On The Town: Zombies stalked the foyer of Dublin's Savoy Cinema as guests at the Irish premiere of Boy Eats Girl arrived. "It's all in the stare," said zombie Aisling Bodkin. "And a few groans," said fellow zombie Aoife Moore. Damien Douglas and Barry O'Connor growled as the four actors created a sense of what was to come.
Many queued to get a glimpse of the film's star, Samantha Mumba, who arrived on the arm of her boyfriend, actor Charles Porter. Wearing a lime-green Synan O'Mahony creation, Mumba was greeted by friends and fans including Keith Casey (16), Celine Nolan (14) and Chelsea Scott (14).
"She lives near us," they explained.
The film's scriptwriter, Derek Landy, from Lusk, Co Dublin, chatted to associate producer (and former actor) Alan Maher.
"It's as funny as I was hoping," said Landy. "It's not a spoof. It's a real-world comedy. It's a comedy with zombies."
The Irish-made film, which cost €2.5 million to make, according to its director, Stephen Bradley, was filmed last year in Dublin and the Isle of Man. "Keeping in touch with your inner teenager" was his maxim for getting the right kind of humour.
"We've done quite a few preview screenings and they seem to love it," he said. "It's just a fast-paced bit of fun . . . I call it a romantic zomady."
Others at the première were Bradley's wife, Deirdre O'Kane, who features in the film, and fellow stars Jane Valentine and Elaine Murphy.
"We had to learn how to eat flesh," explained Murphy, a cheeky sparkle in her eye.
Also there were actor Kate O'Toole, comedian Des Bishop, Samantha's 16-year-old brother, Omero Mumba, TV personality Hector Ó hEochagáin, impresario Louis Walsh and soap star Keith Duffy.
Boy Eats Girl is on general release