FEATURE FILM ◆ IRELAND ◆ 2026 ◆ RUNTIME: [79 MINS]
WRITTEN & DIRECTED BY CALVIN DOYLE
Logline
When a young woman returns to a village, her presence unsettles two older men and draws buried memories back to the surface.
Synopsis
Two older men move through their lives shaped by memory and habit, rarely stepping beyond their daily routines. When a young woman appears, the fragile balance of their world is disturbed.
As something long buried rises to the surface, memories return, unsettling what has remained unspoken for years.
Directors Statement
Outer Heavens is about love and grief, and the strange space in between. From the beginning, I wanted to keep it open. I didn’t want to explain everything, just create something people could step into and find their own way through.
As it came together, the world started to feel a bit outside of time. The visuals lean into that, giving the characters a kind of contained, intimate space to exist in.
Directors Bio
Calvin Doyle is an Irish writer and director. His debut feature, Outer Heavens, explores grief, love, humour and memory through a restrained and deliberate style. He develops his work independently, with a focus on atmosphere, performance, and open-ended storytelling.
Production Notes
Outer Heavens was written over the course of a month and shot in three days. The schedule was dictated by budget, but the decision to move quickly shaped the film in lasting ways.
There was no traditional screenplay. The film was built from structured scenes and a clear narrative arc, with fragments of dialogue rather than fixed exchanges. The performances developed in the moment.
Most scenes were captured in one take, occasionally two. This was partly practical, but also deliberate. Past experience showed that energy drops after repeated takes. Preserving that energy became central to the approach.
The production was tightly controlled where it needed to be. A detailed shot list and mapped schedule made the three-day shoot possible. Locations were chosen for proximity, and scenes were structured to be completed efficiently.
Within that structure, performance remained instinctive. Nothing was overworked.
Cast & Crew
Lead cast
Ryan Hoey – Captain Lou
Niamh Ryan – Palms
Calvin Doyle – Pa
Denis Haugh – Fran / The Wizard
Ali Heavey – Maura
Writer & Director – Calvin Doyle
Additional Writing & Dialogue – Ryan Hoey
Director of Photography, Editor & Producer – Conor English
Producers – Calvin Doyle, Ryan Hoey, Conor English & Ali Heavey
Original Score – Brian Murphy
Sound Design – Conor English
Production Design & Set Construction – Gary Doyle & Karen Doyle
Photography – Isaac Burke
Photography Assistant – Maya O’Connor
Assistant to Conor English – Saoirse Ryan
Behind-the-Scenes Filming – Eimear Hannon
Editing Consultant – Ali Heavey
FESTIVAL & PROGRAMMING ENQUIRIES
hello@calvindoyle.com