Actress Saoirse Ronan and director Jim Sheridan among selection committee to submit thriller based around a lifeboat crew.
The Irish Film & Television Academy (IFTA) has submitted An Bronntanas as Ireland’s submission for the Foreign Language category at the 87th Academy Awards.
Directed by Tom Collins, and produced by Ciarán Ó Cofaigh of ROSG and Tom Collins, An Bronntanas stars Dara Devaney, John Finn , Owen McDonnell, Michelle Beamish, Pól Ó Gríofa, Charlotte Bradley and Januscz Sheagall. The script was written by Joe O’Byrne, Paul Walker, Eoin McNamee and Tom Collins.
The film was primarily shot in Irish in Connemara, County Galway by cinematographer Cian de Buitléar. The film premiered as the closing film of the Galway Film Fleadh earlier this year.
An Bronntanas (The Gift) is a contemporary thriller set against the backdrop of a local independent lifeboat crew working off the coast of Connemara, on the west of Ireland. The rescue crew receives a distress call on a stormy night to discover a fishing boat, its only passenger a dead woman and its cargo is over a million Euros worth of drugs. The crew is challenged with a moral dilemma - bring the woman on shore and hand the drugs to the authorities or, leave the body, sell the drugs and save their struggling village.
Writer-director Tom Collins’ previous film Kings was chosen for selection in the same category in 2008.
IFTA’s committee to put forward the film included director Jim Sheridan, actress Saoirse Ronan, director Dearbhla Walsh, casting director Ros Hubbard and make-up artist Michele Burke.
Collins said: ‘I’m delighted that the film is getting recognition outside Ireland, specially for the actors and crew. When I had the idea to do a Irish-based Celtic Noir the support of our funders was clear and immediate. As we strive to build an indigenous film and TV industry, it’s crucial to show the breadth of talent we have here to the outside world.”
IFTA CEO Áine Moriarty said: “We are delighted that this terrific Irish-language film will be screened and considered by our colleagues in the American Academy in their foreign-language category for the Oscars and to have Ireland’s native tongue reach a wider international audience.”
On Jan 15 2015, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) will announce which five films have been nominated from all of the international entries to go forward in the final line-up to compete for the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.
The Academy Awards will take place on Feb 22 2015 in the Dolby Theatre, Hollywood.
An Bronntanas was produced by ROSG and DeFacto Films with financial contribution from TG4, Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI), Bord Scannán na hÉireann/The Irish Film Board and Irish Language Broadcast Fund, Northern Ireland Screen.
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