Bankside Films announce the start of shoot for Andrew Legge's sci-fi feature L.O.L.A.

L.O.L.A. is written by Andrew Legge and Angeli Macfarlane, from a story by Legge and Henrietta and Jessica Ashworth (Tell it to the Bees). Andrew Legge’s short films have won numerous awards (including Best Short Film at Tribecca Film Festival, Galway Film Festival, Belfast Film Festival and Celtic Media Festival) and he was selected for the extremely prestigious Cinefondation Residence at the Cannes Film Festival.

Emma Appleton (Traitors, Channel 4; The Witcher, Netflix) and Stefanie Martini (Prime Suspect 1973, ITV; The Last Kingdom, BBC; Make Up) will play the lead roles of Thom and Mars.

The film is produced by Alan Maher and John Wallace of Cowtown Pictures (Rialto) in association with Alice Lusher and Catryn Ramasut of ie ie productions (Queerama), with funding from Screen Ireland, Head Gear Films, Ffilm Cymru Wales and ROADS Entertainment. Executive producers are Phil Hunt, Compton Ross, Stephen Kelliher, Sophie Green, Dearbhla Regan, Bizzy Day, Andrew Legge and Danielle Ryan.

Oona Menges (The Host) is Director of Photography. Neil Hannon of The Divine Comedy will provide original songs and the score for the film.

1940, sisters Thom and Mars have built a machine, L.O.L.A., that can intercept radio and TV broadcasts from the future. This allows them to listen to iconic music before it has been made, place bets knowing what the outcome will be and embrace their inner punk well before the movement came into existence.

But with the Second World War escalating, the sisters decide to use the machine for good to intercept information from the future that could help with military intelligence. The machine initially proves to be a huge success, rapidly twisting the fortunes of the war against the Nazis.

While Thom becomes intoxicated by L.O.L.A., Mars begins to realise the terrible consequences of its power. As their relationship falls apart, Thom makes a fatal error with her machine that leads to a nightmarish future. Can the sisters’ love for each other save the world they’ve lost?

Stephen Kelliher said of the project: “Andrew Legge is a truly remarkable filmmaker with an entirely unique perspective which is what makes L.O.L.A. so exciting. His interpretation of a classic sci-fi story will captivate and surprise audiences and we could not more excited to be working with him, Alan and John to bring this story to the world."

Director Andrew Legge said: “It’s fun to make a movie with such a hybrid of genre elements, musical, period punk, sci fi and an honor to be working with such a talented and amazing cast and crew.”

Producers Alan Maher and John Wallace said: “We are delighted to be helping to realise Andrew’s unique vision for L.O.L.A., after developing the project with Andrew from conception. We could not have wished for a better sales agent than Bankside, a company we have long admired, and we are very grateful to our producing partners, ie ie productions, and all of our funders - Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, Ffilm Cymru Wales, ROADS Entertainment, and Head Gear Films for supporting our film.”