IRISH FILM BOARD LAUNCHES NEW SLATE OF FILMS FOR 2007
Minister for Arts Sport and Tourism, John O'Donoghue will today launch Bord Scannan na hEireann/the Irish Film Board's 2007 Production Catalogue which showcases the latest upcoming Irish films.
Exciting new Irish films include Garage which is the much anticipated second feature by Irish director Lenny Abrahamson of Adam & Paul success. Garage is a tragic-comedy starring Pat Short and Anne-Marie Duff. Other new Irish films include Paddy Breathnach's latest feature Shrooms , and the animated feature Ugly Duckling and Me! produced by Magma Films, which will be released by Buena Vista International (Ireland) and Eclipse Pictures respectively. John Carney's film Once starring Glen Hansard from the Frames will also be in cinemas next year and has already been selected for the prestigious Sundance Film Festival in January 2007. Niall Heery's award winning debut Small Engine Repair , is also expected to be released next year. Anthony Byrne's latest feature How About You , starring Vanessa Redgrave and Brenda Fricker, Marion Quinn's 32A starring Aidan Quinn, and Tom Collins' Kings are all currently in post-production.
New international film and television projects which are in receipt of Irish Film Board international production funding, and are set to shoot in Ireland next year include the return of Murphy's Law Series 5, The Tudors Series 2, Dorothy Mills, The Old Curiosity Shop, My Boy Jack and Gently's Last Case . Production has already begun on Gently's Last Case , which is currently shooting in Dublin. The total combined Irish expenditure of these international projects is estimated to be worth approximately ââ€Å¡Ã‚¬30 million.
Four of these projects are set to be directed by Irish directors, including Murphy's Law, starring James Nesbitt which will be directed by Irish director Colm McCarthy and co produced by Element Films and Tiger Aspect. The Tudors , co-produced by World 2000 is also expected to have Irish directors attached, aswell as My Boy Jack which will be co-produced by Octagon Films and The Old Curiosity Shop , a TV movie for ITV to be co-produced by Element Films.
'2006 has been a very productive year for the Irish film and television industry,said Minister for Arts Sport and Tourism', John O'Donoghue. 'There is a wide range of new and innovative Irish films which will be screening at international festivals and released in cinemas next year. We have awarded the Bord Scannan na hEireann/the Irish Film Board (IFB) a 15% increase in their annual budget and look forward to continued growth in 2007.'
'The IFB is aiming to develop Irish film making talent that can engage audiences at home and abroad while maintaining and building the resources, crafts and skills of the Irish industry through attracting international productions to Ireland',said James Morris, Chairman, Bord Scannan na hEireann/the Irish Film Board.
2006 has been a successful year for the Irish film industry. As well as bringing home the Palme d'Or for The Wind that Shakes the Barley and the Oscar for Best Short Film with Six Shooter , Irish films were selected to screen at festivals all over the world. Middletown screened in the Tribeca Film Festival Breakfast on Pluto went to the Berlin Film Festival. The Tiger's Tail was selected for the San Sebastian Film Festival, Small Engine Repair screened in London and The Front Line was selected for the Pusan Film Festival. Production activity returned to high levels and the economic value of IFB-supported film and television projects has risen dramatically from € 35 million in 2005 to over € 100 million in 2006.