After an incredible 22 weeks in cinemas across Ireland and the UK, Colm Bairéad’s An Cailín Ciúin (The Quiet Girl) has now grossed over €1 million at the box-office, an extraordinary feat for an independent film.
Since its release last May, the film has been a major hit at international film festivals, winning a slew of awards including a Grand Prix Award at the Berlinale, seven Irish Film & Television Academy Awards, and has become a critic’s darling garnering 5-star reviews across the board.
An Cailín Ciúin is Ireland’s entry for the Oscars® Best International Feature Film category at the upcoming 95th annual Academy Awards, having been chosen by the Irish Film & Television Academy earlier this year.
It’s an historical first for an Irish-language film to reach such incredible heights. Speaking about its continued success, Nell Roddy and Robert McCann Finn, joint MD’s of Break Out Pictures said: “It’s a fantastic result and we’re thrilled that audiences in Ireland and the UK have embraced the film as much as we did. It’s a phenomenal achievement for any film to cross the €1 million mark, but especially now given the increasingly difficult market. Many thanks to everyone for coming out to see this special film and to all the cinemas for their unwavering support. Huge congratulations to Colm, Cleona and all the An Cailín Ciúin team for reaching this significant milestone.”
Curzon boarded Bairéad’s touching drama early on and handled the release of the film across the United Kingdom. Speaking about its success there, Louisa Dent, Managing Director of Curzon said: “Passing €1,000,000 at the Irish and UK box office is a remarkable achievement. It has been wonderful to see An Cailín Ciúin (The Quiet Girl) connecting with audiences in such a deeply emotional way. Huge congratulations again to Colm Bairéad and the whole filmmaking team.”
Based on the acclaimed story, Foster by Claire Keegan, An Cailín Ciúin is a complex and delicate coming-of-age drama that explores questions of family, neglect, and loss through the eyes of its young protagonist. The film marks the feature film debut of writer/director Colm Bairéad and producer Cleona Ní Chrualaoi of Inscéal.
Writer/Director, Colm Bairéad and Producer, Cleona Ní Chrualaoi of Inscéal said: "We are truly humbled by the manner in which audiences in Ireland and the UK have embraced our film. To every single person who bought a ticket for An Cailín Ciúin (The Quiet Girl) and who championed the film since its release in May, we say thank you from the bottom of our hearts. Huge thanks and congratulations to our fantastic Irish and UK distributors, Break Out Pictures and Curzon, who continue to work incredibly hard on the release.
“We are enormously grateful to all the cinemas who have allowed the film the time and space to grow and to Access Cinema for its extraordinary work in making the film available to local audiences. We owe an enormous debt of gratitude also to Claire Keegan for allowing us to adapt her work to the screen. The film's success is testament to the truly universal work she created in "Foster". And last, but not least, we would like to express our sincere appreciation to TG4, Screen Ireland and the BAI, as funders of the Cine4 scheme, for believing in us as filmmakers and supporting us during this extraordinary journey. It has been a life-changing experience".
The film was funded by Screen Ireland, TG4, and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland as part of the Cine4 scheme, and shot on location in Meath and Dublin in 2020. Commenting on this remarkable achievement, Désirée Finnegan, Chief Executive Fís Eireann Screen Ireland said: “All of us at Screen Ireland are deeply proud to have supported An Cailín Ciúin. Seeing the impact the film has had on audiences from every generation has been truly moving, and we believe a watershed moment for Irish-language cinema, which has been redefined by the incredible output from the Cine4 scheme in recent years. In the middle of an intensely difficult time for cinemas and the cinema-going experience, an Irish-language film broke domestic box office records and told a beautiful story about childhood, connection and the power of care. Our congratulations to director Colm Bairéad, producer Cleona Ní Chrualaoi, actress Catherine Clinch and the entire team behind bringing An Cailín Ciúin to life.”
Dúirt Ard-Stiúrthóir TG4 Alan Esslemont, "Déanann TG4 comhghairdeas le gach duine ag Inscéal agus lena gcomhpháirtithe cruthaitheacha agus dáileacháin as an gcloch mhíle iontach seo do ‘An Cailín Ciúin’ ag oifig na dticéad in Éirinn agus sa RA. Ach go speisialta gabhaimid buíochas le Cleona agus Colm as an scannán álainn seo faoi theanga, faoi chiúnas agus faoin ngrá a chruthú. Breathnaítear air ar fud an domhain cheana féin mar cheann de na clasaicí de chuid cineama na hÉireann. Is dearbhú iontach é freisin ar fheabhas na tallainne cruthaithí a oibríonn trí mheán na Gaeilge agus is tacaíocht láidir é don chomhpháirtíocht idir TG4, Fís Éireann agus an BAI a sheol an scéim Cine4 agus a thugann lucht na pictiúrlainne go rialta isteach i saol nua - saol na scannán Gaeilge."
Set in rural Ireland in 1981, An Cailín Ciúin follows Cáit (Catherine Clinch) as she is sent from her overcrowded, dysfunctional household to live with distant relatives for the summer. She is welcomed with open arms by Eibhlín (Carrie Crowley), but her husband, Seán (Andrew Bennett) keeps Cáit at arm’s length. Slowly, however, a warmth grows within this makeshift family and Cáit begins to blossom in their care. But in this house where there are meant to be no secrets, she discovers one painful truth.
