Feature Film Production

Here is how this works in practice. Ireland's feature-film custom is one of the most decorated in world cinema relative to population, and the today's record is top. Kenneth Branagh's Belfast (2021) won the Best First Screenplay Oscar at the 94th Academy Awards (March 2022) and earned six further noms including Best Picture; Martin McDonagh's The Banshees of Inisherin (2022) earned nine Oscar noms including Best Picture and Best First Screenplay.

Here is the short of it. With Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Barry Keoghan, and Kerry Condon all nominated; Colm Bairéad's An Cailín Ciúin / The Quiet Girl (2022) became the first Irish-language film ever nominated for the Best International Feature Oscar; Sebastián Lelio's The Wonder (2022. Florence Pugh. Netflix) drew on Emma Donoghue's source; Lenny Abrahamson's Room (2015) won Brie Larson the Best Actress Oscar and earned a Best Director nom; John Crowley's Brooklyn (2015, Saoirse Ronan, Nick Hornby script) earned Best Picture and Best Actress noms; John Carney's Once (2007) won Best First Song for "Falling Slowly" (Glen Hansard / Markéta Irglová), and his Sing Street (2016) and Begin Again continued the music-drama franchise.

Here is the breakdown. Director-and-writer talent compounding includes Jim Sheridan (In the Name of the Father, My Left Foot. This includes six-time Oscar nominee), Neil Jordan (The Crying Game. This includes 1992 Best First Screenplay Oscar), Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave 2013 Best Picture Oscar. This includes though London-born, frequently shooting Irish), Lenny Abrahamson (Element Pictures core partnership), and the emerging generation including Carmel Winters and Pat Collins.

Here is what that looks like on the ground. Production-side, feature financing routes through Section 481 (the 32% corporation-tax-credit on Irish-spend with 40% regional uplift outside Dublin / Wicklow / Cork. This includes uncapped per project up to €70M qualifying spend), Screen Ireland (development, production, distribution funds), the BAI Sound & Vision Scheme (broadcast-tied funding), Northern Ireland Screen (NI side. Separate equivalent rebates), TG4 Cine4 (Irish-language feature scheme. This includes funded An Cailín Ciúin), and the European MEDIA / Eurimages co-production funds. Element Pictures (Lenny Abrahamson and Ed Guiney's Dublin-based production company, founded 2001.

Here is how the picture comes together. Credits include Room, The Favourite, Poor Things, Normal People, The Lobster, Disco Pigs) is the dominant Irish-led producer at festival-tier; Treasure Entertainment. Cardel Entertainment. Subotica, Wildgaze Films, Parallel Films, Imagine Entertainment Ireland, Big Talk Productions, Hot House Films, and Wildcard Distribution round out the production-house tier. Crew sourcing through SIPTU, Irish Equity, and the ISC (Irish Society of Cinematographers) covers principal photography; key stages run through Ardmore Bray. Ashford Studios Wicklow, Troy Studios Limerick, Titanic Studios Belfast, and Linen Mill Banbridge. Premiere venues are the Dublin International Film Festival (March), Galway Film Fleadh (July.

Here is what we have to work with. The most important Irish-led-features showcase). Cork International Film Festival (the oldest in Ireland. Founded 1956), Belfast Film Festival (November), Dingle International Film Festival, and the IFTA Awards (the Irish Oscars).