home, considerably older and wiser than when the film started. Cast Anthony Hopkins as Cassius a.k.a. Angus Barrie Rebecca Pidgeon as Nancy Gulliver Jean Simmons as Aunt Mary Trevor Howard as Grandfather Tara MacGowran as Maeve Hugh Grant as Harry Nicholas Fitzsimons as Slain Soldier Ronnie Masterson as Bridie John Rogan as Mr. Carroll Joan O'Hara as Maurya Charmian May as Celia Brabazon Ann Way as George Brabazon Mark O'Regan as Joe Mulhare Brendan Laird as Tommy Roche Adrian Dunbar as Capt. Rankin Geoffrey Greenhill as Cpl. Tweedie Production The Dawning was filmed in Ireland in the mid-1980s, largely on location in Ireland.The beach scenes were filmed extensively at Goat Island, a small cove on the Irish coast, close to the county boundary between Cork and Waterford. Some "Big House" exteriors were shot at Woodbine Hill in the same district. Incidentally, it was Rebecca Pidgeon's first feature film, and Trevor Howard's final film; he died shortly after production ended, and the film was dedicated to him. (Howard had made an earlier IRA film in 1946, the classic I See a Dark Stranger.) It was also Jean Simmons' first feature film for nearly ten years. Despite having contributed largely to the production, Bernard MacLaverty was uncredited as a screenwriter. The film was shown at the AFI/Los Angeles International Film Festival (New British Cinema - BritFest 2), the Cannes Film Festival (for market purposes), and at the Montreal World Film Festival (in competition, where it was successful, winning two prizes). Actors Anthony Hopkins and Hugh Grant reunited five years later in the Academy Award-nominated film The Remains of the Day. Critical reception The Dawning was received largely positively by the critics, with a five star review from Time Out, describing the film as "solidly crafted ... its main strength lies in the performances" and mentioning that Rebecca Pidgeon had given a "remarkable debut". China Daily noted that Hopkins had played his character "wonderfully". Awards and nominations Montreal World Film Festival (1988) won Jury Prize Robert Knights won Prize of the Ecumenical Jury - Special Mention - Robert Knights Austin Texas International Film Festival (1988) Won best picture award References External links Irish republicanism Irish War of Independence films Films about the Irish Republican Army 1980s historical drama films Films based on Irish novels British historical drama films English-language Irish films 1980s English-language films Films directed by Robert Knights