Irish Films at Cannes

22nd May 2017

Congratulations to all the Irish Talent and IFTA members representing Ireland at The Cannes Film festival. A host of IFB-supported titles are making waves in Cannes as the Marché du Film at the 2017 Cannes Film Festival is already shaping up to be a busy affair for the Irish film industry.

The Element Pictures, who previously produced Oscar nominated Film Room have received critical acclaim for ‘The Killing of a Sacred Deer” starring previous IFTA winner Colin Farrell. The film also stars 2017 IFB Rising star Nominee who’s performance has been described by the Irish Times Film writer Donald Clarke “his international breakthrough with a performance that cunningly conceals vengeful ambitions behind a disingenuously obliging exterior.”

IFTA members Butler’s Handsome Devil have already secured multiple international deals at the market along with Irish Director Brian O’Malley’s The Lodgers. In other news 2017 IFTA nominee Lorcan Finnegan announced that Mackenzie Davis is to star Finnegan’s second feature film, Vivarium. Grace Jones doc-biopic produced by Blinder Films, Grace Jones: Bloodlight & Bami also launched in Cannes, with WestEnd Films acquiring world sales rights to the doc.

Speaking in Cannes, IFB Chief Executive James Hickey said:

“The Cannes Market is one of the largest film markets in the world so it is hugely important to the Irish film industry in terms of raising finance for up-and-coming productions and ensuring Irish films sell to international territories across the world.

“I’m also delighted to see that the critics’ reaction to The Killing of a Sacred Deer is so overwhelmingly positive. I'm particularly pleased to see Barry Keoghan breakthrough as a major international star to watch and I would like to congratulate Ireland’s Element Pictures, undisputedly now one of the world’s leading production companies, on their return to Competition in Cannes in the space of two years, following the 2015 success of The Lobster and an Oscar nomination for Room in between.”