Emmy nomination for Irish TV series rejected by Film Board
An Irish-made TV series turned down for state funding has been nominated for a prestigious Emmy award.
'Beat Girl' – which was rejected by Irish Film Board “with a very nice no” - has been shortlisted in the children’s section.
Director Mairtin de Barra and producers Triona Campbell and Nuno Bernardo will travel to New York for the awards ceremony in February.
“It’s unbelievable,” said Mr de Barra, 37, who lives in Loughshinny, Co Dublin.
“I got the phone call last night from the producer and I didn’t believe her. My hands were trembling as I tried to ring my wife.”
'Beat Girl' was originally made in 2012 as a low budget feature film and re-cut and re-edited as a TV series, online webisodes called 'The Beat Girl Diaries', and a popular Pinterest project for the US social network site.
It was adapted from the novel of the same name by Irish writer Jasmina Kallay.
The film and series stars Louise Dylan as Heather, a classical pianist in London who finds herself in the world of Djing after the death of her mother.
Shot over four weeks in Dublin and three days in London, it features original music from several unsigned Irish bands and DJs along with a cameo appearance by 2fm’s Jenny Green.
The TV show has been aired on US subscription channel Hulu and on Israeli television over Christmas, making it eligible for the Emmy nomination.
Ms Campbell, of Dublin-based production company BeActive, said the film was made “on a wing and a prayer”.
“It was a little feature that we made it on a very low budget,” she said.
“It was turned down by the (Irish) film board and other people. We thought it has heart and soul and went with it and the reaction has been amazing.
“It’s the only Irish production in there (the shortlist). To get international recognition is brilliant.”
A total of 24 nominees from 14 countries have been shortlisted in six categories in the youth awards.
Beat Girl is up against Junior High School Diaries, which was made by NHK in Japan; Limbo by DR TV in Denmark; and Pedro & Bianca by TV Cultura in Brazil.
