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En una remota isla griega, una asesina retirada y su hijo distante se reencuentran. © Prime Video

Prime Video ha publicado el primer tráiler de The Assassin, su nueva serie dramática de acción.

The Assassin se sitúa en una remota isla griega y sigue a la asesina retirada Julie (Hawes) que tiene un reencuentro con su hijo distanciado, Edward (Highmore), durante su visita desde Inglaterra. Armado con preguntas en torno a la nueva información sobre su paternidad, Edward lucha por encontrar el momento adecuado para hablar con su frustrantemente distante madre. Pero cuando por fin llega el momento, las cosas dan un giro mortal cuando el peligroso pasado de Julie la atrapa y se ven obligados a huir juntos de la isla. La búsqueda de la verdad de Edward choca con el secretismo de Julie mientras se ven obligados a trabajar juntos en una lucha por la supervivencia, poniendo a prueba...

Korean drama Doubt and Spanish comedy Celeste were the big winners at the inaugural Italian Global Series Festival’s Maximo Awards last night.

Held under the stars at an outdoor closing ceremony in Riccione, Italy, the awards brought together shows and stars from around the world following a week of screenings and talks.

Mbc drama Doubt, written by Han Ah-Young and starring Han Suk-Kyu, Chae Won-Bin, Han Ye-Ri, Roh Jae-Won, Yoon Kyung-Ho and Oh Yeon-Soo, took home the Best Series – International Competition, Drama award. Han Suk-kyu also won Best Actor in the drama competition.

Movistar Plus+ Spanish comedy thriller Celeste, from Diego San Josè and starring Carmen Machi, Andrea Bayardo, Manolo Solo and Clara Sansa, won Best Series – International Competition, Comedy. Marchi also won Best Actress in the comedy competition.

Ukrainian war drama The Train was awarded Best Series – International Competition, Limited Series.

Igsf is an updated incarnation of the Roma Fiction Fest,...

South Korean psychological thriller “Doubt,” written by Han Ah-Young, won the top international drama series prize at the inaugural edition of the Italian Global Series Festival on Saturday at the Arena Ceccarini in Riccione, Italy.

Han Suk-Kyu won the best actor in a drama series prize for the show, which is about a renowned profiler torn between love and suspicion as he investigates a murder linked to his psychopathic daughter.

Lisa Mulcahy won best director of a drama series for the U.K. show “The Assassin,” while the best actress in a drama series prize went to Phyllis Logan for “The Puzzle Lady.”

The drama jury was led by director Cristina Comencini.

Spain’s “Celeste,” written by Diego San José, took the best international comedy series award while best actress in a comedy series was handed to the show’s Carmen Marchi.

Other prizes in the comedy category included best director,...

Cillian Murphy has been named Best Lead Actor in the film category of the Irish Film and Television Awards (IFTAs) for the second year running.

Following his win last year for Oppenheimer (which went on to bag him the Oscar), Murphy won for his role in the film Small Things Like These.

The film, an adaptation of Claire Keegan’s novella, also won Best Film.

Complete Winners List Below

An Irish-language film about Belfast rap group Kneecap was nominated in 17 award categories. The film’s director Rich Peppiatt won best director in the film category, and it was also recognised in casting and costume design.

At the ceremony in Dublin, Ireland, Friday evening, Saoirse Ronan was a double winner, taking home Best Lead Actress for The Outrun and Best Supporting Actress for The Blitz.

Ralph Fiennes and Demi Moore were winners in the international acting categories for Conclave and The Substance respectively.

Small Things Like These, an Irish drama starring Cillian Murphy as a coal merchant and father haunted by secret abuses in a local convent sanctioned by the Catholic Church, beat out Kneecap, the hip-hop comedy featuring Michael Fassbender, to win the best film honor at the Irish Film & Television Awards 2025 during a ceremony held in Dublin on Friday. Saoirse Ronan left with two awards (the lead actress honor for her role in The Outrun and the supporting actress trophy for Blitz). Murphy won the best actor IFTA for his work in Small Things Like These. Demi Moore (The Substance) and Ralph Fiennes (Conclave) were honored in the international acting categories, and Colin Farrell (The Penguin) and Sharon Horgan (for writing Bad Sisters) earned TV statuettes.

Rich Peppiatt received the best director IFTA for Kneecap, which follows the West Belfast hip-hop trio of the same name on their mission to save their mother tongue.

“Kneecap” — the Irish-language music biopic that became one of the buzziest indie films of 2024 and is now tipped for both Oscar and BAFTA recognition — has, perhaps unsurprisingly, emerged far ahead of the pack of nominees for the 2025 Irish Film & TV Academy (IFTA) awards.

Rich Peppiatt’s raucous comedy, about (and starring) the Belfast rap trio of the same name, has landed an astonishing 17 nominations for the awards, including best film, director, three of the six slots for lead actor, three of the six for supporting actress and one for Michael Fassbender in the supporting actor category.

“Small Things Like These,” the considerably quieter Irish drama fronted (and produced) by Cillian Murphy has nine nominations, including lead actor for Murphy, who won the award last year for “Oppenheimer.”

Having been co-produced by Irish company Tailored Films, Ali Abbasi’s Donald Trump biopic “The Apprentice” is also in the mix, with four nominations.

Nominations are out for the 2025 Irish Film & Television Awards with the Cillian Murphy drama Small Things Like These and the music comedy Kneecap among the tipped films. Scroll down for the full list of nominees.

Small Things Like These has nods in Best Screenplay, Lead Actor for Murphy, and Best Film. Other Best Film nominees include Donald Trump biopic The Apprentice, King Frankie, and Kneecap.

Kneecap has a strong showing across the noms, with nods in Best Director for Rich Peppiatt and all three of the film’s leads pop up in Best Actor. Paul Mescal also received a Best Actor nomination for his role in Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II.

On the TV side, Sharon Horgan’s Bad Sisters is nominated for Best Drama while the Eddie Redmayne thriller The Day of the Jackal has multiple noms, including Best Director for a Drama Series.

The Irish Film & Television Academy...

Sheridan Le Fanu’s 1864 novel Uncle Silas has haunted readers for over a century with its sinister tale of a young heiress and her dangerous guardian. Widely considered a classic of gothic fiction, the story of Maud Ruthyn navigating the schemes of her dissolute uncle has been adapted multiple times over the years. Lisa Mulcahy’s latest film version, Lies We Tell, breathes new life into the chilling narrative while exploring thought-provoking themes that still resonate today.

Set in 1864 Ireland, the film follows Maud as she inherits her late father’s vast estate, only to find herself placed in the guardianship of her mysterious Uncle Silas. Played with unsettling charm by David Wilmot, Silas harbors dark secrets and intentions towards Maud and her fortune. At the story’s heart is Agnes O’Casey’s captivating performance as the resilient yet vulnerable Maud. Faced with gaslighting and oppression in Silas’ scheming household,...

An Irish heiress becomes a prisoner of her ruthless uncle and his twisted spawn in this gripping adaptation of author J. Sheridan Le Fanu's classic gothic novel. Lies We Tell masterfully stokes unease and tension before escalating into a harrowing journey of sexual and psychological abuse. Your skin will crawl as a leery protagonist realizes the dire severity of her situation. She's trapped not only by her relatives, but also victimized by a cruel patriarchy's constraints on women. How can you scream for help when no one is willing to listen?

In Ireland circa 1864, on the lush estate of Knowl, 17-year-old Maude Ruthyn (Agnes O'Casey) leaves her recently deceased father's grave for an important meeting. Doctor Bryerly (Mark Doherty) and Captain Ilbury (Kieran Roche) have been named trustees of Maude's fortune but not her guardian. That right falls to her long-banished Uncle Silas (David Wilmot), who was infamously acquitted for murdering a gambler.

The Irish Film & Television Academy (IFTA) has selected Rich Peppiatt’s Kneecap as Ireland’s representative in the Oscars international feature film category for the 2025 awards.

UK-born, Belfast-based filmmaker Peppiatt directs the music biopic of Belfast rap trio Kneecap, that stars the real-life band alongside a cast including Michael Fassbender, Simone Kirby, Josie Walker, Fionnuala Flaherty, Jessica Reynolds and Adam Best.

The film is set in west Belfast in 2019, when fate brings Belfast schoolteacher JJ into the orbit of Naoise and Liam Óg, who form an Irish-language hip-hop act, and become unlikely figureheads for a civil rights movement to save their mother tongue.

Exclusive: Derry Girls and Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan, who last year also played one of the Barbies in Greta Gerwig’s box office smash Barbie, has booked the starring role in feature drama-thriller Love And War about a woman who must travel to Syria to find her abducted daughter.

Based on real events, the stirring story will chart Irish woman Sarah O’Meara’s struggle in September 2011 to rescue her six-year-old daughter who was abducted by her father, and smuggled to his native Syria, a country embroiled in the turmoil of civil war. As the story unfolds, it becomes clear that O’Meara’s greatest challenge will not be surviving the war but finding a way to outwit her ex-husband, former abuser, and greatest love.

The project is inspired by the book Stolen: Escape From Syria by Louise Monaghan with Yvonne Kinsella.

Pic is to be directed by Lisa Mulcahy (Lies We Tell...

Cillian Murphy took home the award for lead actor in a film for his performance in Oppenheimer while That They May Face The Rising Sun clinched the best film prize at the Irish Film and Television Awards (IFTAs), that took place on Saturday (April 20).

As well as taking the best actor prize, Cork-born Murphy also collected the best international film prize on behalf of Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer.

Pat Collins’ best film award winner That They May Face The Rising Sun was adapted from John McGahern’s novel about life in rural Ireland, and premiered at BFI London Film Festival.

Cillian Murphy obtained one of acting’s most coveted achievements when he won an Oscar for his leading role in “Oppenheimer.” But his award season run for the acclaimed Christopher Nolan film didn’t end with his big night at the Dolby Theater. The Irish actor went on to receive his home country’s highest acting honor on Sunday at the Irish Film and TV Academy Awards when he won the Lead Actor — Film category for “Oppenheimer.”

The ceremony honored the best Irish film and television of 2023, with Pat Collins’ “That They May Face the Rising Sun” winning Best Film. Other notable winners included Paul Mescal taking Supporting Actor for “All of Us Strangers” and Alison Oliver winning Supporting Actress for “Saltburn.”

Keep reading for a complete list of winners from the 2024 Irish Film and TV Academy Awards.

Best Film

“Double Blind”

“Flora and Son”

“Lies We Tell”

“Lola”

“That They May Face the Rising Sun...

The 21st Irish Film & Television Academy (IFTA) Awards, which highlight Irish filmmakers, television creators and performers, saw Pat Collins’ That They May Face The Rising Sun win Best Film in an upset. Despite earning a second-best 11 nominations, the top award was its only win.

Lies We Tell all with three wins: for Director Lisa Mulcahy, Lead Actress Agnes O’Casey, and Best Script. It came in with 13nominations.

Oscar-winner Cillian Murphy repeated his Best Actor win at the Academy Awards for Oppenheimer with a win for Lead Actor. In the supporting categories, Paul Mescal won for All of Us Strangers and Alison Oliver topped all for Saltburn.

Oppenheimer was named Best International Film, Emma Stone was Best Actress, and Paul Giamatti won International Actor for The Holdovers.

In the television drama categories, Kin was the winner for series, directing, script, lead actress Clare Dune, and supporting actress Maria Doyle Kennedy.

Filmmaker...

Cillian Murphy, Kin season two and Paul Mescal were among the winners of the Irish Film & Television Awards 2024, which were handed out during a ceremony in Dublin on Saturday.

Lies We Tell, about an orphaned teenage heiress in 19th-century Ireland who is forced to embrace the dark legacy of her family, led the nominations for the movie portion of the awards with 13 and went home with three. It was followed by That They May Face the Rising Sun, which took home the best film prize, and Double Blind, with 11 each. Rising Sun is an adaptation of John McGahern’s novel about passion, war and migration, while Double Blind is a horror film about an experimental drug trial that goes wrong.

Among the lead acting nominees were such big names as Murphy, Barry Keoghan, Andrew Scott, Pierce Brosnan, Saoirse Ronan, Eve Hewson and Jessie Buckley. Murphy took home the best actor...

Cillian Murphy capped off his domination of awards season by claiming the top acting prize for film on home soil.

The Oscar, BAFTA, Golden Globe and SAG award winner on Saturday night added perhaps a final statue to his flawless haul of honors for Christopher Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” when he was named best lead actor at the 21st Irish Film and TV Academy Awards.

“God, I’m still so brutal at this,” the famously shy actor said on collecting the award, presented to him by “Killers of the Flower Moon” star and fellow recent awards circuit regular Lily Gladstone. “But being in this room is so special — being at home, with people that I love and admire amongst my fellow nominees and some of my favorite people.” Speaking backstage afterwards at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre, he added: “It feels lovely being home with so many friends and colleagues.”

Gladstone,...

The Irish Film And TV Academy (IFTA) has revealed this year’s nominees for the Screen Ireland – IFTA Rising Star award.

The five nominees are Agnes O’Casey, Alison Oliver, Ian Hunt-Duffy, Kwaku Fortune, and Siobhán Cullen.

Previous winners of the IFTA Rising Star Award include Saoirse Ronan, Michael Fassbender, Domhnall Gleeson, John Michael McDonagh, Sarah Greene, Gerard Barrett, and Jamie Dornan.

Announcing the nominees, Áine Moriarty, Chief Executive of the Irish Film and Television Academy, said this year’s group of Rising Stars represents a “brilliant new wave of Irish talent who are proving themselves to be world-class screen professionals.”

“This prestigious Award has recognized many great...

Fresh from his Academy Award win for best actor, “Oppenheimer” star Cillian Murphy now has a chance to claim the same honor at his local awards.

The Irish Film and TV Academy (IFTA) has unveiled the nominees for its 2024 awards, with Murphy going up against “Saltburn’s'” Barry Keoghan and “All of Us Strangers” star Andrew Scott in the best actor category. Elsewhere, Jessie Buckley (“Fingernails”) and Saoirse Ronan (“Foe”) are among those nominated for best actress, while Paul Mescal (“All of Us Strangers”) and Kenneth Branagh (“Oppenheimer”) are in the running for best supporting actor.

But it was actually Irish features leading the pack of nominees, with Lisa Mulcahy’s “Lies We Tell” landing 13, followed by “That They May Face the Rising Sun” and “Double Blind.”

The IFTAs ceremony will be take place on April 20 at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre with Irish TV personality Baz Ashmawy on hosting duties.

Cillian Murphy, Andrew Scott and Saoirse Ronan are among the nominees at the 21st Irish Film and Television Awards.

Fresh off his Oscar win, Murphy (Oppenheimer) is nominated for lead actor along with Scott (All Of Us Strangers). They are joined by Saltburn’s Barry Keoghan, The Last Rifleman’s Pierce Brosnan, That They May Face They Rising Sun’s Barry Ward and David Wilmot from Lies We Tell, the film with the most IFTA nominations on 13.

Lisa Mulcahy’s period drama is also up for best film, lead actress, supporting actor, director, script and seven craft awards. It had...

Nominations are out for the 21st Irish Film & Television Awards with Lisa Mulcahy’s thriller Lies We Tell leading the pack on the feature side at 13, and crime drama Kin heading up the TV fields with 11 (scroll down for the ful list of nominees). The Irish Film & Television Academy (IFTA) will hand out its prizes on April 20 in Dublin.

Alongside Lies We Tell in the Best Film category are Double Blind, Flora and Son, Lola, That They May Face the Rising Sun and Verdigris. Each of those films also scored a mention for their directors.

In what was a banner year for Irish talent, there are several awards season notables vying for Best Actor as well, including Oppenheimer Oscar winner Cillian Murphy, Saltburn’s Barry Keoghan and All of Us Strangers’ Andrew Scott.

The Best International Film race includes All of Us Strangers, Oppenheimer, Past Lives, Poor Things, Saltburn and The Holdovers.

Lies We Tell, with 13, That They May Face the Rising Sun and Double Blind, with 11 each, are leading the nominations for the movie portion of the Irish Film & Television Awards 2024.

Lies We Tell is about an orphaned teenage heiress in 19th-century Ireland who is forced to embrace the dark legacy of her family when she becomes the ward of an uncle determined to marry her off. Rising Sun is an adaptation of John McGahern’s novel of passion, war, and migration. Double Blind is a horror film about an experimental drug trial that goes horribly wrong. Andrew Legge’s Lola, a science fiction drama set in 1940, received seven noms on Thursday.

Among the lead acting nominees are such big names as Cillian Murphy, Barry Keoghan, Andrew Scott, Pierce Brosnan, Saoirse Ronan, Eve Hewson, and Jessie Buckley. The best supporting film actor category, meanwhile, includes Kenneth Branagh and Paul Mescal.

And...

AMC+ and Sundance Now reveal the trailer and key art for the seven-part drama series, Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale, written and created by Debbie Horsfield and adapted from the novel by V.V. James, which was hailed as “brilliant” and “captivating” by critics worldwide. The Sundance Now Original series debuts with a two-episode premiere on Thursday, January 4, exclusively on AMC+ and Sundance Now, with new episodes airing weekly. The series will be available on applicable platforms in the U.S. and Canada.

Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale is set in a contemporary world where witchcraft is real. It takes place in the idyllic English town of Sanctuary, where for hundreds of years witches have lived peacefully, as valued members of society. Until now…

At the heart of the story is Sarah Fenn (Elaine Cassidy), Sanctuary’s resident witch, on whom the town relies to solve their problems when conventional remedies have failed.

Here is a wrap-up of all the news you need to know from Thursday, December 12, 2023.

Netflix has shared the official trailer for The Brothers Sun, its upcoming drama series from Brad Falchuk and Byron Wu.

"When the head of a powerful Taiwanese triad is shot by a mysterious assassin, his eldest son, legendary killer Charles 'Chairleg' Sun (Justin Chien) heads to Los Angeles to protect his mother, Eileen (Michelle Yeoh), and his naive younger brother, Bruce (Sam Song Li) — who’s been completely sheltered from the truth of his family until now," the logline teases.

"But as Taipei’s deadliest societies and a new rising faction go head-to-head for dominance — Charles, Bruce and their mother must heal the wounds caused by their separation and figure out what brotherhood and family truly mean before one of their countless enemies kills them all.

The trailer takes us into the world of the action-packed comedy,...

AMC+ and Sundance Now just released the first official trailer for the drama Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale, based on the novel by V.V. James. The two-minute trailer introduces the town of Sanctuary, a haven for witches until a horrific accident changes everything.

The seven-episode season stars Elaine Cassidy as Sarah Fenn, Hazel Doupe as Harper, and Amy de Bhrun as Abigail. Stephanie Levi-John is Maggie, Valerie O’Connor plays Bridget Patterson, Kelly Campbell is Julia Garston, and Stephen Lord plays Ted. Debbie Horsfield created the series and adapted James’ novel. Lisa Mulcahy and Justin Molotnikov direct, and Monumental Television executive produces.

Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale premieres on January 4, 2024 with the release of the first two episodes. New episodes arrive on Thursdays.

Poster for AMC+ and Sundance Now’s ‘Sanctuary A Witch’s Tale’

“Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale is set in a contemporary world where witchcraft is real. It takes place in...

Sundance Now and AMC+ have announced the premiere date and revealed the first images of their new drama series, Sanctuary: A Witch's Tale. The series is set in a contemporary world where witchcraft is real, and follows the story of Sarah, a resident witch, and her daughter Harper as suspicion and fear arise in their community. Alongside the main cast, the show is directed by Lisa Mulcahy and Justin Molotnikov and executive produced by Monumental Television.

What better time to reveal the first look images for a show centered around witches than spooky season? Sundance Now and AMC+ have announced the premiere date and unveiled the first images of their upcoming drama series, Sanctuary: A Witch's Tale. Written and created by Debbie Horsfield and adapted from V.V. James' 2020 novel, the seven-part drama series premieres Thursday, January 4, 2024, on Sundance Now and AMC+.

The Sundance Now original series is set in...

Elaine Cassidy as Sarah Fenn in ‘Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale’ (Photo Credit: Szymon Lazewski/AMC)

Sundance Now and AMC+ have set a January 4, 2024 premiere date for Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale, based on V.V James’ novel published in 2019. The drama will debut with the release of two episodes, followed by new episodes of the seven-episode season on Thursdays.

The premiere date announcement was accompanied by the first three photos from the series. The stills feature the series’ stars Elaine Cassidy as Sarah Fenn, Kelly Campbell as Julia Garston, Amy de Bhrun as Abigail Whithall, and Valerie O’Connor as Bridget Patterson.

The cast also includes Hazel Doupe, Stephanie Levi-John, and Stephen Lord. Debbie Horsfield created the series and adapted James’ novel. Lisa Mulcahy and Justin Molotnikov direct, and Monumental Television executive produces.

Valerie O’Connor as Bridget Patterson, Kelly Campbell as Julia Garston, Amy de Bhrun as Abigail Whithall,...

Competition comes from Paramount’s ‘Paw Patrol’ and ‘Sumotherhood’.

Pop icon Taylor Swift is looking to extend her cultural reach to cinemas this weekend, through the event cinema release of Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour.

Opening in 651 UK-Ireland venues through Trafalgar Releasing, the film is a 168-minute recording of three Swift gigs from the SoFi Stadium in Los Angeles in August 2023, as part of Swift’s ongoing tour playing music from across her career.

It is the latest concert film from UK- and US-based director Sam Wrench, a former competitive slalom skier who has also directed BTS: Permission To Dance...

’Silent Roar’, ‘Shoshana’ and ’How To Have Sex’ will also play at the French seaside festival that spotlights UK and Irish cinema.

France’s Dinard Festival of British Film has unveiled the line-up of its 34th edition, which includes Cannes titles Ken Loach’s The Old Oak, Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone Of Interest and Molly Manning Walker’s How To Have Sex.

Also on the line-up is Charlotte Regan’s Sundance title Scrapper. The comedy drama stars Harris Dickinson and follows a young girl forced to confront reality when her estranged father returns, and is currently on release in...

The full line-up includes 21 world premieres, six European premieres and 60 Irish premieres.

Ireland’s Galway Film Fleadh (July 11-16) returns for its 35th edition with a line-up including opening night film Thaddeus O’Sullivan’s The Miracle Club, following its world premiere at Tribeca, that stars Laura Linney, Maggie Smith, Kathy Bates and Agnes O’Casey.

The full line-up includes 21 world premieres, six European premieres and 60 Irish premieres from 43 countries, boasting 95 feature films in total.

Closing the festival will be the Irish premiere of Alison Ellwood-directed Cyndi Lauper documentary Let The Canary Sing, with the US ’Girls Just Want To Have Fun...

’The Martini Shot’, starring Matthew Modine, John Cleese and Derek Jacobi, will also world premiere.

The Galway Film Fleadh has lined up a number of world premieres of Irish films for this year’s festival, which runs from July 11-16, including Lisa Mulcahy’s Lies We Tell, George Kane’s Apocalypse Clown and The Martini Shot, starring Matthew Modine, John Cleese and Derek Jacobi.

Lies We Tell is the story of an heiress who is forced to embrace her family’s dark legacy, starring Agnes O’Casey, David Wilmot, Holly Sturton and Chris Walley. Produced by Blue Ink Films and backed by Screen Ireland,...

They include an apaptation of Irish play ‘Conversations After Sex’ to be directed by Aisling Walsh.

Dublin-based distribution company Break Out Pictures, which released the Oscar-nominated The Quiet Girl in Ireland, has added a slew of buzzy local films to its slate.

From Dogwoof, it has acquired Sinead O’Shea’s feature documentary Pray For Our Sinners, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival last year. It explores Ireland’s difficult history of religious abuses and screened at this month’s Dublin International Film Festival.

Additionally, Break Out has picked up Lisa Mulcahy’s Irish drama Lies We Tell from Embankment Films.

Exec joins Irish screen agency after six year spell at Embankment.

Screen Ireland has appointed Greg Martin to the new role of project manager for feature film.

Martin joins the recently expanded production and development team within Screen Ireland and will work across Screen Ireland-supported feature film and documentary projects, throughout production, financing and market exploitation.

Previously Martin spent six years working in acquisitions and distribution for international financing outfit Embankment Films.

While at Embankment, Martin worked on films such as Florian Zeller’s The Son and The Father, Frances O’Connor’s Emily and Guy Nattiv’s Golda.

Recent Irish...

AMC Networks’ streaming platform Sundance Now is expanding its 2023 slate with orders for two new series, dark comedy Totally Completely Fine and fantasy mystery series Sanctuary, based on V.V. James novel. They join the recently announced upcoming series Clean Sweep, The Lovers, SisterS, Black Snow, and Far North, all for premiere in 2023.

Inspired by true events, six-part dark comedy Totally Completely Fine, a Sundance Now Original series, stars Thomasin McKenzie (JoJo Rabbit) and explores the complexities of grief, the power of friendship, and the ways our sadness can unite us. Per the logline, the series follows 20-something Vivian Cunningham (McKenzie), whose life is a mess. Last week she accidentally burnt down her brother’s vegan food truck with a bacon-flavored vape and this week she’s inherited her grandfather’s coastal clifftop shack and is tasked with helping people who come too close to the edge.

Series also stars Devon Terrell (Rap Sh!

AMC Networks’ Sundance Now has commissioned “Totally, Completely Fine” and “Sanctuary” as two new titles joining the streaming platform’s 2023 slate of original projects.

Written, created and executive produced by Gretel Vella, “Totally, Completely Fine” explores the complexities of grief, the power of friendship, and the ways our sadness can unite us. Inspired by true events,the six-part dark comedy follows 20-something Vivian Cunningham (Thomasin McKenzie), whose life is a mess but nevertheless winds up tasked with helping people who come too close to the edge as she endures her own comedic catastrophes like accidentally burning down her brother’s vegan food truck with a bacon-flavored vape.

Devon Terrell (“Rap Sh!t”), Brandon McLelland (“The Other Guy”), Rowan Witt (“Book of Mormon” – Original Australian Cast), Contessa Treffone (“Doctor Doctor”), James Sweeny (“Total Control”), Max Crean (“Mystic”) and Brigid Zengeni (“The Good Liar”) join the JoJo Rabbit star among the cast.

Nominations have been announced for this year’s Irish Film And TV Academy Awards (IFTAs). Scroll down for the full list.

Leading the way with ten apiece are Kenneth Branagh’s much-fancied awards contender Beflast and Irish-language feature An Cailín Ciúin, which recently won the Grand Prix of the Generation Kplus program at the Berlin International Film Festival.

Both titles are up for Best Film, alongside Deadly Cuts, Swan Song, Who We Love, and You Are Not My Mother. Of those six, four are debut features.

For Belfast, Branagh will also contend for the Best Director and Best Script prizes. The film is up for seven Oscars this year.

On the TV Side, crime drama Kin dominated the field with 13 nominations, including Best Drama, as well as director, script, actor (twice) and actress. Vikings:Valhalla, the Netflix sequel of the popular historical show, received seven noms, as did BBC show Hidden Assets.

Kenneth Branagh’s “Belfast” and Colm Bairéad “An Cailín Ciúin” lead nominations at the 2022 Irish Film and Television Academy Film and Drama award nominations with 10 nods across categories.

“Belfast” is nominated for best film, best director and script for Branagh, with a lead actor nod for Jude Hill, supporting actor recognitions for Ciarán Hinds and Jamie Dornan and a supporting actress nod for Caitríona Balfe, besides craft nominations.

“An Cailín Ciúin” (“The Quiet Girl”), which won the grand prize at the Generation Kplus strand of the recently concluded Berlin Film Festival, was similarly recognized across the main categories.

“Kin” led the drama nominations with 13 nods, while “Vikings: Valhalla” and “Hidden Assets” had seven each and “Smother” five.

IFTA chief executive Áine Moriarty said: “What a spectacular line-up of nominees that have been shortlisted for Irish Academy Awards this year, after a record-breaking production year for the Irish industry. The work...

Sales

Studiocanal has sold a raft of global territories on four-part thriller drama series “Ridley Road.” Created by Studiocanal’s Red Production Company, commissioned for BBC One and co-produced with Masterpiece, the series will air in the U.S. on PBS Masterpiece, in France on Canal Plus, and has also been acquired by Now Studio Hong Kong, ABC Australia, Nova Greece, Yle Finland, Svt Sweden, Nrk Norway, Dr Denmark, Rte Ireland, Hot Israel, Canal Plus Poland and Disney Plus Benelux. A sale to Mola Indonesia was agreed earlier this year.

Based on Jo Bloom’s book, the series follows a young Jewish woman who falls in love with a member of the ’62 Group. She rejects her comfortable middle-class life in Manchester and joins the fights against fascism in London, risking everything for her beliefs for the man she loves.

The drama adaption is written, and executive produced by Sarah Solemani...

Paul Mescal emerged as one of the breakout stars of 2020 thanks to his performance in BBC and Hulu drama “Normal People.”

Ireland has seen a slew of such acting talent establish themselves in recent years, like Jessie Buckley with her star turn as the pregnant wife of a doomed Russian fireman in “Chernobyl” and Barry Keoghan, who won attention with lead roles in two 2017 films, “Killing of a Sacred Deer” and “Dunkirk.” Keoghan is now BAFTA-nominated for “Calm with Horses,” as is Niamh Algar, whose credits include “The Virtues” and “Raised by Wolves.” Elsewhere Domhnall Gleeson has made a name for himself as General Dux in recent “Star Wars” films, and also in “The Revenant” and “Ex Machina.”

Among the new generation of actors to watch are Fionn O’Shea, chosen as one of the Berlin Film Festival’s Shooting Stars of 2021. A “Normal People” alumnus, O’Shea will next be...

Best film nominees separated into 2019 and 2020 categories.

Tom Sullivan’s Great Famine drama Arracht and Paddy Breathnach’s homelessness story Rosie lead the film nominations at the 2020 Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA) awards.

Arracht picked up 11 nominations from 15 feature film categories; with Rosie scoring nine.

Full IFTA 2020 nominations below

IFTA is finalising plans for a virtual 2020 awards ceremony in September; there will be no physical IFTA awards ceremony until April 2021. This year’s best film nominees have been split into two categories: five titles are nominated for best film 2019 and a further five have been nominated for best film...

New mentoring initiatives launched with the likes of ‘Normal People’ director Lenny Abrahamson ahead of resuming work.

Screen Producers Ireland (Spi) is drafting health and safety production guidelines ahead of a planned return to filming on June 29, but challenges remain around issues such as insurance.

Film and television production in the country received the go-ahead to resume shooting next month as part of the third phase of the government’s lockdown exit plan following the Covid-19 outbreak.

Spi, which represents Irish production companies, is now drawing up a guidance documentary for the industry to help define best practices around health...

Titles include Antonia Campbell-Hughes’ ’It Is In Us All’.

Film development agency Screen Ireland has selected four feature film projects to be produced under its low-budget Pov scheme.

The four titles were chosen from 65 submissions. Six projects then went through a first-stage development process, before they were whittled down to the chosen four.

Pov is for live-action fiction titles that can be produced with a budget limit of €400,000.

Titles include Lisa Mulcahy’s Knowl, written by Elisabeth Gooch and produced by Ruth Carter for Blue Ink Films. The story is based on Sheridan Le Fanu’s gothic thriller Uncle Silas,...

Exclusive: Wme has signed Hanna star Esme Creed-Miles for representation in all areas. Creed-Miles plays the title character in the Amazon series that got a 24-hour sneak peek for subscribers after the bow of its Super Bowl ad Sunday night.

Hanna officially debuts on Amazon in March.

Creed-Miles’ other credits include Clio Barnard’s 2017 feature film Dark River starring Ruth Wilson, and, in 2018, Lisa Mulcahy’s Undercliffe and Bill Buckhurst’s Pond Life.

The actress continues to be represented by Conway van Gelder Grant.

In Hanna, Creed-Miles plays the title character, a girl raised in total seclusion in the remote woods of Eastern Europe trained by her mercenary father Erik Heller (Joel Kinnaman) to fight off those who would hunt her – such as the rogue CIA agents headed by operative Marissa Wiegler (Mireille Enos). When Hanna and her father are separated, the girl embarks on a perilous journey across Europe.

Three films to be greenlit with budgets of up to €400,000.

Screen Ireland (formerly the Irish Film Board) has named the six project teams that will take part in the inaugural edition of its Pov scheme, which backs female filmmakers.

The selected projects will enter a development and mentorship phase before three will be greenlit, with a budget of up to €400,000 each – the money has been ring-fenced from Screen Ireland’s overall production budget. They will be aiming to enter production in late 2019/early 2020.

The teams chosen include Roisín Geraghty who is producing Sunlight for Blinder Films, the company behind Love...

The Austin Film Festival has unveiled its second wave of films for the 25th anniversary lineup which includes closing-night pic The Front Runner starring Hugh Jackman. The fest kicks off Oct. 25 and continues through Nov. 1.

Based on the real-life story, The Front Runner follows charismatic politician Gary Hart, who was considered the overwhelming front runner for the 1988 Democratic presidential nomination when his campaign was sidelined by the story of an extramarital relationship with Donna Rice. The pic, which recently screened at Telluride and then at the Toronto International Film Festival will close out the fest on Nov. 1 with director Jason Reitman in attendance.

Also screening at this year’s fest will be Yogos Lanthimos’s The Favourite starring Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz as well as Asghar Farsadi’s Everybody Knows starring Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz.

The festival will also mark four world premieres including British drama Undercliffe, the...

Exclusive: Dromgoole to direct Ché Walker script Dead Head.

Open Palm Films, led by the former artistic director of London’s Globe theatre Dominic Dromgoole, has revealed a slate of six feature projects, including four in pre-production.

According to Open Palm, which launched last year, all four are fully financed.

Among the slate is Benjamin, written and directed by UK comedian Simon Amstell, which is due to shoot this summer.

The comedy, about “intimacy and despair”, marks Amstell’s first narrative feature after BBC sitcom Grandma’s House and recent BBC documentary feature Carnage.

The company is due to go into production next month on Parade, directed by Lisa Mulcahy (The Legend of Longwood) and written by Bruce McLeod (The War Boys).

Set in Bradford, the film follows a young man who is left with severe memory loss after a brutal attack. As he begins to piece together his identity, he’s ashamed...

Exclusive: The Awakening producer boards dark comedy adapted by the late Johnny Ferguson.

UK producer Sarah Curtis (The Awakening) of Forthcoming Films has boarded an adaptation of celebrated twentieth century Irish writer Flann O’Brien’s darkly comedic story The Dead Spit Of Kelly about a taxidermist who kills his boss and then dons his skin to hide the crime.

“It’s a very unusual story,” said Irish producer Michael Garland of Grand Pictures who initiated the project, which is based on a screenplay by the late writer Johnny Ferguson (Gangster No.1).

“We’ll be looking to use the Irish...

Global Screen scores major sale of fantasy adventure.

Global Screen has sold adventure family feature The Legend of Longwood to Shout! Factory for the Us and Canada.

The deal was closed at the American Film Market (Afm) earlier this month and marks the second arrangement between the Munich-based world sales company and the Us independent distributor following The 7th Dwarf.

Directed by Irish filmmaker Lisa Mulcahy, the film centres on 12-year-old girl Mickey Miller, who has to move from New York to Longwood, a windswept Irish town.

There, she soon discovers a link between herself and the 300-year-old legend of the mysterious Black Knight, who regularly haunts the sleepy village. Mickey and her new friend Sean set out to redeem the knight and bring peace to the town.

The Legend of Longwood is a co-production between Holland Harbour from the Netherlands, Grand Pictures from Ireland and Longwood Pictures from Germany.

Global Screens...

3D animation sells to Poland, Estonia, Russia and Cis, among others.

Munich-based Global Screen has announced a raft of deals on its new 3D animation feature, the fairytale comedy The 7th Dwarf.

In advance to its market premiere, the film has gone to Poland (Kino Swiat), Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Russia and Cis (all Rekiston Enterprises), and Croatia and the other ex-Yugoslavian states (all Karantinja).

Other new deals also include Latin America (Swen), Portugal (Pris), India (Pictureworks) and Asian-Pacific territories including Malaysia and the Philippines (Suraya Filem).

With the earlier deals in the Czech Republic and Slovakia (Aqs), Israel (Five Stars), Indonesia (Pt Media Bermutu), Korea (Sane Company), Middle East (Italia Film) and Turkey (Medyavizyon), The 7th Dwarf has been sold everywhere from Eastern Europe to the Asian-Pacific regions to Latin America.

The German release is being handled by Universal.

Global Screen is launching several other new projects in the market. Among these is...

New films by actor-director Matthias Schweighofer, Marco Kreuzpaintner, Robert Glinski, and Bettina Oberli are among the titles being lined up by German sales agents Global Screen and Picture Tree International (Pti) for the Marché du Film in Cannes next month.

Munich-based Global Screen will be unveiling five market premieres:

actor-director/producer Schweighofer’s third directorial outing, the romantic comedy Joy Of Fatherhood (Vaterfreuden), adapted from Murmel Clausen’s novel Frettsack, was released by Warner Bros. Pictures Germany in February, has been seen by more than 2.3 million cinemagoers and taken more than €17.7m ($24.5m) to date.

the 2D and 3D versions of the English-language animated feature The Seventh Dwarf (Der 7bte Zwerg), directed by Harald Siepermann and actor Boris Aljinovic, to be released by Universal Pictures in Germany this autumn.The film was also presold to many territories, including

Christian Bach’s feature debut, the coming of age/family drama Flights Of Fancy (Hirngespinster), which received Bavarian Film Awards...

Company will start selling the family adventure at Efm.

Global Screen has acquired worldwide distribution rights to The Legend of Longwood.

Lisa Mulcahy’s English language family adventure centres on a 12-year-old girl who is destined to break a 300 year old spell cast on a small Irish town and its villagers.

The Dutch-Irish-German production stars newcomer Lucy Morton and Lorçan Bonner, alongside Lorcan Cranitch, Thekla Reuten, Fiona Glascott, Sean Mahon and Miriam Margolyes.

Holland Harbour, Grand Pictures and Longwood Pictures produced the film, which shot in Wicklow County, Ireland and Germany last year.

Julia Weber, head of sales at Global Screen, commented: “The Legend of Lockwood has all the ingredients for a hit feature: beautiful horses, a magical world, adventure and a strong female hero to attract the kids, mystic settings, history, aristocracy, weddings and romance for the adults, and fanciful themes like magic, malediction, chivalry and black knights.”

Global Screen will start selling the title at Efm...