him to a game of Bugaloo and Theo realises Arthur has his own problems. A failed escape leaves Theo playing a game for his own life.

REVIEW BY FILM IRELAND:
Directors Peter McCarthy and Ben Conway have produced 14 perfect minutes of high tension juxtaposed over an incredibly distressed soundtrack that is flawlessly synchronised with the action. Moe Dunford is aptly cast as the sinister Arthur. So too is the hapless Theo played by Ruairi Heading. Bugaloo is well worth a second and third viewing.

  • Peter McCarthy
    Director
    Hunter's Fall, Fight or Flight,
  • Ben Conway
    Director
  • Ben Conway
    Writer
    One Way, Hunter's Fall, Looks like Rain
  • Peter McCarthy
    Producer
    Hunter's Fall, Fight or Flight, Columbarium
  • Quintin Ahern
    Producer
    A better you, Killers within
  • Moe Dunford
    Key Cast
    "Arthur"
    Texas Chain Saw Massacre 2021, Knuckle Dust 2020, Angelas Christmas Wish, Topping Out, Dublin Murders, Vikings
  • Ruairí Heading
    Key Cast
    "Theo "
    Game of Thrones, The Lost City of Z, Ripper Street, Leave to Remain, Black 47, Der Irland-Krimi, Rebellion
  • Quintin Ahern
    Key Cast
    "Police"
  • Mary Szymanski
    Key Cast
    "Police"
  • Peter J McCarthy
    Editor
    Hunter's Fall / Fight or Flight
  • Yellow Moon Post Production
    Editor
  • Burschi Wojnar
    Cinematography
  • David Side4collective Hingerty
    Music Composer
  • Peter McCarthy
    Music Composer
  • Nikki Moss
    Sound Design
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Reality horror, Drama Horror, Drama, Home Invasion
  • Runtime:
    14 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    June 21, 2021
  • Production Budget:
    12,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Ireland
  • Country of Filming:
    Ireland
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Galway Film Fleadh
    Galway
    Ireland
    July 25, 2021
    Irish Premiere
  • European Film Awards
    Paris
    France
    WINNER Best International Short Film
  • APEX Film Awards

    Best Thriller
  • Heart International Italian Film Festival

    Winner
  • 2 11 17 International Film Festival

    Winner
  • BIFF Sweden

    Finalist
  • Alameda Film Festival

    Shortlisted
  • Austin After Dark Film Festival

    Best Actor
  • European Film Festival UK

    WINNER
  • Richard Harris International Film Festival

    Official Selection
  • Robinson Film Awards

    Honourable Mention
  • Paradox Film Festival

    Semi Finalist
  • Achill Island Film Festival

    Official Selection
  • Underground Film Festival
    Dublin
    Official Selection
  • Nawada International Film Festival

    Official Selection
  • Paradise Film Festival

    Official Selection
  • Vienna International Film Awards
    Vienna
    Austria
    December 10, 2022
    Best Thriller
Director Biography - Peter McCarthy, Ben Conway

Bugaloo is Ben Conway and Peter McCarthy's third film together. Bugaloo has won over 24 awards including 7 Best Thriller Awards. They directed SIMON which won the two top awards at the Fastnet International Film Festival and Hunters fall, their first adventure together. They are currently developing a feature thriller together and looking for producers to come on board.

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

Bugaloo is about mental illness and the effects it can have on the people around them.

Writer / Director Ben Conway came up with the idea for Bugaloo shortly after Director Peter McCarthy lost a brother through mental illness. They discussed making a film together and out came Bugaloo.

When the script was finished the directors met the lead cast Moe Dunford and Ruairí Heading and through conversation the story and the reasons behind it became personal to everyone.

Cinematographer, Burschi Wojnar also told of how his dad was shot by someone he found in his living room under similar circumstances to Bugaloo. His dad survived.

While the story is fiction, Bugaloo tells a universal story of how mental illness holds the people around them hostage.

Peter composed the end track song So-Lo about his brother Frank who took his life in 2018. David Hingerty produced the song with him and both David and Peter produced the music for the film. Dave plays drums.