New feature film ‘The Guard’, announced by Minister Cullen to shoot on location in Galway and Wicklow
A new comedy thriller 'The Guard' directed by John McDonagh and starring Emmy-winning Brendan Gleeson and Oscar nominated Don Cheadle has started production this month.
Produced by Reprisal Films and Element Pictures with the support of the Irish Film Board, ‘The Guard' stars Brendan Gleeson as an unorthodox Irish policeman who joins forces with a straitlaced FBI agent, played by Don Cheadle (‘Traitor' and ‘Oceans Thirteen'), to take on an international drug-smuggling gang.
‘The Guard' also features other Irish acting talent including Liam Cunningham (‘Hunger' and ‘The Wind that Shakes the Barley'), Fionnuala Flanagan (‘The Invention of Lying'), David Wilmot (‘The Tudors') and Pat Shortt (‘Garage').
‘The Guard' will shoot for six weeks on location in Connemara, Spiddal and Barna and is one of a number of films and television series to locate in Galway this year. Other projects have included ‘Leap Year', ‘Outcast' and ‘Nothing Personal' and the TV series ‘Na Cloigne', ‘Rásaí na Gaillimhe' and ‘The Guards.' Filming of this new production will also take place in County Wicklow.
Martin Cullen TD, Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism said: "I am delighted that ‘The Guard' written and directed by John Michael McDonagh, is to film in Galway and Wicklow. The choice of both Wicklow and the west by Element Pictures and Reprisal Films demonstrates that Ireland remains an attractive and also a cost effective base for local and international film and television production. Ongoing indigenous and international features enable the Irish film industry to maintain jobs and build on the excellent international reputation that Irish crews have. The announcement is a boost to our film industry and an extremely positive endorsement of the Irish acting and production skills within this important and much valued sector."
The Minister added: "The announcement that ‘The Guard' is confirmed for production, follows on from the announcement earlier this month that the successful ITV drama ‘Primeval' will film its fourth and fifth series on location here. The ITV drama has a budget of circa €15 million and will create over 70 crew jobs in the Irish film and television industry. The film industry is the cornerstone of a creative economy and with the improvements earlier this year to Section 481 the Government acknowledges its importance at this time. I would like to congratulate the Irish Film Board on the role it is playing in the development of our indigenous film industry and in marketing Ireland as an attractive film location."
Ed Guiney, Producer, Element Pictures, said: "We at Element along with our partners at Reprisal are delighted to be producing John Michael McDonagh's debut film ‘The Guard'. We believe he is a filmmaker of exceptional talent and expect that the film will make a huge impact both at home and worldwide when it is released at the end of next year."
"'The Guard' is a quintessentially Irish take on crime and policing, a combination of sharp observation and wild comedy that should please both audiences in Ireland and further afield," said Simon Perry, Chief Executive, Bord Scannan na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board
‘The Guard' is a Reprisal Films and Element Pictures production in association with Prescience, Aegis Film Fund, UK Film Council and Crescendo Productions and with the participation of an Bord Scannán na hÉireann/Irish Film Board. International sales are being handled by Metropolis Films and the film will be released by Optimum Releasing in the United Kingdom and Element Pictures Distribution in Ireland.