The Celtic Media Festival is a three-day event that aims to promote the languages and cultures of Celtic countries on screen and in broadcasting. It celebrates broadcasting and film talent from Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, Cornwall, Wales and Brittany.
A number of Irish productions have been selected for competition in this year’s festival. In the Animation category, ‘Filíocht Anois – Blianta an Chogaidh’ is one of four nominees. It sees the works of Irish-language poets, including Seán Ó Ríordáin, Gréagóir Ó Dúill, Nuala Ní Dhomhnaill, Máirtín Ó Direáin and Cathal Ó Searcaigh, brought to life through animation.
TG4 productions have received a number of nominations, among them ‘BB Agus Bella’ in the Children’s category and ‘Ponydance: An Scannán’ in the Young People category. ‘BB Agus Bella’ is an animated series about the adventures of a young girl and her teddy bear while ‘Ponydance’ portrays a Belfast-based comedic dance company.
For Feature Length Drama, recession comedy ‘Life’s a Breeze’, starring Pat Shortt and produced by Fastnet Films, has been shortlisted while two Irish productions have been shortlisted for Short Drama. ‘Stumpy’s Brae’ is a horror about a stranger who comes to stay with a poor peasant couple, while ‘Volkswagen Joe’ is a mechanic who faces a difficult choice during the Troubles.
In the Factual Categories, a number of Irish film and TV productions have also been shortlisted. ‘There’s Something about Patrick’ has been shortlisted in Factual Entertainment – it sees comedian Neil Delamere travelling around to find out more about St. Patrick. RTÉ production ‘Life on the Inside’, about prison life, and TG4’s ‘Execution (Basú): Erskine Childers’, the reprisal executions of republican prisoners during the 1922 Civil War, are shortlisted for Factual Series. In Factual Single, Irish productions ‘14 Days’, ‘Áille an Uafáis’, ‘An Dubh ina Gheal’ and ‘Miraculous Tales’ are all shortlisted.
BBC Northern Ireland productions have been shortlisted in several categories, for example, ‘Spotlight – Housing: Whatever it Takes’ has been selected for the Current Affairs shortlist, detective series ‘The Fall’ for Drama, and ‘Sons and Daughters’ Gala Concert’ for Entertainment. Comedy spin-off series ‘Damo & Ivor’, starring Andy Quirke, has also been shortlisted under Entertainment.
In the Arts category, Scratch Films’ ‘John Sheahan: A Dubliner’ was shortlisted, while ‘Croí Trodach - A Fighting Heart’, about World Featherweight Champion Johnny Kilbane, and ‘Tommy Bowe’s Bodycheck’, produced by Independent Pictures’ for RTÉ and BAI, were both shortlisted in the Sport Category.
‘Siege! At Carrickfergus Castle’ is up for the Kieran Hegarty Award for Innovation. A number Irish radio productions and stations have also been shortlisted under various categories.
See www.celticmediafestival.co.uk/shortlist for the full shortlist.
The Celtic Media Festival 2014 takes place 2 - 4 April at St. Ives, Cornwall.
