Minister Martin embarks on major US trade mission to boost investment in Ireland’s film industry, tourism and culture
Posted: 8th March 2023
Minister Catherine Martin to meet with world leading US studios and production companies including Sony and Disney, which includes representatives from Marvel, Searchlight and Lucas Film
- Minister to present special award to An Cailín Cíúin (The Quiet Girl) – the first Irish-language film to be nominated for an Academy Award
- Trip aims to reinforce Government’s support for film industry and Irish artists, boost inward investment, and promote Irish tourist destinations and experiences in one of Tourism Ireland’s most important markets
- Trade mission will include tourism, culture and sport engagements along with St. Patrick’s Day events in San Diego and Los Angeles
Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Catherine Martin T.D. – together with Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, Tourism Ireland, the I.D.A., Enterprise Ireland and the Department of Foreign Affairs – will lead a trade mission in Los Angeles to promote the Irish screen industry and Ireland’s cultural power ahead of the Academy Awards this Sunday.
This year marks a record-breaking 14 nominations for Irish stories and talent across the Awards, including the history-making nomination for Irish language film An Cailín Ciúin (The Quiet Girl).
The trade mission – a key part of the Government’s St Patrick’s Day programme – aims to build on the recent critical success for the Irish screen industry and the recognition of Irish talent on the world’s stage. Minister Martin will seek to strengthen working relationships between the Irish screen sector and some of the world’s largest film studios and production companies, as well as strengthening Ireland’s reputation as a global tourist destination.
This week will see a number of meetings taking place with US studios and production companies including Sony and Disney, which includes representatives from Marvel, Searchlight and Lucas Film. These meetings will update key industry partners on the continued growth and evolution of the sector in Ireland; discuss opportunities for increased collaboration; explore new opportunities for production as well as sectors in the industry, such as post-production and Visual Effects (VFX); and reinforce the strong and ongoing Government support for the industry and Irish artists, contributing to the Global Ireland 2025 aim to double Ireland’s global cultural footprint.
Following the remarkable success of An Cailín Cíúin (The Quiet Girl), which became the first ever Irish language film nominated for an Academy Award, the Minister will present a special award to the film at the Oscar Wilde event this Thursday. This will be hosted by the US-Ireland Alliance and promotes Irish film and culture in Los Angeles by honouring Irish and Irish-American screen talent.
Minister Martin will also visit Winston House, a recent recipient of Culture Ireland funding. Culture Ireland, which is part of the Minister’s Department, is responsible for promoting Irish arts internationally and provides grants to artists to tour globally.
Speaking about the trade mission, Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Catherine Martin T.D. said:
The eyes of Hollywood and the world are on Ireland this Oscars weekend and this presents an important opportunity to showcase Ireland’s culture and creative talent to a global audience.
This weekend is also important for Ireland and Irish people around the world. Some 14 Oscar nominations is incredible for a country the size of Ireland and I know the nominations are a source of national pride for young and old. It highlights the country’s contribution to the arts and culture, provides opportunities to further promote Ireland as a tourism destination, and will inspire future generations of Irish creative talent and filmmakers.
The Irish screen industry has seen unprecedented success over the past decade, across live-action TV production, animation production and Visual Effects, the result of sustained investment and a clear strategic focus on the development of the sector.
Irish artists and arts have long been held in high regard in the US and, through Culture Ireland, my department supports artists to travel to present their work to American audiences and millions of diaspora annually. I look forward to visiting Winston House in LA which has received financial support for the participation of a selection of current and emerging Irish artists at their new Irish Friends Festival this month.
I will also be promoting Ireland as a world-class tourist destination with the help of Tourism Ireland and will be taking part in meetings with representatives of various sporting bodies, along with St. Patrick’s Day events in San Diego and Los Angeles during the visit.”
Désirée Finnegan, Chief Executive, Screen Ireland, said:
The global reputation of the Irish screen industry has continued to grow over the last number of years, with Irish projects achieving incredible critical and commercial success. This trade mission aims to further strengthen relationships with our US partners and build towards future industry growth and success.
Our pride in the recent acclaim for Irish talent across acting, Irish-language film, VFX and craft continues to emphasise our belief in the talent and artistry of the Irish creative screen industries, and how this sector continues to innovate and break new ground at home and abroad. We hope the industry’s success, and record-breaking number of Academy Award nominations, will inspire and pave the way for the next generation of Irish filmmakers to be ambitious in telling the cultural stories that matter to them.”
The Irish screen industry is riding a powerful wave of growth and success, marked this year by the monumental international success for Irish talent across the Academy Awards with a record-breaking 14 nominations, and a surge of new voices and emerging talent.
The ground-breaking success of An Cailín Ciúin (The Quiet Girl), funded by Screen Ireland in partnership with TG4 and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, broke domestic box-office records and garnered international critical acclaim.
Ireland is internationally renowned as a global hub for animation and, more recently, post-production and VFX have become leading areas of expertise in the Irish screen industry, with high-profile work on some of the biggest films and television series in the world, such as Marvel Studios’ Wakanda Forever.
The Irish screen industry provides a tangible economic benefit to our country, through jobs, skills development, regional development and production spend on local goods and services. Production spend in the Irish economy hit a record high in 2021, an exceptional year due to the increased level of activity taking place following the Covid-related production shutdowns.