The Guinness Girl is an uplifting family film based on the true story of Maria McAteer, the first black world champion Irish dancer. 

It is 1974, 10-year-old Maria stands out as the only non-white student in her Newcastle school. Whilst this sets her apart from other kids, Maria has up until now, been largely unaware of those differences. She is curious and imaginative, finding the world around her fascinating, inspirational, and full of joy.

However, as her eleventh birthday approaches, Maria begins to notice changes in herself and the world around her. She lives on her own with her mother Sheila, but most other kids live with their mum and dad. Maria begins to ask questions about her dad, as she only has vague memories of him playing the saxophone, and cannot recall his face, but the questions make her mum cry. Something happened, something bad, Maria is determined to get to the bottom of it, if she can find her father perhaps, they can be a family again. 

Last year her friend Julie became famous when she got in the papers for winning the local Irish Feis (dance competition). If Maria can do the same, maybe she can become famous and get her photo in the paper… Perhaps then her dad will find her, she will know what happened, she’ll fix it and the family will be complete… 

"A child, a dream and a mountain to climb, in a pair of Irish dancing ghillies." 

Based on the play by Maria McAteer

Status: Pre-production

For pitch deck contact dmdn@silvermountainproductions.tv