Civil War film given funding boost
Ken Loach’s Irish Civil War drama has been awarded essential funds for its Co Cork shoot under a new scheme to aid films made in Ireland, it was confirmed today.
The award-winning director’s latest effort, The Wind That Shakes The Barley, is the first feature film to qualify for the new Revolving Pre-Production Fund from the Irish Film Board (IFB).
Cillian Murphy, who starred in 28 Days Later and Batman Returns, is due to return to his native Cork where filming will begin this month.
The board said the new cashflow fund was designed to assist fully-financed films due to begin pre-production in cases where funds were delayed as a result of financing and legal issues.
The civil war drama, which also received funds under the board’s Regional Film and Television Fund, will star Irish actors Liam Cunningham, who featured in A Love Divided, and Padraic Delaney in the other lead roles.
Mark Woods of the board said: “We are delighted that The Wind That Shakes The Barley has been able to benefit from these two new funds.
“The Revolving Pre-Production Fund can assist producers during what can be a very stressful time for production and the Regional Film and TV Fund has opened up a host of new locations throughout Ireland previously unused due to budget constraints.”
Rebecca O’Brien, who is producing the film alongside Andrew Lowe and Ed Guiney of Element Films, said that Murphy would play one of a set of brothers in a flying column.
The columns were the Irish guerrilla war units who fought the British with ambush tactics between 1919 and the early 1920s.
The producers are preparing to begin filming in several locations around Co Cork, which are believed to include Macroom, Bandon and Mallow.
Loach’s long-time collaborator Paul Laverty wrote the script for the film. The pair previously teamed up on the tough award-winning social drama, Sweet Sixteen, based in Glasgow.
Mr Woods said the new funds were available due to the Arts Department increasing the IFB’s budget by 22% this year.
Meanwhile, Minister for Arts John O’Donoghue has returned from the Cannes Film Festival, where he launched the Irish pavilion to raise the profile of Ireland as a film destination.
His department said Mr O’Donoghue had held a number of meetings in relation to film and tourism issues.
Mr O’Donoghue also attended a meeting of European ministers responsible for audio-visual affairs.
