![Jim Sheridan welcomed Mark Mark Seenan and Cheryl Murphy, who resided in Apollo House over Christmas to the Irish premiere of The Secret Scripture [Image: Brian McEvoy]](https://www.rte.ie/images/000d9d6c-800.jpg)
A newly engaged couple that were residents of Apollo House over Christmas were guests of honour at the Irish premiere of Jim Sheridan's The Secret Scripture.
Sheridan, who actively campaigned alongside Glen Hansard , Christy Dignam, Kodaline and Hozier for the Home Sweet Home campaign to raise awareness for Dublin's homeless crisis late last year, welcomed Mark Seenan and Cheryl Murphy, to his first movie set in Ireland in 20 years on Saturday.
The special screening was part of the Audi Dublin International Film Festival which has been taking part across the city this week.
Based on Sebastian Barry’s acclaimed novel, Sheridan’s first Irish-set film since The Boxer (1997) tells the story of Roseanne McNulty (Vanessa Redgrave and Rooney Mara), who recounts her life and her experiences in a psychiatric institution.
As the institution is about to close, Dr. Grene (Eric Bana) is sent to see whether she’s fit to be released. He’s intrigued by Roseanne’s eccentricities and her fierce attachment to her Bible, in which she’s been keeping a diary since she was first admitted.
Bana, recently lavished praise on the Wicklow director, who is best known for My Left Foot, In The Name Of The Father and In America, saying he felt "very privileged and honoured" to work with Sheridan on the big screen adaptation of The Secret Scripture.
"It was an amazing experience. I feel like everyone knows Jim. I'm assuming everyone here in the audience knows him personally, he joked on Friday's Late Late Show.
"He's mad as a snake! - but I absolutely loved working with him. He's one of my favourite directors of all time.
"I felt very privileged and honoured to get the chance to work with him on a really beautiful piece of material," he added.
Bana admitted his background in stand-up comedy helped him prepare for working with the well-known director, as Sheridan doesn't like sticking to a rigid formula.
"I read the script first and then read the book and some of his other works. I thought it was a great little character. I knew working with Jim, the character would probably change somewhat, and that was correct," he said.
"You'd go to work and you wouldn't necessarily film what you were going to work to film. You would kind of film something else.
"My background was stand up for years before I started acting, so I'm really okay with the loose approach. But you really have to be. You have to just surrender yourself. It's like going off to an improv class or something.
"It helps to not be humiliated or embarrassed and just go with the flow," Bana added.
The Irish accent, judging from some of Hollywood's attempts at it over the years, must surely be one of the most difficult for actors to master (ahem, Sean Connery), but 48-year-old Bana said he found a unique way to master our native tongue.
"It was interesting. I used to warm up with my accent by just getting drunk and rumbling around Temple Bar, and then I'd just go into work.
"It worked really well," he laughed.
The Secret Scripture, which also boasts Susan Lynch, Jack Reynor, Theo James, Aidan Turner and Tom Vaughan-Lawlor among its stellar cast, goes on nationwide release on Friday, March 24.
