Ashbourne film maker over the Moon with movie short success

An Ashbourne woman who took advantage of her passion for film during the pandemic is celebrating her first win for her debut film at a local film festival.

Besides being a writer, producer, actor and a busy mother of two, Kate Moon works as a carer in Trim and as an office administrator.

Kate has recently released her debut film, Bottled Up, which she co-wrote, starred in and co-produced.

The short film was filmed last year and has just finished editing in May 2025.

Bottled Up received the Best Short Film Award at Ashbourne Film Festival on 14th June. This was Kate’s very first submission so it was a very special win for her, being acknowledged for one of her many talents in her hometown.

"The idea of being part of the film industry once felt completely out of reach, something glamorous and distant from everyday life."

As a child, Kate was always writing plays, poems and short stories and attended a local drama school for a while.

"Like many, I eventually retreated into my shell and tried to blend in. It wasn’t until the world slowed down during the pandemic that I rediscovered writing."

"I also came across an advertisement for a background acting agency which I signed up for. I was instantly drawn in by the sense of community among background actors and the unique rhythm of life on set."

"From there, I started building connections many of which have become lasting friendships and gradually side stepped into the independent film scene here in Ireland."

Bottled Up is a true family affair with Katie saying that “as a family, we’ve acted together in everything from independent films and national adverts to voice acting and stage productions. Even our dog buddy has made it onto the screen, he was in Bad Sisters and a Fáilte Ireland advert with us.”

“Bottled Up stars me and my youngest daughter, Aoife, who is ten years old, including a hauntingly beautiful vocal performance of Sinead O’Connor’s In This Heart sung by my eldest daughter, Tara who is fourteen, accompanied by Brian Lawlor.”

"During pandemic times, when families needed to stay in their own bubbles, it made perfect sense to work together and even beyond that period of time we worked together as a family, duos and individually. Some of our featured work including adverts for windows, tourism, a well Irish charity and many others."

"I felt it was such a unique way to spend time together. Bottled Up is another extension of this."

Bottled Up is set on Portmarnock Beach and Kate describes the film as a ‘quiet, heartfelt story about grief, letting go, hope and human connection.’

It’s a story told through a gentle conversation between a mother and daughter that is sparked by a special discovery on the shore. The first screening of the film took place at Lighthouse Cinema in Dublin last month.

“Bottled Up was shown alongside two wonderful short films by student filmmakers, who we invited as a nod to the many college projects I’ve had the pleasure of acting in over the years.”

Kate co-wrote the film with Des Daly, an actor and director from Kilmore. The film was inspired by the reflections on the loss of his mother, Kay.

"It was through the indie film world that I met my partner Des, who is also an actor, writer, and director."

"Together, we wrote Bottled Up, which started as a tiny side project and grew into something I’m incredibly proud of. When I reached out to my producer friend Sinead Cassidy Holt, the three of us turned that micro idea into a full short film shoot with a brilliant 10 person crew. What emerged was a beautiful 9 minute story."

"Although I’d acted in many short films before, Bottled Up was my first time co-writing, producing, and acting all in one project. It gave me a deep appreciation for the sheer amount of work both seen and unseen that goes into bringing a story to life."

“Over several months, Des and I shaped the script together, and he directed the film with great care and insight. The very accomplished Sinead Cassidy Holt was co-producer of the film. With a small, talented crew, a lot of heart, and some help from a friends & family GoFundMe, we made the film independently.”

Now, Kate and the team who worked on the film are aiming to submit the film to more film festivals and competitions.

“We’re now preparing for wider film festival submissions over 2025 and 2026, but it was really meaningful to have our hometown of Ashbourne be the first place to celebrate the film.”

“The Ashbourne Film Festival was a brilliant celebration of creativity, community, and storytelling. It showcased an inspiring mix of short films, feature films, and documentaries.”

“The festival had such a warm, inclusive community atmosphere and it was an honour to be a part of it.”

Both Kate and Des have future endeavors lined up, with Katie having three short film scripts written.

"Normally, producers begin pre-production for their next project when they’re still mid-way through their current one but because I was learning so much as I went, I really wanted to see Bottled Up through before shifting my focus elsewhere."

Kate hopes that her journey with Bottled Up inspires other local Meath creatives to take a chance on themselves and put their own work forward.

“I know there are so many talented and creative voices in Meath, and I hope my story might inspire someone reading this to take a leap with their own ideas.”

“I feel incredibly lucky that Bottled Up got to debut at such a fantastic local event.”