Highlights of 2014 of Bord Scannán na hÉireann / the Irish Film Board
2014 Highlights
This year the IFB supported fifteen Irish feature films, eleven creative feature co-productions, eleven short films, four feature documentaries, two TV dramas and four animated TV projects. New films from major Irish directors include Sing Street directed by John Carney, Brooklyndirected by John Crowley, and Room directed by Lenny Abrahamson. The IFB is also delighted to have supported the debut feature films from up and coming directors including Darren Thornton's A Date for Mad Mary, Mark Noonan's You're Ugly Too and Simon Fitzmaurice's My Name is Emily.
The IFB continues to invest in feature documentaries following on from the successes of The Summit, Rough Rider, One Million Dubliners and Unbreakable. New projects include a documentary featuring the legendary jump jockey AP McCoy and a co-production, The Visit, about the possible visit of extra-terrestrials.
2014: International Production
2014 saw high levels of foreign direct investment with a large number of high-profile film and TV productions filming on location in Ireland. Major TV productions including the third series of Vikings and Ripper Street, as well as a second series of Penny Dreadful all continued production here. The forthcoming Star Wars: The Force Awakens also chose Ireland as a film location, using the stunning backdrop of Skellig Michael off the coast of Co. Kerry.
2014: Audiences and International Sales
Irish films telling important Irish stories were also a success at home with eighteen Irish films released in Irish cinemas in 2014. Calvary took over €1.6 million at the Irish box office and The Stag made more than its total budget at the Irish box office taking €750,000, with both films receiving much critical acclaim. The total box office for Irish films increased this year in the Irish market which comparing favourably with other English language territories outside North America.
2014 was a successful year for the international sales of Irish films. Calvary was picked up for worldwide distribution and other Irish titles which performed well include The Stag, The Canal, Jimmy's Hall, Ooops! Noah is Gone and Song of the Sea.
Irish Film and Television Animation
The IFB is the largest funder of the Irish animation industry in the state, investing in both animated films and television series for young children. IFB supported projects in film animation this year include Song of The Sea, directed by Tomm Moore, based on Irish folklore and stories which will be released in Irish cinema in July. The feature film The Breadwinner and the short film Coda are other projects in the pipeline.