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Oscar nominee Cillian Murphy’s next film leads Screen Ireland’s 2024 production slate

‘Wonderful time for Irish filmmaking,’ says Murphy as agency reports production spending of €322m in 2023

Screen Ireland chief executive Désirée Finnegan (second from left) with Ready or Not director Claire Byrne (left) and actors Hazel Doupe and Colin Morgan. Photograph: Julien Behal

Laura Slattery
Wed Jan 24 2024 - 06:05

Small Things Like These, starring Academy Award nominee Cillian Murphy, leads a Screen Ireland slate of more than 40 productions for 2024, with the State development agency reporting that industry activity held “steady” last year despite global disruption.

Murphy, nominated for the best actor Oscar on Tuesday for his role in Oppenheimer, leads the film adaptation of Claire Keegan’s novel alongside Eileen Walsh and is also one of the producers of the film, which will receive its world premiere at the prestigious Berlin International Film Festival next month.

“I’m delighted for Small Things Like These to be part of the Screen Ireland slate for 2024. Working on this film with director Tim Mielants and screenwriter Enda Walsh – as well as the film’s outstanding cast and crew in Wexford, Wicklow and Dublin – was an incredible experience,” said Murphy.

“It’s a wonderful time for Irish filmmaking, and I’m proud to be part of putting Irish stories on the screen that tell us about ourselves – our past and present.”

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The Screen Ireland slate stretches to a total of 20 features, eight television dramas, seven animated series, 10 documentaries, 31 short films and three projects made for the RTÉ Storyland scheme.

Other film highlights include Bring Them Down, a crime thriller starring Barry Keoghan; the Irish language film Kneecap, which recently premiered at the Sundance Film Festival; European co-production The End, which is the latest project from acclaimed director Joshua Oppenheimer; and Darren Thornton’s Irish drama Four Mothers, starring Fionnula Flanagan.

Claire Byrne’s Ready or Not, Brian Durnin’s Spilt Milk, Brendan Canty’s Christy and Eva Birthistle’s Kathleen is Here are among the directorial debuts.

Screen Ireland-backed television dramas includes The Boy That Never Was, an RTÉ thriller directed by Hannah Quinn and adapted from Karen Perry’s novel by crime author and screenwriter Jo Spain; The Hardacres, a period drama made for Channel 5; and the second season of comedy-drama The Dry for RTÉ and ITV.

Animated projects include Maddie + Triggs, Doodle Girl and interactive multi-platform project Where The Wild Geese Go, while documentaries range from the tongue-in-cheek Housewife of the Year to a true crime investigation from Charlie Bird, Ransom ‘79.

Total screen industry production spending in the Irish economy arrived at €322 million last year. This was down from €361.5 million in 2022, but can be considered a decent result in light of the high levels of international disruption that followed extended strikes by US writers and actors.

The Writers Guild of America and actors’ union Sag-Aftra have both since ended their 148-day and 118-day work stoppages respectively after agreeing new deals with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers.

Both 2023 and 2022 have seen less activity in the Irish industry than in the Covid catch-up year of 2021, when production spending here reached a record €500 million.

“We are very proud that local production remained strong amid global industry uncertainty last year. We look forward to bringing these new Irish stories, our language and our culture to audiences worldwide in 2024,” said Désirée Finnegan, Screen Ireland chief executive.

“It is a testament to the strength of Irish filmmaking and the skill and passion of all those working across the screen industry.”

The agency will launch a new talent academy for visual effects (VFX) and the post-production sector this year.

Laura Slattery

Laura Slattery

Laura Slattery is an Irish Times journalist writing about media, advertising and other business topics

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