Filmbase and TG4 have announced that the deadline for the Lasair award scheme has been extended until the 27th January 2012. Filmbase and TG4 are also organising an information session for filmmakers interested in applying to the Lasair short film award scheme. Lasair, now in its 5th round, is Filmbase and TG4’s scheme for supporting filmmakers to produce short films in the Irish language.
Funding of €10,000 with a matching value of equipment and services will be made available to six filmmaking teams to produce their short films with a premiere slot at the Corona Cork Film Festival in November 2012. It will also be broadcast in a primetime slot on TG4. This year the theme for applications is ‘Gael Gáire’. TG4 and Filmbase are looking for scripts which are comic, uplifting, positive or take an unusual and quirky view of life.
The session will be held at Filmbase on December 15th from 1pm – 2:30 and is intended to inform prospective applicants about the scheme. Speakers will include Proinsias Ní Ghráinne, Commissioning Editor for TG4, Alan Fitzpatrick, Director of Filmbase along with writer/director Daniel O’Hara (Skins, Being Human) and actor/comedian Paddy Courtney (The Bet, Yu Ming is Ainm Dom).
Daniel and Paddy’s, ‘Yu Ming is Ainm Dom’, was one of the standout successes of the Lasair scheme winning over 40 international awards. They will discuss their experience of making the film through the scheme, and how the success of their short film has boosted their professional careers. There will also be a screening of a selection of films produced under recent rounds of Lasair.
Proinsias Ní Ghráinne from TG4 states “Lasair is designed to attract new writing and directing talent who may not already be working in Irish language fiction. We really hope to get some funny and uplifting stories through this year’s scheme. The information session will give the nuts and bolts of what is involved in making a short film in Irish.”
Lasair accepts applications from students as well as professional filmmakers. Anyone interested in attending the information session should contact events@filmbase.ie to reserve their place. More details on the scheme can be found by clicking here
