Andrew Bennet in a scene from 'An Cailin Ciúin'.

Arts and Gaeltacht ministers congratulate Oscar nominees

Historic day as Irish language film nominated for Academy Award

The Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, and Media, Catherine Martin, has congratulated the Irish Oscar nominees for the upcoming 95th Academy Award ceremony.

"This is a wonderful day for the Irish film industry with such a record number of Oscar nominations," she said. "An Cailín Ciúin and the Banshees of Inisherin showcase Ireland’s culture, scenery and creative talent at its best. I congratulate all of the Irish nominees and wish them well on Oscar night on 12th March. It is an historic day for the Irish language and I look forward to Oscar night when the world will hear the Irish language spoken in a nominated film.”

Minister of State with special responsibility for the Gaeltacht, Patrick O' Donovan, welcomed today's nominations and in particular, the nomination of An Cailín Ciúin for Best International Feature Film. “We are all so proud to see an original feature film in the Irish language being recognised at the highest level and we hope to see many more Irish language projects following in their footsteps as a result of the national and international success garnered from An Cailín Ciúin”.

The Banshees of Inisherin received nine Academy Awards nominations and Minister Martin congratulated actors Brendan Gleeson, Colin Farrell, Kerry Condon, Barry Keoghan and Director, Martin McDonagh on their nominations.

"The film is already being regarded as a classic and enjoyed success at the Golden Globes recently. Great credit is due to Martin McDonagh and all the cast and crew for the portrayal of island life in this dark comedy."

Minister Martin also congratulated Colm Bairéad, director, and the team behind An Cailín Ciúin (The Quiet Girl) on the nomination for an Oscar in the Best International Film category. The film already received an award at the prestigious Berlin Film Festival. The minister said she recognised the importance of the Irish language on screen as a reflection and promotion of Irish culture to audiences at home and abroad.

Minister Martin added: “Irish language projects represent a wonderful opportunity with the increase in global popularity of high-end local language productions.”

The minister commented that films such as The Banshees of Inisherin and An Cailín Ciúin and many, many others productions are made in Ireland because of funding from the Section 481 film tax relief. The benefits to the industry that result from the upskilling required under Section 481 are very clear for all to see.

“Ireland offers breath-taking locations offering historic and natural beauty making it an attractive base for film locations. Movies like these provide a tangible economic benefit to our country, through jobs, skills development, regional development and production spend on local goods and services.”

Minister Martin also expressed her delight on hearing that actor Paul Mescal has been nominated for an Oscar for Best Actor in the film ‘Aftersun’. From Maynooth, Mescal has secured the nomination for his portrayal of a troubled father ‘Calum’ in this film written and directed by Charlotte Wells.

Minister Martin also congratulated the other Irish nominees, Richard Baneham for his nomination for Visual Effects on 'Avatar' and Jonathan Redmond, Best Achievement in Film Editing on 'Elvis'.

The minister said that this has been high achieving year for Irish film production and Irish talent and noted that there will be an extra level of excitement at this year’s Oscars.

Rinne an tAire Turasóireachta, Cultúir, Ealaíon, Gaeltachta, Spóirt agus Meán Catherine Martin comhghairdeas inniu leis na hEireannaigh a ainmníodh do ghradaim Oscar don 95ú searmanas bronnta.

Dúirt an tAire Martin: “Is lá iontach é seo do thionscal scannán na hÉireann, an lá fuarthas an líon is mó ainmniúchán Oscar riamh. Léiríonn An Cailín Ciúin agus Banshees of Inisherin scoth cultúr, radharcanna tíre agus tallann cruthaitheach na hÉireann. Tréaslaím leis na hainmnithe Éireannacha ar fad agus guím rath orthu ar oíche na nGradam, ar an 12 Márta 2023. Is lá stairiúil é don Ghaeilge agus táim ag tnúth le hoíche na nGradam nuair a chloisfidh an domhan mór an Ghaeilge á labhairt i scannán ainmnithe”.

Chuir an tAire Stáit le freagracht ar leith as an nGaeltacht, Patrick O’Donovan T.D. fáilte roimh ainmniúcháin an lae inniu agus go háirithe, ainmniúchán An Cailín Ciúin don Scannán Lánfhada Idirnáisiúnta is Fearr. “Táimid iontach bródúil as scannán Gaeilge a fheiceáil á aithint ar an leibhéal is airde agus tá súil againn i bhfad níos mó tionscadail Ghaeilge a fheiceáil ar an leibhéal sin mar thoradh ar an rath náisiúnta agus idirnáisiúnta a bhain An Cailín Ciúin amach”.

Fuair Banshees of Iniserin 9 n-ainmniúchán do Dhuaiseanna an Acadaimh agus rinne an tAire Martin comhghairdeas leis na haisteoirí Brendan Gleeson, Colin Farrell, Kerry Condon, Barry Keoghan agus an Stiúrthóir, Martin McDonagh as a n-ainmniúcháin. Tá scannán clasaiceach á thabhairt ar an scannán cheana féin agus d’éirigh go maith leis ag searmanas bronnta The Golden Globes le déanaí. Tá moladh mór ag dul do Martin agus don fhoireann ar fad as an léiriú ar shaol an oileáin sa scannán dúghrinn seo.

Rinne an tAire Martin comhghairdeas le Colm Bairéad, an Stiúrthóir, agus leis an bhfoireann taobh thiar de An Cailín Ciúin a ainmníodh do Dhuaiseanna an Acadaimh i gcatagóir an Scannáin Idirnáisiúnta is Fearr. Fuair an Scannán gradam cheana féin ag Féile Scannán mór le rá Bheirlín. Dúirt an tAire go n-aithníonn sí an tábhacht a bhaineann leis an nGaeilge sa scannán mar léiriú agus cur chun cinn ar chultúr na hÉireann don lucht féachana sa bhaile agus thar lear. Luaigh an tAire chomh maith:

“gur deis iontach iad tionscadail Ghaeilge mar gheall ar an méadú ar an éileamh domhanda atá ar léiriúcháin áitiúla teanga ardleibhéil.”

Duirt an tAire go ndearnadh An Cailín Ciúin agus go leor léiriúchán eile in Éirinn mar gheall ar mhaoiniú ó fhaoiseamh cánach scannán Alt 481. Tá na buntáistí don tionscal a eascraíonn as an uas-sciliú a theastaíonn faoi Alt 481 an-soiléir do chách.

“Is ionad tarraingteach í Éire do shuíomhanna scannán mar gheall ar na háiteanna nádúrtha áille atá anseo a bhfuil tábhacht stairiúil ag baint leo.

Cuireann scannáin mar seo buntáiste eacnamaíoch inláimhsithe ar fáil dár dtír, trí phoist, forbairt scileanna agus caiteachas áitiúil ar earraí agus ar sheirbhísí áitiúla.”

Chuir an tAire Martin in iúl go raibh áthas uirthi a chloisteáil gur ainmníodh aisteoir ‘Normal People’, Paul Mescal le haghaidh Oscar don Aisteoir is Fearr sa scannán ‘Aftersun’. Is as Maigh Nuad ó dhúchas é Mescal, agus fuair sé ainmniúchán as an léiriú a rinne sé ar athair buartha ‘Calum’ sa scannán seo a scríobh agus a stiúraigh Charlotte Wells.

Rinne an tAire Martin comhghairdeas freisin leis na hainmnithe Éireannacha eile, Richard Baneham as a ainmniúchán le haghaidh Éifeachtaí Amhairc ar ‘Avatar’ agus Jonathan Redmond, Éacht is Fearr in Eagarthóireacht Scannán ar ‘Elvis’.

Dúirt an tAire gur bliain mhór í seo do léiriú scannán Éireannach agus tallann Éireannach agus dúirt sí go mbeidh leibhéal breise sceitimíní ag baint le hOscars na bliana seo.