Private Project

Pogonophobia

A beard phobia might sound funny, but there are people out there dealing with this bizarre affliction. CYRIL is one of those unfortunate few. He does not go out much, in fact he hardly leaves his apartment at all any more. In this golden age of hirsutism, the risk of having a beardy encounter is just too high.

His job as a computer games’ tester allows him to work from home and lose himself in a virtual reality. He feels safe in his tiny world and rigid routine. His cousin, SADIE, tries to get him out more, but he dodges her invitations. He does, however, know that something must be done….

Helping him talk through his issues is RITA, an online psychologist who specialises in unusual phobias. She is fighting her own battle in chemotherapy. She challenges Cyril to face his fear, but something is holding him back.

An act of hooliganism at Grand Canal Dock will change all that. When a late night shopping expedition turns into an aquatic survival situation, Cyril will find he owes his life to a bearded man called RAMAN. This transformative experience will enable Cyril to see whiskered men as people, not monsters, and give him the courage to grow a moustache for Movember.

  • Thomas Ryan
    Director
    Twice Shy (2016), Trampoline (2014)
  • Damian Ryan
    Writer
  • Victor McGowan
    Producer
    The Middle Finger (2016), Neolithic Patchwork Quilt (2016), Demon Hunter (2016)
  • Abe Smyth
    Key Cast
    "Cyril"
    Dublin Murders (2019), Can't Cope Won't Cope (2018)
  • Tara Flynn
    Key Cast
    "Rita"
    Irish Pictorial Weekly (2012-2015), Nowhere Fast (2017)
  • Jenny Dixon
    Key Cast
    "Sadie "
    Fair City (2013-2018)
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Runtime:
    15 minutes 26 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 6, 2020
  • Production Budget:
    12,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Ireland
  • Country of Filming:
    Ireland
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Ursa Mini Pro
  • Aspect Ratio:
    2:35:1
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
  • Toronto Comedy Feedback Festival
    Toronto
    Canada
    August 18, 2020
    World Premiere
    Best Cinematography
Distribution Information
  • Shorts International
    Distributor
    Country: Worldwide
    Rights: All Rights
Director Biography - Thomas Ryan

Thomas Ryan is an Irish filmmaker currently based in the UK. Having learned his trade working on indie movie shoots in New York, Ryan returned to Ireland and made his first feature film as a writer/ director 'Trampoline' at the age of 25 for EUR1000 and which was later sold to Amazon Prime Video.

After the success of 'Trampoline' Ryan began work on his next project 'Twice Shy' - a road trip movie following a young couple travelling from Ireland to the UK as a result of an unplanned pregnancy. 'Twice Shy' had great success on the festival circuit which included a screening at the Cannes Film Festival along with earning him a Rising Star award in LA and a Best Young Director award in Australia. 'Twice Shy' as a critical and commercial success upon its theatrical release in the summer of 2017. Dublin Film Critics Circle hailed Ryan as a 'Breakthrough Artist of the Year' in 2017.

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Director Statement

I fell in love with Pognophobia and the characters within as soon as I read the first draft of the script. As a director I am always looking out for characters with heart, who are doing their best to get through their day whilst facing personal issues known only to them. When considering a project to direct it is always important that I try to imagine the project from the point of view of the audience. When reading Pogonophobia I did so with that mindset and connected with the material immediately. The main character of Cyril is so wonderful and complex while at the same time strangely relatable as I feel that everyone has personal insecurities that they feel embarrassed by. It is almost a rarity to see such a decent character with a heart of gold on screen these days. Also, to have the antagonist of the tale be the mindset of the protagonist is such an interesting approach to a short film like this. Cyril is ultimately his own enemy as he is lacking the confidence to be himself and follow his heart. It is my job as director to successfully translate him to the screen and tell this story in such a short time frame which I feel will be a fantastic challenge that I am very excited about.