22/05/2006

John O’Donoghue, The Irish Minister of Arts, Tourism and Sports, announced yesterday during an industry gathering at the Irish Pavilion in Cannes that a new Irish Film Office will open in L.A. next September, to encourage US films to choose Ireland as a shooting location since competition for attracting localised production investments is becoming fierce around the world.

During the Cannes get-together, the Irish Minister took the opportunity to present the new improvements to the Irish tax incentive, Section 481, which increases the total amount that can be raised on a film from €15m to €35m, as well as the overall percentage of a production budget that can be raised from between 55-66% to a flat limit of 80%. The improvements to this scheme, which went into effect on May 18, are the most significant to date.

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Addressing more particularly the European professionals onhand, O'Donoghue also pointed out that Ken Loach’s latest film was shot entirely on location in Ireland. “Irish films have come a long way, and now achieve real quality on a consistent basis”, he said. “I am particularly happy that an Irish film is represented in the most prestigious category of this festival's official competition, with Ken Loach's The Wind that Shakes the Barley [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ken Loach
interview: Rebecca O’Brien
film profile], a story about the Irish Civil War. The production has an Irish cast, and was filmed entirely on location in Cork & Kerry. I attended the premiere of the film in Cannes last Thursday and I wish this fine production every success." Two cast members from Ken Loach’s film, Padraic Delaney and Liam Cunnigham, also attended the opening of the Irish Pavilion.