Exclusive: Sharon Horgan, co-creator and writer of the series Bad Sisters, Motherland and Catastrophe, has boarded the Oscar-qualified live-action short Calf as executive producer.

Written and Jamie O’Rourke, the domestic abuse-themed Irish short is set way out in the countryside, a place where the worst things are silenced, where a sinister farm accident leaves Cáit with a terrible decision to make.

Produced by Ronan Cassidy of Carbonated Comet for Virgin Media Television in association with Screen Ireland, the film stars Isabelle Connolly (God’s Creatures) and Kate Nic Chonaonaigh (The Quiet Girl). It was funded by Virgin Media and Screen Ireland under the Virgin Discovers film fund. Other exec producers include Sinead Stimpfig and Daniel Lloyd for Virgin and Andrew Byrne of Screen Ireland.

Calf qualified for the Oscars longlist after winning numerous awards, including International Danzantes at the Huesca Film Festival and Best Short at this year’s Irish Film and Television Awards.