AN Irish-set feature film based on the true story of a young mother who was encouraged by nuns to give her infant son for adoption in America, is to be released on November 1.
Directed by Stephen Frears (The Van), Philomena stars Judi Dench (Skyfall) in the lead role of Irish woman Philomena Lee and Steve Coogan (Alan Partridge) as political journalist Martin Sixsmith
Two-time IFTA winner Ruth McCabe also features as a fictitious Catholic nun called Mother Barbara.
Her character encourages Philomena, a young mother, to give her infant son for adoption in America.
Philomena then spends 50 years searching for him with no success, but after meeting Sixsmith the pair form a close bond and their journey eventually reveals the extraordinary story of her son.
McCabe has an extensive list of previous roles in both TV Series and film to her name. She featured in Samson Films’ Run and Jump, Chris O’Dowd’s Moone Boy and ITV's Foyle’s War.
Frears’ film Philomena is an adaptation of the book The Lost Child of Philomena Lee which Sixsmith published in 2009.
The BAFTA Award winning director for The Queen (2006) was also behind two classic films to Irish cinema including The Snapper (1993) and The Van (1996).
