My name is Cian O Connor. I have been making films since my dad bought me a Toshiba DV camera for Christmas in 2008. A lot has happened since then: pandemics, recessions, recoveries, Leo won his Oscar, Man United came 15th last year, and I have made three award-winning short films. With your support, I would like to make a 4th.
This short film is called Phone Lines. It is a comedy drama set in the west of Ireland about Marlene, a kind but lonely woman who has just moved home from New York to care for her father. Marlene finds herself in an unexpected relationship with a mysterious prank caller. Through phone calls over the family’s landline telephone, Marlene becomes enraptured in a strange romance with a stranger. But who is he and can she trust him? Phone Lines is a film about loneliness, technology and the search for connection in modern life.
This is a story I’ve wanted to tell for a long time. My work has always been centered on connection and communication between people. The landline telephone has evolved significantly over the years. A plastic physical object that people used daily to connect with others - now a relic of a different world. It is the bittersweet nostalgia for a past life that informs the story of Phone Lines.
The image of the phone lines spread across the West Kerry
landscape in Ireland is key to the film. It’s an image that shows
that although we may seem distant from each other, we are all
connected. This is the central message of this story.
Production starts in 2026 and we need your help to make it happen. Donations will go towards bringing a full-fledged production to the most westerly place in Ireland: The Dingle Peninsula.
Why should you donate?
It is my dream to create a great film that showcases the beauty of Dingle and Kerry. Your donation will make this possible.
To shoot something in my hometown would mean the world to me. Any contribution you can give no matter how small will make this dream a reality. My work has had consistent success, with screenings and awards from the Galway Film Festival, DOC NYC, Newport Beach Film Festival, and Kerry Film Festival. Phone Lines is an opportunity to make something honest and truly memorable. I would love for you to be a part of that memory.
Go raibh míle maith agaibh,
Thank you so much
Cian
Perks
We will always remember you! You will receive a private link to view the film when it's finished :)
A Special Thank You Credit in the Film and a digital zine of the filmmaking process behind Phone Lines.
An Associate Producer Credit, a physical Phone Lines Zine and a private early screening link to the film
An Associate Producers Credit, Physical Zine and special invite to our first screening of the completed film!
An Executive Producer Credit on the Film, zine, signed picture by the cast and crew and exclusive invite to first screening of the film :)
Highlights
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We will always remember you! You will receive a private link to view the film when it's finished :)
A Special Thank You Credit in the Film and a digital zine of the filmmaking process behind Phone Lines.
An Associate Producer Credit, a physical Phone Lines Zine and a private early screening link to the film
An Associate Producers Credit, Physical Zine and special invite to our first screening of the completed film!
An Executive Producer Credit on the Film, zine, signed picture by the cast and crew and exclusive invite to first screening of the film :)
