The Irish Film Board have announced Ken Loach’s ‘The Wind That Shakes The Barley’ is the first feature film to qualify for their new Revolving Pre-Production Fund.
Productions which are fully financed and in the process of commencing pre-production where there is a time lag in cashflow as a result of financing and legal arrangements
In addition to equity investment the film has also qualified for BSE/IFB Regional Film and Television Fund which encourages BSÉ/IFB-backed drama productions to utilise the full range of locations in regional Ireland. This is done by providing production finance to cover a proportion of the additional production costs incurred by shooting in regional Ireland. With Regional Film & Television Finance, ‘The Wind That Shakes The Barley’ will shoot in a range of locations around Cork later this month.
"We are delighted that ‘The Wind That Shakes The Barley’ has been able to benefit from these two new funds. The revolving pre-production fund can assist producers during what can be a very stressful time for production and the Regional Film and TV Fund has opened up a host of new locations throughout Ireland previously unused due to budget constraints" said Mark Woods, BSE/IFB CEO. "Both of these initiatives were made possible by Mr. John O'Donoghue (TD), Irish Minister of Arts, Sports and Tourism increasing the BSE/IFB budget by 22% for 2005."
‘The Wind That Shakes The Barley’ is produced by Rebecca O’Brien of Sixteen Films, and Andrew Lowe and Ed Guiney in Element Films. Irish actors Cillian Murphy (Batman Returns, 28 Days Later), Liam Cunningham (A Love Divided) and emerging talent Padraic Delaney, will play the leading roles.
The film is co-financed by UK Film Council, Bord Scannán na hÉireann / the Irish Film Board, Filmstiftung Nordrhein-Westfalen, with Pathé distributing in UK/ Ireland and handling international sales.
