EXCLUSIVE: Producer Sara McFarlane (Red White and Blue) and filmmaker Maria McIndoo have acquired the film rights to author Claire Keegan’s short story So Late in the Day.
The duo plan to adapt the work into a film, which will mark the feature debut from writer-director McIndoo. McFarlane will produce under her recently launched Essential Viewing banner. Keegan will serve as executive producer.
This project will mark the second collaboration between McFarlane and McIndoo, following their recent short film A Love Letter to M, starring André Holland and Phoebe Tonkin. A Love Letter to M premiered at the 2025 Indy Shorts International Film Festival.
“I am so excited to be working with Maria in bringing So Late in the Day to life,” McFarlane said. “There are so many things that I love about this short story: the subtlety, the nuance, that every word is written with intent and that it stays with you long after you’ve read it. At a time where equality is treated as an imposition on the other, Claire’s careful and considered story feels more relevant than ever. Maria has such a strong vision for this film and is one of the most collaborative directors I’ve ever worked with, I have no doubt our film will uphold the integrity of the underlying work and resonate with audiences globally.”
So Late in the Day follows a quiet, reflective Friday in Dublin as a man named Cathal contemplates the life he might have shared with a woman named Sabine had he made different choices. A profound meditation on memory, regret and gender dynamics, the film will explore how a deep lack of generosity can irreversibly shift the course of a life.
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“I’m incredibly honored to bring Claire Keegan’s So Late in the Day to the screen,” McIndoo said. “Her writing is incredibly rich, engaging and beautifully spare, allowing every moment to play out in the mind’s eye. Collaborating with Sara on this project is an absolute joy, and through this adaptation, we’re dedicated to unravelling the deep layers of Claire’s unforgettable narrative.”
McIndoo, whose directing credits include the short films Etymology, Young Widows and Lulu, will also adapt the screenplay. Her writing work includes staff writing on Fox’s Monarch, development work with Expectation Entertainment and Wild Mercury and a first-look television deal with Gaumont UK. So Late in the Day will be her feature directorial debut.
Along with A Love Letter to M, McFarlane’s producing credits include Nazrin Choudhury’s Oscar-nominated Red, White and Blue and executive producing credits include Love Brooklyn, The Accidental Getaway Driver, The Luckiest Man in America and the upcoming Peaches. In 2025, McFarlane’s newly launched creative banner, Essential Viewing, is designed to be a creative and business-forward home for distinctive storytelling.
Frederic Stucin
Keegan’s previous works adapted for the screen include The Quiet Girl, which was Oscar-Nominated for Best International Feature Film in 2023, and Small Things Like These, starring Cillian Murphy. She is widely regarded as one of the greatest contemporary Irish writers.
Further production and casting details will be announced in the coming months. McFarlane is represented by Liza Zusman at Untitled and Sasha Levites at Frankfurt Kurnit. McIndoo is represented by Alex Rusher at Independent Talent in London. Keegan is represented by Felicity Blunt and Katie Battcock at Curtis Brown.
