Cathy Brady is a two-time Irish Film & Television Award-winning director. She was recognized for her short films “Small Change” and “Morning.” In 2011 she directed the BIFA-nominated TV drama “Rough Skin,” starring Vicky McClure, for Channel 4’s Coming Up strand, and in 2014 she directed an episode of the BAFTA-nominated drama-thriller series “Glue.” Most recently she was the sole director of Stefanie Preissner’s darkly comic drama series “Can’t Cope, Won’t Cope” for RTE/BBC3/Netflix.

“Wildfire” will screen at the 2020 Toronto International Film Festival, which is taking place September 10-20.

W&H: Describe the film for us in your own words.

CB: Lauren (Nora-Jane Noone) and Kelly (Nika McGuigan) are “Irish twins.” You’d never see one without the other, but over the years the mystery of their mother’s death tore them apart. Having disappeared from their quiet border town in Northern Ireland a year prior, Kelly suddenly shows up on her sister’s doorstep.

Kelly’s return quickly stirs up long-repressed traumas between the sisters, and their community. As the truth about their mother’s death begins to surface, Lauren must decide to confront their mother’s past with Kelly or risk losing her for good.

W&H: What drew you to this story?

CB: The initial idea for “Wildfire” came from working with the co-leads, Nora-Jane and Nika, separately. There was something about their energy that was remarkably fierce and fearless; ultimately I had a gut instinct of wanting these two actors to work together.

Six years ago, we all met for a pint of Guinness, and I was blown away by their chemistry. They agreed to come on board before there was even an idea of what this story could be.

We shared ideas back and forth for a few weeks, which is when the real story of the Erickson twin sisters came to mind. I first came across these sisters in the BBC1 documentary “Madness in the Fastlane.”

The documentary opens with footage of twin sisters Sabina and Ursula Erickson repeatedly and deliberately rushing headlong into speeding traffic on the M6 motorway in England. Miraculously, they survive. Then, with unbelievable strength and fury, they turn against the officers who are trying to help them.

The Erickson twins’ behavior has never officially been explained by the medical or psychiatric community, apart from speculation that they suffered from a rare self-induced delusional disorder or shared psychosis.

This act of two sisters deliberately throwing themselves into oncoming traffic became our spring board. Working with Nika, Nora-Jane, and a researcher, we explored our own fictional world and characters that might explain why two sisters could behave in such an extreme and desperate way.

W&H: What do you want people to think about after they watch the film?

CB: My hope for “Wildfire” is that the audiences can understand and identify with characters who have been driven to extreme behavior and realize how fragile our perception of reality can be. That these sisters are not merely seen as “diagnoses” of their illnesses, but instead as complex individuals.

I hope audiences engage and question their own ideas about sanity and madness and can open up a dialogue about our attitudes towards mental health and vulnerable individuals.

“Wildfire” is set in borderland Northern Ireland, present day, at a time where Brexit has happened and we’re not quite sure what is happening with the border yet.

This is a place struggling with its own sense of identity post-conflict. I hope this film opens a dialogue about how the trauma of the “Troubles” may still be reverberating and being passed on to younger generations even in peace times.

It is particularly relevant as Northern Ireland now has one of the highest rates of anti-depressant prescription levels in the world and suicide rates are soaring amongst “Ceasefire Babies.” How can those too young to remember the worst be so acutely affected by the past?

W&H: What was the biggest challenge in making the film?

CB: Tragically, midway through post-production on “Wildfire,” Nika, our co-lead actress, died after a brief but brave battle with cancer. Finishing this film without Nika has been incredibly difficult.

On the one-year anniversary of Nika’s death, we found out that “Wildfire” was accepted into TIFF; this brought some light on an especially difficult day. It will be a tribute to finally share this film with the world.

W&H: How did you get your film funded? Share some insights into how you got the film made.

CB: Carlo Cresto-Dina and Charles Steel were the first producers to come on board the project, and what was remarkable about working with them was that they completely embraced the process of developing the story with the cast already attached.

We found funders in Screen Ireland and Wellcome Trust to support this initial workshop/research phased development.

Later, when we had a script, we received further development funding from Screen Ireland, BFI, and Northern Ireland Screen. Then towards production the producer David Collins joined our team. The film received production funding from Screen Ireland, BFI, and Northern Ireland and the final piece in the funding came from FILM 4.

W&H: What inspired you to become a filmmaker?

CB: I was really inspired by the photography work of Gregory Crewdson when I was at art college. I was fascinated by how he could tell a story in one image and how he worked with actors to create powerful character moments.

I began telling stories through my own photography and also working with actors, but before long I wanted to explore this with moving image, sound, and music. It was around this point I had the bug and wanted to immerse myself in all things film related.

W&H: What’s the best and worst advice you’ve received?

CB: The best advice was be true to myself and follow my gut.

Offhand, I can’t think of the worst advice, but even if I did, I don’t know how useful that might be.

W&H: What advice do you have for other female directors?

CB: Don’t wait. You’ll never feel 100 percent ready. You just have to find a way to get creative and get your stories out there. It doesn’t matter how small you start — just start.

W&H: Name your favorite woman-directed film and why.

CB: There are so many female filmmakers I admire. I’m gonna be cheeky and go for two: Lynne Ramsay and Andrea Arnold. I love how Lynne constructs images and uses sound design — it’s always rooted in character and manages to be both poetic and visceral.

Andrea Arnold films always seem to capture a unique sense of being in the moment with her cast — there’s a charge like anything can happen. There’s such truth and magnetism about the performances in her films.

W&H: How are you adjusting to life during the COVID-19 pandemic? Are you keeping creative, and if so, how?

CB: In the first few weeks of lockdown I found it quite difficult to focus creatively. My mind would wander too much when trying to write, watch films, or even read.

I finally gave in and allowed myself downtime to do very little. I began painting again after 15 years, which was great for thinking more abstractly in terms of color and shape rather than words and themes.

In the last few months I’ve been inspired to start writing again. I’m now in the early stages of researching and developing my new feature film “Sanuaury” with the same producers as my debut, “Wildfire.”

W&H: Recent protests in the U.S. and abroad have highlighted racism and anti-Black police brutality. The film industry has a long history of underrepresenting people of color onscreen and behind the scenes and reinforcing — and creating — negative stereotypes. What actions do you think need to be taken to make Hollywood and/or the doc world more inclusive?

CB: Those at the top — who make the decisions, fund, and commission work — need to be more representative of the population at large. People of color are missing from these conversations and positions of power and change. Combined with the top-down approach, we need to continue listening and finding ways so that underrepresented voices who are starting out are heard and championed and given the support to succeed.

Also, personally speaking, moving forward on future projects, I too intend to reflect the much-needed change when crewing and casting my own projects.