Irish Film Industry Trade Mission to the US Planned
A delegation of over 25 Irish production companies will travel to Los Angeles to meet with US studios executives and to promote the Irish film industry during Oscar week. The delegates will travel in order to raise finance for their slate of film projects in active development, as well as identify projects which may want to shoot on location in Ireland.To this end Culture Ireland and Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board have partnered to facilitate the trade mission and Culture Ireland have provided 20 travel grants for Irish companies. The US office for Bord Scannán na hÉireann has organised a heavy schedule of meetings with US studios, financiers, distributors and agents. Among the delegates traveling to the US include James Flynn and Morgan O'Sullivan (THE TUDORS), director Tom Collins (KINGS), producer Martina Niland (ONCE) along with a number of animation and New Media companies.
Eugene Downes, Chief Executive, Culture Ireland said "We are delighted to be partnering with Bord Scannán na hÉireann/The Irish Film Board for the first time on this film industry trade mission to Los Angeles. It has been a great year for Irish film and we want to capitalize on the critical and public acclaim for features like ONCE, GARAGE and KINGS. This initiative compliments Culture Ireland's trade mission to New York last month promoting Irish theatre, music and dance."
"The US is so important for the Irish film business. It's a major market for Irish film and also provides essential direct foreign investment in the form of larger US film and TV drama shooting on location in Ireland. The relevance of the market is exemplified by the large number of production companies traveling to the US as part of the trade mission" said Naoise Barry, US film Commissioner.