The Closer You Get

Uberto Pasolini knows a thing or two about taking a punt on first-time writers and directors. The Full Monty, which he produced, came from nowhere to become an international hit and put Peter Cattaneo and Simon Beaufoy on the film-making map. Now, he has backed another couple of newcomers: writer William Ivory and director Aileen Ritchie.

The Closer You Get is set in a village on Ireland's north-west coast where the birth rate is falling and the men are getting twitchy because of a lack of single young women. A group of bachelors, led by Ian Hart, take the matter into their own hands and place an ad in the Miami Herald calling for female companions. However, the local women get wind of the plan.

The film was inspired by an article Pasolini read about a village in Spain, where the men regularly advertise for women in the Barcelona press. He recognised the potential of another film "about foolish men and strong women. I became interested in how the relationships between people in a small community would be affected by the notion of a fresh intake of women."

For Ivory, it was a chance to explore small, working-class rural communities:

"I wanted something that reflected that kind of humour, where people know each other's business. It can be both supportive and really annoying."

Shot in Donegal, the film premiered at Locarno in July and will open in UK in the autumn.