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New Irish short SPEAK NOW, written and directed by Dermot Malone and produced by Banjoman and Elk Films, has just launched online. The film, which sees Conall Keating come out of acting retirement, challenges we the viewer to talk about Organ Donation with our next of kin.

Although we are all organ donors now, and in fact have to OPT OUT instead of OPT IN, a big problem still exists. Next of kin can veto our status as an organ donor after we pass. This leaves people in need of vital, life saving organs without an opportunity for life. This film promotes the idea of speaking now so that our next of kin know what we want, should something happen to us.

The film was born out of a personal connection to the problem. Niamh Branigan, producer for Elk Films, was inspired to tackle the issue as her father is on the organ donation list. Dermot and Niamh are old friends and decided to make something that addressed this challenge. One in three families so no to organ donation because the deceased’s relatives were unclear on the wishes of their family member.