Martina Niland is lead producer and managing director of Dublin based COSMO FILMS LTD, which was founded in 2014. She has over 15 years experience in the industry and is an honors graduate of Communications (Film & Broadcasting) at the Dublin Institute of Technology.
Martina began working in film in the late 90’s. Having spend the initial post college years producing low or no budget short movies for up-and-coming writers and directors, she began working with David Collins of Samson Films (one of Ireland’s leading independent film & television companies), producing a small 10 minute film which had just received the Film Base/RTE award. It was called Short and was written and directed by Imogen Murphy, (sold to Atom Films). After that came two shorts written & directed by Karl Golden the IFB/RTE Short Cuts production’s Dogsbody (2000) and Beached. In 2002 Martina produced All God’s Children (2002) written and directed by Tom Cosgrove also as part of the IFB/RTE Short Cuts scheme.
In 2001 she produced the documentary High Five for RTE as part of their True Lives series.
During this time also, Martina began developing a slate of feature film projects with Samson Films: In 2000 she was Associate Producer on the quirky off beat comedy The Most Fertile Man in Ireland (Dir: Dudi Appleton). In 2003 she produced the critically acclaimed debut feature by Karl Golden called The Honeymooners (sold by Portman Films).
In early 2004 Martina met Perry Ogden and began working with him on his debut feature Pavee Lackeen, which she co-produced. In 2005 PAVEE won: Best Irish Film Galway Film Fleadh, IFTA Best Irish Film & Best Break Thru Talent, Satyajit Ray Award London to name but a few. Wide Management are the Sales Agent for PAVEE LACKEEN.
In 2006 Martina produced Bachelors Walk (wri/dir John Carney), a one-hour special, which was broadcast on RTE Christmas ‘06.
Also in 2006 Martina produced Once, a modern day musical, (Wri/Dir: John Carney) which won the World Cinema Audience Award at Sundance Film Festival 2007 & Dublin International Film Festival 2008. ONCE received the Oscar for Best Original Song and was named “Best Foreign Film” at the 2008 Independent Spirit Awards. ONCE went on to become a Tony award winning stage musical.
In 2009 Martina produced Carmel Winters' first feature, entitled SNAP, which had its world premiere at the 2010 Tribeca Film Festival, screening in the narrative competition section. In 2014 it won ‘Best Irish Film’ and ‘Best Irish Director’ at the Dublin International Film Festival. In 2012 Martina also produced – John Carney’s psychological chiller THE RAFTERS, and two co-productions; the comedy/horror GRABBERS, which premiered at Sundance and MILO, a Dutch Irish Co-Production, which won the Young People’s social Cine Club award at the Giffoni Film Festival 2012. She produced RUN & JUMP and STAY. RUN & JUMP was written by Ailbhe Keogan and co-written and directed by Oscar nominated Steph Green. STAY, which stars Aidan Quinn and Golden Globe nominee Taylor Schilling in the lead roles.
Most recently she produced SING STREET, also by Carney and starring Jack Reynor, Aidan Gillen and Maria Doyle Kennedy. Released in the US by The Weinstein Company, it received widespread critical acclaim at the Sundance Film Festival where it premiered. It also won Best Supporting Actor for Jack Reynor at the Irish Film & Television Awards 2016.
Martina was selected as European Film Promotions Irish Producer on the move in 2007 and she has also completed EAVE and ACE and is a member of the European Film Academy.
