Creative BC and Screen Ireland have announced the recipients of their inaugural international co-production development fund. Through the newly formalised funding partnership, Creative BC and Screen Ireland collaborated to support five motion picture projects, each with Canadian and Irish producers.
The project slate crosses genres and formats, growing and developing content including television series, documentaries and a feature film. The five successful projects selected are:
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- In Blood – produced by Underground Films and Hoodwink Films
- Crossfire – produced by Tile Films and Soapbox
- Children of the Church – produced by Wildfire Films and Screen Siren
- Cry from the Sea – produced by Shinawil and Sepia
- Recovery – produced by Samson and Goonworks
This fund is the first international co-development program of its kind in Western Canada, with each partner contributing $75,000 toward the total $150,000. Included in the program’s intent is a focus on increasing gender parity in leadership roles, and four of the five successful projects are led by female producers.
Previous co-productions between Ireland and Canada have produced internationally acclaimed award-winning projects, such as Room, Brooklyn, Maudie and The Breadwinner. The new program serves to deepen relationships between the countries and to promote B.C. collaborations with Ireland’s motion picture producers and creators.
Our government is proud to shine an international spotlight on our local talent. The recipients of this program will form invaluable global connections that will allow British Columbia creators to reach new global audiences.
Lisa Beare, Minister for Tourism, Arts and Culture – British Columbia
Originating through a trade mission to Ireland in November 2016, our funding partnership has now successfully been formalized and resulted in new collaborations and opportunities for B.C. creators. This is a wonderful opportunity to showcase stories with a unique combination of British Columbian and Irish perspectives.
Prem Gill, CEO – Creative BC
We are delighted to announce the recipients and eagerly anticipate the growth of our relationship with B.C. and the development of fresh stories bridging international perspectives. We look forward to working with the creative teams behind each successful project, helping to bring these projects through to production.
James Hickey, Chief Executive – Screen Ireland