The Irish Film Board has announced its most recent funding loan awards for the period of January to June 2013 - across a wide range of categories including production loans for films, animation and documentaries; development loans and distribution loans.
The largest amount at €900,000 has been awarded to ‘The Ranger’, a feature film to be directed by IFTA-winning cinematographer P.J. Dillon, based on a screenplay he wrote with Eugene O'Brien and Pierce Ryan.
A Fastnet Films production, the film focuses on ‘a dark and compelling story of revenge set in 1840’s Ireland.
P.J. Dillon has won three IFTA awards for Best Cinematography for ‘The Runway’; for Best Director of Photography for ‘32A’; and for Best Short Film for ‘Headwrecker’.
Mr Dillon’s other notable credits include ‘Game of Thrones’ and ‘Ripper Street’, and he previously directed ‘Rewind’ starring Amy Huberman through the IFB Catalyst project training scheme.
Of particular note this year is a strong emphasis on investment in the animation industry, with €350,000 awarded to Cartoon Saloon's 'Puffin Rock', as detailed below.
Other notable sums awarded include:
• €500,000 to ‘The Cherry Tree’ directed by David Keating and written by Brendan McCarthy (Fantastic Films)
• €500,000 to ‘The Canal’ written & directed by Ivor Kavanagh (Park Films)
• €500,000 to ‘Jimmy’s Hall’ directed by Ken Loach and written by Paul Laverty (Element Pictures)
• €400,000 to ‘The Legend of Longwood’ directed by Lisa Mulcahy and written by G. Eckhaus & N. Kemper (Grand Pictures)
• €300,000 to ‘A Long Way Home’ directed by Paki Smith and written by Alex Rose (Samson Films)
• €203,000 to ‘Patrick’s Day’ directed & written by Terry McMahon (Ignition Film Productions)
Animation
Animation was very strongly represented with €350,000 awarded to ‘Puffin Rock’ a pre-school series set on an island inhabited by puffins, from director Paul Young and the Oscar-nominated animation studio Cartoon Saloon based in Kilkenny.
€150k was also awarded to ‘Newsbag’, the new adult comedy series written by IFTA Rising Star and ‘Pilgrim Hill’ director Gerard Barrett and produced by Ice House Media.
Projects in development with established Irish directors and writers include a screenplay of Colm Tóibín's novel ‘Brooklyn’ to be directed by John Crowley (‘Intermission’) and written by Nick Horny; Jim Sheridan’s project ‘The Great Storm’, which he will write and direct; and ‘The Delinquent Season’ written and to be directed by Mark O’Rowe.
Other highlights include Gerard Barrett’s ‘Glassland’ with funding from Film Four; and a sequel to ‘The Hardy Bucks Movie’ which was released by Universal Pictures Ireland earlier this year.
The Hardy Bucks 2 is based on a script which will see the lads travel to Australia.
In the documentary category, notable awards included €65,000 awarded to ‘Circus on the Road’ directed by Dieter Auner (Ikandi Productions) and €60,000 to ‘Rough Rider’ - about Irish sports journalist Paul Kimmage and his controversial quest to find honesty and hope inside the Tour de France.
James Hickey, IFB Chief Executive, said: ‘There is an impressive and wide range of projects in receipt of funding loan awards for the first six months of this year. The aim of the Irish Film Board is to invest in Irish creative talent and innovation by supporting productions which will represent Ireland around the globe, and will raise direct foreign investment providing a boost to the Irish economy in terms of jobs and spend on local good and services.’
Mr Hickey noted that in 2012 the IFB invested €10.5 million in a wide range of projects, including 30 feature films – resulting in an €80m spend in the Irish economy and raising over €118m in foreign direct investment.
For the full list of loan awards for the first half of 2013, visit the Irish Film Board’s breakdown here.
