In The Shadow of Beirut has been selected by IFTA as Ireland’s entry for the Academy Awards 2024
Posted: 5th October 2023
Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland is delighted to congratulate Stephen Gerard Kelly, Garry Keane and the creative team behind In The Shadow of Beirut on the announcement today that the documentary feature has been selected as Ireland’s entry for the Oscars®’ Best International Feature Film category at the upcoming 96th annual Academy Awards. The Irish Film & Television Academy announced the news this morning.
Co-directed by Stephen Gerard Kelly and Garry Keane, the film is a cinematic portrait of modern-day Lebanon as seen through the eyes of four families living in the impoverished Sabra and Shatila neighbourhoods of the city, the scene of an infamous massacre in 1982. Kelly spent five years living amongst the film’s protagonists in the Sabra and Shatila neighbourhoods on the outskirts of Beirut, a city once described as the Paris of the Middle East, and now engulfed in economic and political crisis. Kelly spent the first three years with the central participants of the film before pickingup his camera to begin documenting their lives. Filmed with unique access to these families, the film is marked by a deep intimacy with its subjects and a bold cinematic style.
It was selected by IFTA’s 2023 selection committee, including filmmaker Jim Sheridan (My Left Foot), producer Brian Falconer (Derry Girls), actor Cathy Belton (Philomena), writer-director Frank Berry (Michael Inside) and media executive Muirne Laffan.
Other previous selections for the category have included Viva, Song Of Granite, Foscadh, Arracht and last year's An Cailín Ciúin, which went on to become the first Irish language film to receive a nomination.
The film premiered at New Zealand’s Doc Edge Festival where it won several awards and qualified for consideration for the Oscars documentary feature category.
Speaking about the selection, Kelly said:
As my first film, words are difficult to describe the emotions I’m feeling right now after just learning In The Shadow of Beirut is Ireland’s official selection for International Feature at the Oscars. In addition to having already qualified in the Documentary Feature category for the Academy Award, this recognition from Ireland is an immense honour for me personally, and my co-directing partner Garry Keane. More importantly, this recognition will continue to keep Lebanon in peoples' minds and hearts, particularly the people in the film, whom I care deeply about."
IFTA Academy CEO, Áine Moriarty said:
The Irish Academy is delighted to announce that ‘In The Shadow Of Beirut’ will represent Ireland in the Best International Feature Film category for the 96thAcademy Awards. This is such an important film for a global audience to connect with. This raw storytelling on screen is delivered with such heart-breaking honesty. Stephen has been trusted to bring us up close and personal in this film, into the lives of families who are full of love as they try to live and survive, with the question of hope and human resilience at its core.”
Producer Brendan J. Byrne added:
It’s a great honour to secure this coveted recognition from Ireland as the Oscar selection for Best International Feature. We’re very proud of this film and the people and stories that it brings to the screen.”
The film is produced by Brendan J. Byrne and Myriam Sassine and Belfast-based Cyprus Avenue Films (Gaza, Bobby Sands: 66 Days). Production partners include Beirut’s Abbout Productions (Costa Brava, Lebanon), Republic of Ireland-based Real Films (Gaza) and Berlin-based Gebrueder Beetz Filmproduktion (The Cleaners). Co-producers include Sassine, Christian Beetz and Alison Toomey. Executive producers are Hillary Clinton, Chelsea Clinton and Siobhan Sinnerton of HiddenLight Productions. The film is proudly supported by Screen Ireland and ZDF/Arte.
The Oscar® Best International Film contenders will next be shortlisted to 15 international finalists which will then be ultimately shortlisted to the final 5 Oscar® Nominees in that category. The 96th Academy Awards ceremony is scheduled to take place in Los Angeles, California on Sunday 10th March, 2024.