Derry's Operation Pablo film star Grace (12) off to Washington D.C. for screening

Grace Callan from Pennyburn has been invited to the Capital Irish Film Festival in Silver Spring and is being accompanied by her dad Brian and grandmother Nuala Doherty for what is sure to be the trip of a life-time.

Grace, a pupil at Lumen Christi College and past pupil St Patrick’s Primary School, stars in writer and director Karen Quinn’s short film ‘Operation Pablo’, along with local actors James Lecky and Johnny Everett. The film was produced by Keith O'Grady and Louise O'Grady.

Shot in Ederowen Park behind Galliagh Community Centre, Operation Pablo centres around Evie Flanagan, played by Grace, who come across a stray dog, made homeless after the pandemic, and befriends him. Determined to save him from the dog pound, she enlists a local ice-cream man to help her make sure Pablo evades an eccentric dog-catcher.

There’s a lot more to it, but we’ll not give too much away here.

Grace and proud mum Oonagh told the Journal how the part came about.

Grace said: “I do drama and Foyle School of Speech and Drama since I was four, and Hannigan’s School of Music and Fireworks DDTA Dancing and we got told by my drama teacher, singing teacher and dancing teacher about the audition.”

The auditions were held at Derry’s cultural hub, Studio 2 two years ago, and there was quite a lot of interest. After a call back, Grace was offered the part. Before filming started she met Farrah, the dog who plays Pablo, from Ruff Walks and trainer Lisa, and they hit it off.

"It was three days filming then with Timber Films, with Keith, Louise, and Karen, and the other actors including James and Johnny,” Oonagh said. "They were all very good to her.”

Grace, who was just 10 and in Primary 6 when the film was made, said she found the process very interesting, as although she had performed on stage she had never been in a film. “It was nerve wracking whenever I got there, and afterwards I was like, whatever comes of it comes of it.”

She added that everyone was very nice to work with, and there was even some free goodies from the ice cream van on set.

Grace would love to pursue acting, and that may well be on the cards as there has already been interest from other film-makers.

But for now, the focus is on the exciting trip to America, with the family having departed via Dublin on Monday, ahead of the film being shown in the shorts section on Friday. During the week-long film festival, staged by Solas Nua and the AFI Silver Theatre & Cultural Center, Grace and family have been invited to a reception, gala screening & Q&A with Irish President Mary Robinson who is there for the screening of ‘Mrs Robinson’. Kneecap will also be in town this week with their film.

Operation Pablo has previously been screened at the Disappear Here Film Festival in Ballyliffin, and also in Dublin and California. It is now hoped that a screening can be organised soon in Derry so everyone here will get the chance to see what has turned out to be a very special film indeed.