Irish Films to Look Forward to in 2009
2008 was a record for indigenous production activity with a slate of 25 Irish films having gone into production. Many major Irish stars, who have achieved much international success, all returned home to work on Irish films this year such as Colin Farrell, Neil Jordan, Cillian Murphy, Brendan Gleeson, Liam Neeson, Aidan Gillen, Conor McPherson, Ardal O'Hanlon and Colm Meaney.
Exciting new Irish films to look forward to next year include Ondine directed by Neil Jordan, Triage starring Colin Farrell, Perrier's Bounty starring Cillian Murphy and Brendan Gleeson, the beautifully animated film The Secret of Kells (Tomm Moore), Wide Open Spaces starring Ardal O'Hanlon, Cherrybomb starring Robert Sheehan and The Wake Wood starring Aidan Gillen and Eva Birthistle.
Bord Scannan na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board Chief Executive, Simon Perry commented "This level of production means that more Irish stories, Irish characters, and expressions of Irish culture than ever before will be seen on cinema screens across the world, to the direct benefit of Ireland's image and economy."
Film activity was spread out all over the country with feature films shooting on location in Cork (Ondine and The Eclipse), Donegal (The Wakewood and Shine of Rainbows), Clare (Love and Savagery), Sigo (Occi Versus the World) The Midlands, (One Hundred to One Outsiders), Monaghan (The Race), Kildare (Wide Open Spaces), Louth (Perrier's Bounty) and a host of projects shooting on location in the Dublin and Wicklow area.
High production activity can be attributed to a number of factors including the increased Government support of IFB, the stability of Section 481, the entrepreneurialism of Irish producers and the wealth of emerging talent in front of and behind the camera. IFB-funded film and television projects contributed an estimated total of over €75 million to the Irish economy in 2008, showing a significant return on government investment in this sector. Strong production activity in 2009 will remain a priority for the IFB and improvements introduced to the tax incentive section 481 announced recently by Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism will hopefully see increased international investment in the industry and increased employment in this sector.
Other industry highlights of the year include:
- An Academy Award for Best Original Song and the coveted award for Best Foreign Film at the US Independent Spirit Awards for ONCE;
- EDEN picked up a major award for at the Tribeca Film Festival with Eileen Walsh receiving the Best Actress award for her role;
- KISSES was selected for the Locarno, Telluride, Toronto, London and Thessaloniki film festivals and went on to receive unanimous acclaim from the Irish critics when it was released in Irish cinemas in November this year;
- Cartoon Saloon won the award for European Producer of the Year at the Cartoon Forum against stiff competition from much larger European animation companies;
- Joan Bergin won an Emmy for Best Costume Design for her on ‘THE TUDORS';
- FRANKIE directed by Darren Thornton won the major award for Best European Short Film, topping off a successful year of international awards and festival screenings;
- THE WEDNESDAYS and GRANNY O'GRIMMS SLEEPING BEAUTY both won Audience Awards at the renowned Clermont Ferrand and Palm Springs International Film Festivals respectively;
- Irish cinematographer Seamus McGarvey was nominated for an Oscar for his work on ‘Atonement' in 2008;
- Irish actress Saoirse Ronan was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress in ‘Atonement' in 2008;
- Peter J Devlin received an Academy Award nomination for Best Achievement in Sound for his work on the feature film ‘Transformers' in 2008
- And finally four of Ireland's leading actors Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Gabriel Byrne and Jonathan Rhys Meyers were nominated for a Golden Globe Award in 2009. Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson are both nominated in the Best Actor in Comedy or Musical category for their roles in ‘In Bruges' Gabriel Byrne and Jonathan Rhys Meyers are both nominated in the Best Actor in a TV series. Gabriel Byrne for his role in In Treatment and Jonathan Rhys Meyers for The Tudors.