Tipperary-Born Writer-Director Jo Southwell Embarks On Feature Film, “The Catch.”
Press Correspondent Tom Ryan Reports.
Tipperary-born writer/director Jo Southwell (née Kelly) has confirmed her transition into feature filmmaking with “The Catch“, a bold new project which she has written and is directing.
Ms Southwell brings to the film a rich background in screen acting, television directing and immersive formats. A second-generation Irish woman now based in Henley-on-Thames, UK, she began her professional life teaching in Ireland; including at Teach an Leinn in Nenagh and St Mary’s in Newport, before moving into acting and subsequently into filmmaking. Her mother, Hanora Kelly, formerly resided in Templederry, Nenagh, Co. Tipperary.
Her acting career has included roles in Irish film and television dramas, before she relocated to the UK to further her screen work. She has directed short films that screened at BAFTA, BIFA and Oscar-recognised festivals, and has worked on episodic television (including shadow director placements on ‘Killing Eve and ‘Trigger Point‘).
“The Catch” emerges from this evolving trajectory. The film is described by Patrick Ewald, CEO of Epic Pictures, as “a razor-sharp blend of myth and obsession, a story that reminds us that the real monsters are often human.” The project attaches high-profile actors (including Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Ben Miles) and is being steered collaboratively by Southwell and producer Sara Gibbings.
Ms Southwell said: “I’ve always been drawn to stories that combine emotional truth and mythic resonance. In The Catch I explore how obsession distorts reality, and how the real monsters walk among us in human form.”
Production is scheduled to begin in 2026, with locations and final casting to be announced. The production is developed by Mermaid Pictures in association with Epic Pictures.
About Jo Southwell
Jo Southwell is an award-winning writer-director whose career spans screen acting, voice-over, radio presenting and directing. Born and educated in Ireland, she has directed television, feature and immersive formats, delivering emotionally driven and visually distinct storytelling with discipline and precision. She has served as a BAFTA juror (Best Supporting Actress 2023; Best Short Form TV 2025) and is completing an MA in Screenwriting at Falmouth University.
About Mermaid Pictures
Established in 2024 by Jo Southwell and Sara Gibbings, Mermaid Pictures is a UK-based production company focused on bold, female-led, genre-independent film and television. With “The Catch” as its first feature slate, the company seeks to bring imaginative and emotionally authentic stories to the screen.
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