Meath-made film wins Grand Prix award at Berlin festival

A feature film shot mostly at various locations across Meath has today won a prestigious Best Film prize at the Berlin Film Festival.

'An Cailín Ciúin' (The Quiet Girl) was the first Irish language film to be selected for the international festival, and was named winner of the Grand Prix of the Generation Kplus International Jury for the Best Film.

Filmed around Summerhill, Moynalvey, Curraghtown, Garlow Cross, Trim and Clonymeath, farms and farmhouses, country roads and fields, Fagan's Pub in Moynalvey, a school near Navan and a jewellery shop and streets around Trim were used as locations.

'An Cailín Ciúin' tells the story of Cáit (Catherine Clinch) - a nine year-old girl from an overcrowded, dysfunctional family who is sent away to live with foster parents for the summer. Despite a warm reception from the woman, Eibhlín (Carrie Crowley), the man of the house, Seán (Andrew Bennett), keeps his distance from Cáit and she from him, but over time, their strained relationship begins to deepen.

Slowly, in the care of the Kinsellas, Cáit blossoms and discovers a new way of living. But in this house where there are meant to be no secrets, she discovers one painful truth.

Based on the acclaimed story, Foster by Claire Keegan, the film is a complex and delicate coming-of-age drama that explores questions of family, neglect and loss through the eyes of its young protagonist.

The Irish-language feature film was part of the 'Generation' strand which showcases state-of-the-art international cinema that in its narrative and cinematic language, takes young people seriously; stories that are told through the eyes of their young protagonists and which make their worlds tangible

'An Cailín Ciúin' is the feature film debut of writer/director, Colm Bairéad and producer, Cleona Ní Chrualaoi of Inscéal. The film was funded by Screen Ireland, TG4 and the BAI as part of the Cine4 scheme. It was shot on location in Meath and Dublin in 2020.

The Berlin screening was the film’s world premiere.

The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media, Catherine Martin TD, has congratulated the cast and crew, saying: “Comhghairdeas ó chroí to all involved in An Cailín Ciúin feature film on winning one of the top prizes at the prestigious Berlin Film Festival. It is a truly remarkable achievement. It acknowledges Irish filmmaking talent on the world stage. Also, the fact that the film is in our native language makes the award all the more special. The film made history already as the first Irish language feature film to be selected for the Berlin Film Festival where it was warmly welcomed by the audience at its showing last week.

"This achievement also represents the importance of supporting our film industry. This production was made possible through public funding from Section 481 film tax relief, as well as from Screen Ireland, Broadcasting Authority of Ireland and TG4.”