Esmé Creed-Miles To Star In Alexandra McGuinness’ ‘Lucia’

Alexandra McGuinness, Esmé Creed Miles Alison Engstrom; Milena Mallory

EXCLUSIVE: Irish filmmaker Alexandra McGuinness (She’s Missing) has set the film Lucia, about James Joyce’s daughter of the same name, as her next project, with Esmé Creed-Miles (Amazon’s Hanna) signing on to star.

Lucia is billed as a dance drama with genre elements, with the story beginning in 1932 Paris. Lucia Joyce (Creed-Miles) is a brilliant modern dancer but lives in the shadow of her famous father, James Joyce. Determined to be recognized as an artist and person in her own right, she sets out to create the greatest and most original dance in the world. But can she do so without losing her mind?

McGuiness and her frequent collaborator Antonia Campbell-Hughes wrote the script. Conor Barry is producing for Savage Productions, with John Lang for Super Bloom Films. Screen Ireland provided development financing, with the Creative Europe Programme – MEDIA of the European Union offering additional support, and Des Hamilton (Top Boy, Jojo Rabbit) handling casting.

Lucia is McGuinness’ third feature film. She previously directed She’s Missing, starring Eiza González, Josh Hartnett and Lucy Fry, which was released in 2019, and Lotus Eaters, starring Campbell-Hughes and Johnny Flynn, which premiered at Tribeca in 2011.

Miles is an English actress best known for her portrayal of the title character in Amazon’s Hanna, who will next feature in Travis Beacham’s podcast series Impact Winter and Amazon’s animated series, The Legend of Vox Machina.

Barry has two films premiering at SXSW: Campbell-Hughes’ directorial debut It Is In Us All, starring Cosmo Jarvis, and Brendan Muldowney’s horror pic The Cellar. Lang’s most recent producorial effort, Spree, directed by Eugene Kotlyarenko and starring Joe Keery, premiered at Sundance in 2020.

McGuinness is represented by Neon Kite and Hansen, Jacobson, Teller; Creed-Miles by Conway van Gelder Grant (UK), WME and Sloane, Offer, Weber & Dern; and Campbell-Hughes by United Agents (UK) and attorneys Jodi Peikoff and Michael H. Mahan.