The Irish Film Institute (IFI) has launched the IFI Irish Film Archive Preservation Fund, with the unveiling of a promotional video starring Ireland’s young star of the screen Saoirse Ronan.
The promotional video sees the young actress transported into iconic Irish film and archive scenes, from appearances in ‘Once’ and ‘My Left Foot’ to real-life footage of the arrival of JFK at Dublin Airport. Saoirse appeals for public support saying “The written word can be powerful and beautiful but films can transport us to another place in a way that even the most evocative words never can…If we lose our films we lose that other place forever. The IFI Irish Film Archive urgently needs your support to save and preserve our film heritage.”
The IFI Archive initiative is to help garner support to secure the future of Ireland’s film heritage, with a target of raising €300,000 by spring 2012. The current collection preserved at the IFI Irish Film Archive spans over one hundred years and recent DVDs made available through the archive include ‘The O’Kalem Collection’, ‘Seoda’, ‘Irish Destiny’ and ‘GAA Hurling Gold 1948-1959’. The IFI now has plans to develop an IFI Irish Film Archive Preservation and Research Centre on the campus of the National University of Ireland, Maynooth.
Announcing the plans, Kasandra O’Connell, Head of the IFI Irish Film Archive said “Time is running out as our archive building in the historic IFI premises in Temple Bar has reached capacity. Critically, we cannot accept any more material, meaning that precious collections are in danger of being lost.”
The promotional Saoirse Ronan video, made by Nick Kelly and Richard Chaney, will be playing before each screening at the IFI.
Donations can be made at the website or directly to the IFI.
