Acclaimed Irish author Claire Keegan's literary work is making its way to the big screen again, after her novella Foster inspired the BAFTAs nominated and Oscars shortlisted Irish language film An Cailín Ciúin.

Small Things Like These, originally published in 2021 by Grove Press, is about a coal merchant, Billy Furlong in a small Irish town in 1985. A discovery before Christmas reveals secrets about his past, home, and current life.

The novel went on to win the Orwell Prize for Political Fiction, the Ambassadors’ Prize for best Irish novel published in France, and The Kerry Prize for Irish Novel of the year. Also shortlisted for  the 2022 Booker Prize, and the Rathbones Folio Prize, it's now nominated for the Dublin Literary Award, an annual award for the best novel in the world in English.

“I’m honoured and thrilled to have the opportunity to bring Claire Keegan’s magnificent novel to the screen," said Oppenheimer and A Quiet Place Part II actor Cillian Murphy. Not only will he be starring in the film, but he's also helping produce it.

Working alongside the Irish actor will be Ciarán Hinds of Belfast and Munich and Emily Watson from Breaking the Waves and God's Creatures.

Oppenheimer

Small Things Like These will also be directed by Tim Mielants, whose projects include Will, The Responder, and Patrick. Both Mielants and Murphy worked on the BAFTA Award-winning series Peaky Blinders.

Enda Walsh, an acclaimed Irish playwright, screenwriter, and long-time collaborator of Murphy was commissioned by Murphy and the producer Alan Moloney to write the script. It will be produced through their production company Big Things Films, which is based in Dublin. Established last year, it will be the company's first feature film.

Murphy continued on to add that a "phenomenal team of creatives" had been gathered to make the film and that they had found "exceptional partners in AE," or Artists Equity.

Founded by Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, AE launched in late 2022 and prioritises the relationships fostered with its filmmakers by empowering their creative visions. AE's first film, AIR, comes out on April 5th and stars both the studio's founders.

From AE, Matt Damon and Drew Vinton are also producing Small Things Like These, in addition to Ben Affleck, Kevin Halloran, and Michael Joe, who will be executive producers. Jeff Robinov is another producer for the film.

Production on the film, as announced by AE yesterday, has already begun. Principal photography began on March 2nd in Wexford, Dublin, and Wicklow.