Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism Martin Cullen has announced the new members of the Irish Film Board. The Minister has re-appointed current Chairman of the Board, James Morris, to this position for a twelve month period.
Current board members Lesley McKimm, Kevin Moriarty, Tristan Orpen Lynch and Kirsten Sheridan have been reappointed to the Board for the next four years. In addition Minister Cullen has appointment two new Board members, composer Barry Grace who has worked on a range of TV commercials and TV programming including ‘Dear Daughter’ for RTÉ and film director/producer Johnny Gogan, whose credits include ‘The Last Bus Home’ and ‘Mapmaker’.
Welcoming new board member appointments Simon Perry IFB Chief Executive said “In these uncertain times, it is tremendously reassuring that our Chairman James Morris is remaining with us for another year. We are also delighted to welcome two new Board members and to welcome back the majority of a Board which has always been nothing but supportive of the IFB’s work to date.”
Paying tribute to the outgoing Board members Alan Gilsenan and Peggy McCarthy McIntyre, James Morris, IFB Chairman said “For as long as the Irish Film Board has members of the calibre of Alan and Peggy, film makers and the film industry will be well served. On behalf of everyone at the Irish Film Board, both Board members and staff, I would like to thank them, not only for the quality of their individual contributions but also for their commitment, precious time generously given, and support.”
Board Members – Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board
James Morris (Chair) is a graduate of Trinity College and trained as a Film Editor in London. He founded Windmill Lane Pictures and Recording Studios on his return to Dublin. He led the Windmill Consortium to win the television franchise for TV3 in 1989. In 1990 he founded The Mill – Film and TV Post Production Company in London. He was appointed non-executive Chairman of TV3 in 1998. He joined the board of the International Dublin Film Festival in 2004 and the Board of the Irish Music Rights Organization [IMRO] in 2008.
Johnny Gogan founded Bandit Films in 1989 and has directed and produced over ten films for cinema and TV, including the award-winning features The Last Bus Home and Mapmaker. Founding editor of Film Ireland magazine in 1987 for Filmbase, more recent innovations have included the world cinema exhibitor Cinema North West, the organisation he chaired until 2007 and Adaptation, the Leitrim based festival which celebrates the relationship of literature and cinema.
Barry Grace is a composer and producer. As well as scoring a number of short films such as Zanzibar, he has provided the music to numerous television commercials both here and abroad including Guinness, Kellogg's and Cadbury's. He has scored a number of television dramas and documentaries such as 'Dear Daughter' and recently 'Grandfather, speak to me in Russian'. He is currently producing his first commercial album.
Lesley McKimm is a producer with Newgrange Pictures. She is currently producing the romantic comedy film ‘Happy Ever Afters’, and has exec produced and produced a number of television dramas such as ‘Whistleblower’, ‘No Tears’ and ‘Any Time Now’.
Kevin Moriarty is Managing Director of Ardmore Studios. He is Chair of the Kerry Screen Commission and a board member of the Wicklow Film Commission and the Irish Film Institute. Kevin is also Chairman of the MEDIA Desk Ireland.
Tristan Orpen Lynch founded Subotica in 1998 and has produced both feature films and television dramas, winning many international awards. His film producing credits include ‘Night Train’ 1999, ‘On the Nose’ 2000, ‘Song for a Raggy Boy’ 2003, ‘Small Engine Repair’ 2006, ‘The Daisy Chain’ 2008 and ‘El Juego Del Ahorcado’ 2008.
Kirsten Sheridan is a writer, director and producer. Kirsten followed her award winning college short ‘Patterns’ with an Irish Film Board/RTÉ short cut ‘The Case of Majella McGinty’. She directed her first feature, the critically acclaimed ‘Disco Pigs’ in 2001 and went on to co-write the Oscar and Golden Globe nominated ‘In America’. She directed the Oscar nominated film ‘August Rush’ in 2007 and is currently developing a number of feature films with Blindside Films.
