The Wake

An Article written by "British Film Magazine".
"The Wake/ To Die Laughing"

The magician behind this particular feat is Bob Wilkins, originally from Bristol, sometimes at the BBC, and now operating as a producer/ director between the UK, US and, yes, Spain.

As well as conventional work as a freelance assistant director on a slew of projects over the years, he has been refining his knack for shorts, having directed five, and now The Wake.

Goodness, he not only directed The Wake, he built the coffin that forms the centrepiece of the action. Or, to be more accurate, in this case, the centrepiece for the inaction.

The synopsis: Two Irish lads (above) are a bit under the weather from drink and banned from their local so they hatch a cunning plot to con their mates into giving them free booze.

Simple enough. What gives it a bit of extra flavour is that this quintessentially Irish film was actually shot, over just two days, in Fuengirola, in southern Spain, using an Irish bar there.

And the cast and extras were all culled, for free, from the local Irish community.

Wilkins admits that the majority of his budget "was totally absorbed by refreshments both during and after the shoot!"