Bord Scannán na hÉireann to fund Irish Film Archive acquisitions
Bord Scannán na hÉireann / the Irish Film Board have agreed to fund the purchase of master copies of all feature films not currently held by the Irish Film Archive (IFA) to be added to its master collection. The funding for this year will be approximately 200,000euro.
The Archive does not have a print purchase budget, and this generous contribution by the Film Board will enable the Archive to augment its already substantial collection of indigenous film productions. This will allow the Irish Film Archive to more comprehensively fulfill it's remit: to acquire, preserve and make accessible Irish film heritage for film-makers, broadcasters, film scholars and the general public.
Some of the films which will be purchased for the Archive with this funding include:
- Vinny Murphy's Accelerator
- Martin Duffy's The Boy from Mercury
- Jim Sheridan's The Boxer
- Pat Murphy's Nora
"It's very exciting that Bord Scannán have taken the initiative to fund the purchase of master copies of Irish films for the Irish Film Archive," said Vinny Murphy, director of the hugely successful Accelerator. "I am thrilled to know that my work, and that of others, can be preserved in the proper manner by the Irish Film Archive for future generations. It's an extremely important development, and I very much welcome it." Vinny Murphy will also be the recipient of the UIP/FMI award for Best Director for Accelerator, which will be presented to him at this year's Irish Film Ball, which takes place in the RDS, Dublin, on November 30th.
The Irish Film Archive, which is operated by the Film Institute of Ireland, is currently located in the Irish Film Centre in Temple Bar, Dublin. The Film Institute is the national body responsible for the promotion of film culture in all its forms, and it owns and operates the Irish Film Centre.
"We are all focused on the present - the impact of Irish films here and now, but occasionally it's worth thinking of the distant future. Therefore for posterity it is vital that the Irish Film Archive have pristine preservation prints", said Rod Stoneman, CEO of the Film Board.