''Solace in Wicca'' is a 2013 Manx-produced short

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horror

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film about the 1617 execution of Margaret Quaine and her son Robert, the only executions for witchcraft recorded on the

Isle of Man The Isle of Man ( , also ), or Mann ( ), is a self-governing British Crown Dependency in the Irish Sea, between Great Britain and Ireland. As head of state, Charles III holds the title Lord of Mann and is represented by a Lieutenant Govern ...

and one of the last witchcraft executions to be sanctioned by the

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in the

British Isles The British Isles are an archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean off the north-western coast of continental Europe, consisting of the islands of Great Britain, Ireland, the Isle of Man, the Inner Hebrides, Inner and Outer Hebr ...

. The short film was the first production to be shot entirely in

Manx Gaelic Manx ( or , or ), also known as Manx Gaelic, is a Goidelic language, Gaelic language of the insular Celtic branch of the Celtic language family, itself a branch of the Indo-European language family. Manx is the heritage language of the Manx ...

, and was financed by Culture Vannin, CinemaNX and Isle of Man Film. It premiered at the Isle of Man Film Festival in September 2013 and was distributed online in November 2017 by Culture Vannin.

Production

The screenplay was one of thirty-two screenplays submitted to the MannIN Shorts Screenplay Contest in January 2011 and was selected as one of three screenplays eligible for a production-budget as part of the MannIN Shorts scheme. Andy North, lecturer of film and digital media at the Isle of Man College and Chester University, was hired to direct the short film and helped developed the screenplay throughout a six-month period of pre-production. North decided to translate the screenplay's dialogue into the period-accurate Manx Gaelic Language, a decision which attracted the financial support of Culture Vannin. The opportunity to support emerging talent excited the

Isle of Man Government The Isle of Man Government () is the government of the Isle of Man. The formal head of the Isle of Man Government is the Lieutenant Governor of the Isle of Man, Lieutenant Governor, the personal representative of the Lord of Mann (currently Char ...

's film investment partner CinemaNX, who co-financed the production with a view to acquiring the rights to an English-language commercial remake. CinemaNX's successor Pinewood Studios optioned the rights and developed the commercial remake as a

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origins story in 2013.

Principal photography Principal photography is the phase of producing a film or television show in which the bulk of shooting takes place, as distinct from the phases of pre-production and post-production. Personnel Besides the main film personnel, such as the ...

took place over a five-day period in July 2012, at national heritage sites Castle Rushen, Cregneash Village, and the Niarbyl Fault. Manx National Heritage donated use of their sites without charging a location fee, due to the historical nature of the piece. Experienced non-Manx-speaking actors were cast in the lead roles, and learned their Manx dialogue parrot fashion via a CD recorded by a dialect and language coach. Fluent Manx speakers were cast in minor roles.{{Cite news, url=https://www.manxradio.com/on-air/mandate/, title=Mandate, last1=Moss, first1=John, date=12 July 2012, work=The First Manx Language Film, publisher=Manx Radio, last2=North, first2=Andy

References

Films about witchcraft Witchcraft in England Witch trials in England Films shot in the Isle of Man Films set on the Isle of Man British films based on actual events Manx language Celtic language revival Religion in the Isle of Man History of the Isle of Man Isle of Man articles by quality 2013 horror films 2013 films