Cannes- do attitude

It’s had to imagine, but amidst all the porn starlets and red-carpet sashaying, some of the poor souls at Cannes Film Festival actually have to do some work. And while it may not be as glittering as the beach parties, this year’s Irish Pavilion – with a record 225 members - looks set to be the grandest yet. It’s not surprising really.

The past year has seen the industry here receive all manner of shots in the arm. The tax incentive Section 481 (which has been used to lure all manner of film productions to shoot in Ireland, including Laws of Attraction and King Arthur) was extended by the Minister for Finance last December. The much admired, Irish Film Board-backed Intermission took over E2.5 million at the box-office. And happily, there’s been a whole flurry of indigenous films including Blind Flight, Cowboys and Angels, Dead Bodies, Headrush, The Honeymooners and Timbuktu, all of which will be screened at this year’s Cannes market.
‘It’s a brilliant time to be part of the Irish Film industry’ explains Mark Woods, the recently appointed chief executive of the Irish Film Board. ‘If you think back to even four or five years ago we had only a small presence outside our home territory. We now have a situation where you have 225 people representing the entire island – and remember the Pavilion is now a joint initiative between the Irish Film Board and the Northern Ireland Film and Television Commission – all working together to raise capital. It’s not all champagne and canapés unfortunately.’
‘It’s always tough making a film’ he continues, ‘particularly when making an independent movie. If you are a producer, even with subsidies and tax incentives you still can only raise 30% of your budget. That’s why it’s so important for Irish producers to get out there, because they need international money - and that’s why Cannes is so important. But that said, Irish film is more prominent in the international marketplace than ever before. And we have Intermission to thank in large measure for that, as well as movies like Raggy Boy and The Magdalene Sisters. With the success that those films have achieved on the festival circuit, it’ll make it that bit easier for the next producer coming along.’
Woods, the 32-year old Irishman who was appointed as Chief Executive last October, had previously worked with the Showtime and Encore movie channels in Australia. Quite apart from landing his generally less sun-drenched new job and his current visit to the Croisette, he’s also buoyed by the news that Neil Jordan is set to start rolling on Breakfast On Pluto. This major new production of the Pat McCabe novel is set to star Liam Neeson and Cillian Murphy, and will kick off in the coming months – ‘It’s a really huge thing for us’, claims Woods, ‘It’s very exciting, and I think that will mark the highlight of Cannes for the Irish Pavilion. To have an Oscar winning director teamed up with an upcoming young talent like Cillian Murphy is thrilling for us.’

The Cannes Film Festival continues until May 23rd