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Fís Éireann | |
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| Founded | 1980–87, 1993–present |
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| Type | Film, television and animation funding |
| Location | |
Area served | Ireland |
| Website | www |
Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland, formerly known asBord Scannán na hÉireann orthe Irish Film Board, isIreland's state development agency for the Irish film, television and animation industry. It provides funding for the development, production and distribution of feature films, feature documentaries, short films, TV animation series and TV drama series.
The Irish Film Board (IFB) was established to develop filmmaking in Ireland under the provisions of the Irish Film Board Act 1980. Over the following seven years, it funded or co-funded a total of 10 feature films, includingEat the Peach,Anne Devlin andAngel, before its activities were suspended by Taoiseach Charles Haughey.[1] After its closure, the success of several externally funded Irish films, such asMy Left Foot,The Crying Game andThe Commitments, motivated local lobbyists to push for its re-establishment, which occurred in 1993. The board was reconstituted under the chairmanship ofLelia Doolan in 1993 by theMinister for Arts, Culture and the Gaeltacht,Michael D. Higgins, who said "The whole reasoning behind my decision to develop the industry by means of a two-pronged approach – namely, the reactivation of the Irish Film Board and my proposals in relation to independent television production contained in the Broadcasting Authority (Amendment) Bill 1993 – is precisely to exploit the technical facilities available in Ireland at present and the imaginative and creative skills which exist in that industry which have been underemployed".[2]
In 2015,Heather Humphreys, theMinister for Arts, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, announced a decision to change the name of the agency,[3] saying that the name-change "recognises the body's increasing interests beyond the world of cinema and reminds us how, in this digital age, filmmakers now rarely work in the medium of 'film'."[citation needed] On 10 April 2018, at a press conference for the publication ofInvesting in our Culture, Language and Heritage 2018–2027 (published as part of Project Ireland 2040),Josepha Madigan, theMinister for Culture, Heritage and the Gaeltacht, announced that from 18 June 2018, the agency would become known as Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland.[4][5]
From 1993 to 2004, the organisation supported an indigenous industry which produced over 100 feature films. Irish film talent was recognized internationally and industry collaboration of Irish producers, writers and directors was well underway producing such work asAilsa (1993),I Went Down (1997),About Adam (1999),Disco Pigs (2000),Bloody Sunday (2002),Intermission (2003),The Magdalene Sisters (2003),Omagh (2004),Man About Dog (2004),Adam & Paul (2004),Breakfast on Pluto (2005),The Wind that Shakes the Barley (2006)Once (2007),Garage (2007),The Secret of Kells (2009),His & Hers (2009)The Guard (2011),Albert Nobbs (2012),What Richard Did (2012),The Stag (2014),Calvary (2014),Song of the Sea (2014),The Lobster (2015),Brooklyn (2015) andRoom (2015).
Notable Irish box office successes for Irish film includeIntermission which grossed over €2 million at the Irish box office in 2003,Man About Dog which in 2004 grossed over €2.5 million at the Irish box office,The Guard which grossed over €18 million at the international box office andBrooklyn which had earned over €2 million at the Irish box office and €11 million at the US box office as of December 2015.[citation needed]
IFB-funded productions featured at major international awards includeSix Shooter (Best Live Action Short Film,Academy Awards 2006),The Wind that Shakes the Barley (Palme d’Or,Cannes Film Festival 2006),Once (Best Original Song,Academy Awards 2008),The Secret of Kells (nominated for Best Animated Feature,Academy Awards 2010),Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God (Exceptional Merit in documentary Filmmaking,Emmy Awards 2013),Song of the Sea (nominated for Best Animated Feature,Academy Awards 2015),The Lobster (Jury Prize,Cannes Film Festival 2015),Room (People's Choice Award,Toronto International Film Festival 2015),The Killing of a Sacred Deer, andThe Breadwinner (Academy Awards nomination).[citation needed]
From 1994 to 2004 there were high levels of international film productions choosingIreland as a location for filming as a result of the Irish tax incentive for film and television in section 35 of the Finance Act 1987 (later section 481 of the Taxes Consolidation Act 1997). This film production tax incentive made Ireland more competitive for film production than its international competitors.[citation needed] As a result of the high levels of incoming production into Ireland, the craft and skills base of Irish crews improved, and those crews were then also available to work on Irish films.[citation needed] Major international films shot in Ireland during this period includeBraveheart andReign of Fire.
In the 21st century Ireland has become the base for a number of high-end international TV dramas includingThe Tudors (2007–2010),Ripper Street (2012–2016),Penny Dreadful (2014–2016),Vikings (2013–present),Into the Badlands (2017–present), andNightflyers (2018–present).[citation needed]
The agency did not initially have a policy of fundinganimation. In 1991, a group of animators and animation students established theAnamú Animation Base, promoting the growth of independent Irish animation. Along with other groups, Anamú successfully lobbied for the film board to support animation projects. From the late 1990s, the film board has provided support to Ireland's animation industry.[6]
As of 2017[update], the board was chaired by Annie Doona,[citation needed] the president ofDún Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology, where the National Film School is located. At that time, the board also consisted of producer Katie Holly, the managing director of Blinder Films;Larry Bass, founder and CEO ofShinAwil Productions; Mark Fenton, founder and CEO of Masf Consulting; Rachel Lysaght, founder and lead creative producer of Underground Films; Kate McColgan, producer and managing director of Calico Productions and Marian Quinn, writer, director and founder of Janey Pictures.[citation needed]
In 2021 the Board consisted of Susan Bergin (Chair Designate), Zelie Asava, John McDonnell, Ray Harman, Eoin Holohan, Marian Quinn, and Kate McColgan.[7] In 2024 Susan Bergin resigned and Ray Harman assumed the role of Chairperson of the Board, with Catherine Magee as a new appointee to the board and Désirée Finnegan having a five year contract extension.[8]
In 2025 Screen Ireland hired Kate McColgan as its Head of Television; which includes being responsible for the management of the Screen Ireland slate across television and animation series, from development to production.[9]
Screen Ireland operates under the aegis ofDepartment of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media. Its annual budget is decided byDáil Éireann and it has a budget of €39.2m for 2024, €1.5m more than its budget in 2023.[10] Screen Ireland provides funds for the development, production and distribution of feature films, feature documentaries, short films, TV animation series and TV drama series.[11][12]
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