US Film ‘Leap Year’ Starring Amy Adams In production in Ireland
The US feature film ‘Leap Year’ staring Amy Adams (Doubt, Enchanted) and Matthew Goode (Watchmen) is the first international production in Ireland to qualify for Section 481 under the new guidelines and is currently filming in Dublin and Galway.
Scripted by Harry Elfont, Deborah Kaplan (Made of Honour) and Simon Beaufoy, who won the Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay for Slumdog Millionaire, ‘Leap Year’ has an Irish budget of €17 million which will be spent directly in the Irish economy on Irish cast, crew and a wide range of services. The film is directed by Anand Tucker (When Did You Last See Your Father?) and will shoot on location in Dublin, Wicklow and Galway over a 5 month period. The film is produced by Spyglass Entertainment and co-produced by Morgan O’ Sullivan and James Flynn of World 2000 Entertainment, based at Ardmore Studios.
The new improvements to Section 481, the Irish tax incentive for film and television, were instrumental in bringing this major US film to Ireland. Spyglass also chose Ireland because of the quality of Irish cast and crew and beautiful film locations along with the experienced production companies and film crew based here. Irish production company World 2000 (The Tudors) has had a long running relationship with US producers Spyglass Entertainment who previously worked together on Reign of Fire and The Count of Monte Cristo, both of which filmed in Ireland.
Irish producer, Morgan O’ Sullivan commented “Ireland is now competing again at the highest level in the large-budget, international feature film production market. We are delighted to welcome Spyglass Entertainment back here.”
Commenting on bringing the feature film to Ireland US producers Spyglass Entertainment said "Leap Year marks our third visit to Ireland's wonderful film community. We are happy to tell a story that can show off the unique charm and beauty of Ireland."
The film tells the story of Adams who plays an American woman travelling to Ireland to propose to her boyfriend on February 29. She ends up getting lost in the Irish countryside on her journey, where she meets a local inn keeper played by Goode and they both set out to find her beau in Dublin. The film will shoot in and around the Aran Islands, Connemara, Temple Bar, Georgian Dublin, Wicklow National Park and Temple Bar.