Production spend in Ireland across feature films, TV and animation reached €361m in 2022, down on 2021’s record year, but an increase on a pre-pandemic 2019.
Although a fall from the record high of €500m in 2021, this has been deemed exceptional due to the increased level of activity taking place following the Covid-related production shutdowns.
Production investment in Ireland has grown at a steady level over recent years and 2022’s €361m is an increase of €4m on 2019.
Universal Pictures’ Cocaine Bear, Netflix’s Vikings: Valhalla and Bron Studios’ and Headline Pictures’ crime series Kin, were among the international projects that shot in Ireland in 2022.
Irish projects
Screen Ireland is backing 44 upcoming projects, comprising nine feature films, three animation series, eight TV dramas, 13 documentaries and seven short films.
Among the feature projects is John Carney’s Flora And Son, produced by Treasure Entertainment and picked up by Apple TV following its debut at Sundance.
Other features include Fastnet Films’ Apocalypse Clown, directed by George Kane, about a troupe of clowns who go on a chaotic road trip, South Wind Blows’ adaptation of John McGahern’s final novel, That They May Face The Rising Sun, written by Pat Collins, and Ian Hunt-Duffy’s Double Blind, produced by Failsafe Films, about seven young people who arrive at a remote facility to take part in a clinical drug trial.
Darren Thornton’s Four Mothers tells of a man tasked with caring for his friends’ parents over one chaotic weekend. It is produced by Port Pictures.
Jam Media’s animated feature A Greyhound Of A Girl , directed by Enzo d’Alò and based on a short story by Roddy Doyle, is premierring at the Berlinale later this month.
Meanwhile, Screen Ireland has also announced a number of new initiatives for 2023, including a €3.5m Regional Support Fund. The new fund aims to support the development of skills around Ireland – outside of Dublin and Wicklow – and is targeted towards crew across all grades, including new entrants.
Actor Colin Farrell is also to voice a new animated campaign promoting mental health support in the screen industries which is directed by Ian McCaffrey. Minding Creative Minds offers support such as weekly counselling sessions for a period of 12 weeks and legal, financial and career advice.
Speaking the week after Irish films and talent led by The Quiet Girl and The Banshees Of Inisherin secured multiple Bafta and Oscar nominations, Désirée Finnegan, chief executive of Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, said: “The incredible Academy Awards nominations news last week is a further reminder of the impact that this sector can have, with Irish creative talent being recognised amongst the best in the world.”
