The Door was Wilson’s first short film. The Irish Film Board provided money for the making of the film. She went to the Ukrainian cities Kiev and Prypiat, described as “the most radioactive place on earth” due to its close proximity to Chernobyl, in order to film it.
She was inspired to go there after seeing an abandoned playground with a ferris wheel on the internet. The setting of The Door is in Ukraine. It utilises the Russian language complemented by English language subtitles. The Door won in the Short Film category at the 6th Irish Film and Television Awards in 2009. The Door was nominated in the category of Academy Award for Best Live Action Short Film at the 82nd Academy Awards. The Door also won awards at film festivals held in Bilbao, Cork and Foyle. It also won “best director” at the Polish Grand OFF 2009 as well as winning the Sarajevo Film Festival’s Katrin Cartlidge Bursary 2009.
