The film industry here has seen a surge of output and quality over recent years, with increased (and much needed) funds being invested into writing, directing and nurturing home-grown talent. Now we are reaping the rewards.

In a lineup that festival director John Cooper has called "layered, intense and authentic", five Irish titles have been selected to premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in 2019.

These include horror The Hole in The Ground,  Animals, an adaptation about female friendship, psychological thriller Dirty God and two documentaries - Shooting the Mafia and Gaza. 

The films will follow in the footsteps of a consistently strong Irish presence at the Sundance Film Festival, with past premieres including Brooklyn, Sing Street and The Lobster. 

"A hell of a lot of extremely talented people worked tirelessly to make the movie a reality," Lee Cronin, director of The Hole in the Ground stated, "so I’m delighted that its creators, funders and supporters can celebrate the perfect launch-pad in Utah. Personally, I’m excited to bring my horror story to the big screen, and I can’t wait for Irish audiences to see it when it’s released in cinemas in the new year."

With two out of a total of twelve documentaries (selected from all over the world) from Ireland,  Screen Ireland Chief Executive James Hickey described the selection process as "one of the most competitive in the world", calling the lineup "a fantastic achievement for our industry".

Garry Keane, co-director of Gaza also expressed his joy at the announcement, saying "this is not only a professional Everest for us both, but even more so, it is a clear testament to the resilience and bravery of our contributors who have shared their lives with us in this beautiful and much misunderstood place. It is a privilege to have spent time with them and to have had the chance to bring their stories of hope and survival in one of the most unique places on earth to the world’s most prestigious documentary festival".