This delightful international cooperation features seven nations, including Ireland, and was ingeniously directed by Italian filmmaker Enzo D’Alò with the assistance of Dublin-based JAM Media. The project was based on Roddy Doyle’s 2011 children’s book, ‘A Greyhound of a Girl’, embedded in Irish settings such as Kilbarrack, Bachelors Walk and North Circular Road. The verdant landscapes of green fields and magical forests provide captivating background scenery.
An 11-year-old bright girl named Mary O’Hara, represented by Mia O’Connor, is the story’s main character. Mary, the only female in a house filled with Bohemians fans, including her two siblings and father (Brendan Gleeson), takes her female relatives on a thrilling trip. Mary often has run-ins with her stressed mother, Scarlett (voiced by Sharon Horgan and inspired by ‘Gone with the Wind’), but she venerates her feisty grandmother, Emer (Rosaleen Linehan).
Mary’s vacation seems to be ruined when she fails to win the judges’ approval at Ballymaloe Cookery School and her closest friend relocates to England. More devastating news comes when she hears about her cherished grandmother’s terminal illness. Mary, an ambitious wannabe cook, finds comfort through an eccentric new supernatural companion, Tansey (Charlene McKenna). Tansey’s mysterious youthful voice, elderly fashion sense, and cluelessness about a kettle leave Mary perplexed. Granny’s final audacious adventure, however, provides unexpected answers.
Director D’Alò, working on a script penned in collaboration with Bafta winner Dave Ingham (famed for ‘Charlie and Lola’), tactfully integrates Doyle’s authentic dialect. Charming attention-drawing dream sequences, illustrated in pure monochrome, create an exciting subplot surrounding the title’s greyhound. This appealing animation effortlessly introduces profound topics like death and memory in a light and entertaining manner. Exemplary Irish performers breathe life into a narrative that delves into traditional cuisine and dog phobia. ‘A Greyhound of a Girl’ can be enjoyed in cinemas from June 28th.