By Sean Moriarty

The glitz and glamour of Hollywood came to Killarney on Wednesday night when the Kerry International Film Festival premiered ‘Joyride’.

The film, shot entirely on location in County Kerry and stars Oscar-winner Olivia Colman and newcomer (and the star of the show) Charlie Reid made its Kerry debut in Cinema Killarney ahead of going on general release this weekend.

It tells the story of family, motherhood and social issues in an action packed, often funny and often sad, journey through life and Kerry.

A huge number t of local people were involved in the production of Joyride, both as cast and crew and by providing locations, so there was great excitement in the cinema to see the finished film on the big screen

Filmed exclusively in Kerry last year, 'Joyride' is set to be released across the UK and Ireland on Friday, so those who attended the preview screening were in for a real treat as they got to see an array of local actors, extras and of course, world-renowned Kerry scenery on the big screen for the first time.

‘Joyride’ was written by Kerry based Ailbhe Keogan, who is a Kerry International Film Board member and a graduate of Kerry College, and directed by Emmy award winning Emer Reynolds.

Keogan told the packed audience how she was inspired to write the screenplay when she herself struggled with motherhood and, at the same time, heard a radio news story about a young joyrider who stole a car in County Tipperary with a new-born baby on board.

“I wondered if this boy racer could have been my own saviour,” she said.

Dublin-based Reynolds, an Emmy award winning director and writer added: “It was really important to show this film in Kerry, we got incredible help from the people of Kerry and the county is another character in the film.