A host of Irish TV, movie and music talent has joined forces with BeLonG To, the national organisation for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) young people, to produce an online video advertisement calling for a ‘yes’ vote in the upcoming referendum on marriage equality.

Belong To

A host of Irish TV, movie and music talent has joined forces with BeLonG To, the national organisation for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) young people, to produce an online video advertisement calling for a ‘yes’ vote in the upcoming referendum on marriage equality.

The production is written and directed by Aoife Kelleher (‘One Million Dubliners’) and Hugh Rodgers (‘Stand up at Work’), who developed the ad with Michael Barron, Founding Director of BeLonG To.  It was produced by Invisible Thread Films.

Among its stars are Brian Gleeson (‘Love/Hate’ and ‘Standby’), Aaron Heffernan (‘Love/Hate’), Ruth McCabe (‘My Left Foot’, ‘The Snapper’, ‘Philomena’), Steve Wall (‘Moone Boy’, ‘Vikings’), Elva Trill (‘Red Rock’) and Kelly Campbell (‘Love/Hate’).

The soundtrack to the ad is ‘All I Want’ by Kodaline, one of the most successful Irish bands of recent years.

The ad focuses on the key messages of the BeLonG To YES campaign, which involves leading youth and children’s organisations calling on parents and young people to support a ‘yes’ vote in the forthcoming referendum.  The coalition of organisations involved includes the ISPCC, Barnardos, Foróige, Youth Work Ireland, the Migrant Rights Centre, Headstrong, Yes Equality, the Children’s Rights Alliance, Pavee Point and EPIC, as well as BeLonG To.

Commenting today, Michael Barron of BeLonG To, said: “This ad demonstrates how each of us can encourage others to vote ‘yes’ on 22nd May and, by doing so, how we can make Ireland a better place to live in for future generations.  The ad is set in a rural village, and features young people, parents, grandparents and friends encouraging and supporting each other to vote ‘yes’.

“We hope the ad will demonstrate to older generations just how strongly young people feel about marriage equality.  BeLonG To works with thousands of young people around the country, and we know they view this as one the biggest human rights and social justice issue of their generation.

“At the same time, I think the ad will resonate with older generations too.  In the past, it was a common experience for LGBT people to feel they were better off leaving home and moving to other parts of the country to live.  This ad is very much rooted in a local community, and I hope it will encourage people who have moved away from home to reconnect with their families and loved ones and encourage them to go out and vote ‘yes’.”

Director Hugh Rodgers said: “We are so grateful to the amazing cast and crew who have given so generously of their time. We are overwhelmed by how enthusiastically they approached making this ad with us. We’d also like to thank the people of Naul, in North County Dublin, who allowed us to film in their beautiful town.”

The new ad can be viewed below, and the organisation is hoping that it will be shared widely online over the coming weeks.

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