ILBF Funding Decisions Announced | The Irish Film & Television Network

As a result of the recent funding decisions, Tobar Productions is to receive financing for two documentaries on TG4; the first will examine a tragic boat accident that happened off Arranmore Island with the loss of the lives of 20 islanders and the second is a documentary about Paddy O’Connell, a former Belfast Celtic player who went on to manage the Barcelona football team during the time of Franco.

Antrim’s The Picturehouse was awarded funding for two single documentaries for broadcast on TG4. ‘Óró na Casadaigh’ will follow the legendary musical family as they re-release the classic album of the same name, and ‘Dodge’ will look at a typical night in the infamous Donegal night club. The Picturehouse was also awarded funding for a factual entertainment series, ‘Sí do Mhamó’, for RTÉ, which will see Máire Andrews imparting her wisdom to families in need of some attention.

Below the Radar received funding from the group for a single documentary for TG4 about the lives of two girls born with Down’s syndrome; whilst Glass Machine Productions received funding for a creative documentary on the life of Frank Ryan, an Irish dissident republican socialist who ended his life working for the Nazis in Berlin.

Funding was also awarded to Ulysses Films to produce a series of dramatic monologues which will provide a modern interpretation of the Ten Commandments. Entitled ‘Na Deich n-Aitheanta’, the series will air on BBC NI.

Big Mountain Productions was awarded funding for an outdoors series for TG4, which will see new presenters MacDara Ó Cuaig and Dara Ó hUallacháin foraging, fishing and exploring the landscape in various locations across the country.

Imagine Media Ltd received funding for a documentary on the 20th anniversary of Cultúrlann Mac Adam Ó Fíaich, a hub for Irish speakers in West Belfast, which is currently being extended and refurbished and the Belfast Media Group was awarded funding for a series, Baol, which will feature 4 unique characters where risk looms largely in their lives.

Stirling Productions was awarded funding for the development of a new drama series for BBC NI and TG4 entitled ‘Scúp’ which will be set in a newspaper office. Development funding was also awarded to the Nerve Centre for development of an animation of the classic Irish book, ‘An Béal Bocht’. Finally, Zoogon Ltd was awarded funding for a two-part entertainment series for TG4 to be aired over the Christmas period next year in which a group of ‘celebrities of the year’ will be rewarded with either bouquets or brickbats.

The funding deadlines for 2011 have also been announced: and will fall next year at:
• 12 noon on Friday 18th February 2011
• 12 noon on Friday 27th May 2011
• 12 noon on Friday 30th September 2011.
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The ILBF has an annual fund of £3m, provided by the UK Film Council. The funding is made available to production companies based in Northern Ireland with an expectation that no less than 70 hours of Irish language output per annum is broadcast on TG4, BBC NI and RTÉ as a result. For more information visit www.northernirelandscreen.co.uk

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