WRAP

🌟 It’s been another busy one for the team at Ardán HQ - check out some 2024 highlights. From all our team to everyone we've worked with over the last year - from participants to attendees to stakeholders to collaborators - wishing you a happy and peaceful holiday season, and we look forward to seeing you in 2025! 🌟 #film #TV #games #animation #talentdevelopment

We were so very sorry to hear the news at the Ardán office yesterday of the Pálás Galway Cinema’s imminent closure this February. The Pálás has hosted us so well over the years, most recently for our 10th anniversary Galway City of Film celebration. As well as being a fantastic art house cinema, the team there work incredibly hard and are very supportive of local creatives and Galway film. It’s devastating that a crucial piece of infrastructure in Galway is being closed; one that - having only been opened for 7 years - has already left a big imprint on the Galway community and its heart. Be sure to buy tickets for a film or two and go support the Pálás Cinema and team over the next couple of months if you can. In the meantime, take a look back at some memories created at the Pálás with some wonderful people last month, as we celebrated the life, work, and legacy of filmmaker and writer Bob Quinn. #GalwayCityofFilm #CeantarScannán #supportlocal #supportthearts #supportvenues #supporttheartsinyourcommunity 🎥 Unbound Media Ltd The Galway City of Film designation is managed by Ardán on behalf of Galway City Council and Galway County Council.

WRAP was proud to participate at Screen Ireland’s stand at FOCUS London last week. FOCUS, known as THE meeting place for the international production community, marked its 10th anniversary with a 2-day event at the Business Design Centre London in December 2024. Embracing the convergence of all the screen sectors, FOCUS is the only UK trade event where attendees can meet with content makers and facilitators from over 100 countries, attracting thousands of professionals from  film, TV, advertising, animation and games. Alongside the fine folk from Creative Heartlands, the Donegal Film Office, Dublin City Film Office, Film Offaly, Screen Wexford, Waterford Film Centre, and Screen Ireland’s Incoming Production unit, WRAP was excited to take this key opportunity to connect with international producers, locations professionals, and studio leaders and showcase Ireland’s appeal as a filming destination, and in particular the locations, companies, producers, services and crews in the WRAP region as well as the supports afforded by the fund and the commission. The WRAP team would like to thank Screen Ireland for the opportunity to showcase our region to such a wealth of screen leaders, but also for the chance to engage with our friends in other film officers and share our experiences and insights on attracting projects to our own regions. WRAP is a joint initiative between Ardán and the Western Development Commission, in association with local authorities in Clare, Donegal, Galway City, Galway County, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo, and Údarás na Gaeltachta.

2024 saw us celebrate 10 years of Galway as a UNESCO City of Film with the fourth Ceantar Scannán award presented to Bob Quinn. This highlights reel shows just some of the great short and feature films and creative talent development work that has been going on in Galway over the last five years since we last got together, with insights from Celine Curtin and Lelia Doolan as to how and why Galway was given this special UNESCO designation 10 years ago! The Galway City of Film designation is managed by Ardán on behalf of Comhairle Cathrach na Gaillimhe / Galway City Council and Galway County Council. The Galway City of Film annual programme of activities is administered by Ardán on behalf of Galway City Arts Office and Galway County Arts Office, with additional support from the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media and Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland. Ardán is a registered charity based in Galway, operating in the West of Ireland and beyond. We support creatives in the audio-visual industry, in film, TV, games, and animation, through funding, training, and events. Ardán’s headquarters is in the CREW Enterprise and Innovation Hub on Wellpark Road in Galway city. Previously known as Galway Film Centre, Ardán rebranded in 2022 to reflect the broader geographic and sectoral focus of the organisation which includes the greater Western Region and newer industry sectors including games and animation. Translated, Ardán means platform or stage. Ardán is a platform for creative talent development, providing opportunities for entry, emerging, and established individuals working in the screen sector. Within its screen talent development remit, Ardán manages the Galway UNESCO City of Film designation, WRAP (Western Region Audio Visual Producers’ Fund), the National Talent Academies for Film & TV Drama, and the annual FÍS TV and Games Summits. As part of these initiatives there are various events, funding, and training schemes to avail of. Alongside our longstanding partners, Ardán also co-manages several other funding and training opportunities including the CÚRAM, Research Ireland Centre for Medical Devices Science on Screen Documentary and Animation Commission, the RTE Short Film Commission, now in its 33rd year, the Wild Galway Games Incubator, IndieDev: The Cross-border Games Prototype Fund, PTG: Prepare To Gamify! and more. Edited by: Emblane Films Culture Night Galway Traveller Movement Little Cinema Galway Galway Film Fleadh Galway Culture Company Western Development Commission Pálás Galway

President of Ireland, Michael D. Higgins was in Galway last week to honour filmmaker Bob Quinn and celebrate 10 years of Galway as a UNESCO City of Film 🎥🌎 Find out more here: https://lnkd.in/eG5uBhTX Galway City of Film Ardán

Learn more about the history of Galway as a UNESCO City of Film / Ceantar Scannán, dating back to 1898, up as far as 2024, through this visual historical archive created by the Galway City of Film team over the last year with the kind archival support of Tom Kenny of Kennys Bookshop and Art Galleries and William Henry Historian & Writer. For those who don't use LinkedIn, this archive is also shareable from Ardán's YouTube channel: https://lnkd.in/dZ8vTfvN Read the slides in detail here: https://lnkd.in/dziqP3kS The tradition of film in Galway goes back as far the first screening at Mr. Mack’s Assembly Room on Eyre Square in 1898, and the first film was reportedly shot here in 1905 by Burton Holmes. This timeline includes notable films, venues, organisations, companies, and designations related to film that are/ were based in the city/ county and have contributed to Galway as a region of film. Please note: This timeline is a work in progress, and we will be updating it as we gather more information. If you have suggested insights or edits to make to this archive, please email [email protected] Galway City of Film is managed by Ardán on behalf of Comhairle Cathrach na Gaillimhe / Galway City Council and Galway County Council. Visit Galway thisisgalway.ie

Who are the artists and decision makers behind the scenes? In partnership with Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland and with the support of Griffith College Dublin, we will be hosting Screen Sessions – an afternoon of in-depth conversations on craft, career and creativity between talent from the Irish Screen industries. On Friday, 13th December we’ll be joined by: - BAFTA and Irish Film & Television Academy (IFTA) winning Director/Producer Ciaran Donnelly (Kin, Altered Carbon, Vikings, The Tudors) - Casting Director Maureen Hughes (The Miracle Club, Small Things Like These, Once, Abigail) - Artist and Graphic Designer Annie Atkins (The Grand Budapest Hotel, West Side Story) and Production Designer, Art Director and Concept Illustrator Jill Beecher (Once Upon a Time… in Hollywood, The Revenant, Alien: Covenant) Read more here: https://lnkd.in/eZDUxMqB Ardán National Talent Academies Bow Street Academy National College of Art & Design IADT Dún Laoghaire Dublin Business School School of Media at TUDublin

Thanks to IFTN - Irish Film & Television Network for covering our 10th anniversary City of Film celebrations where President of Ireland / Uachtarán na hÉireann Michael D. Higginss and Lelia Doolan presented Bob Quinn with the fourth Ceantar Scannán award. 💚 📽️ ✨ Read about the reception, speeches, award ceremony and the screening of "Poitín" at the link: https://lnkd.in/edvAtfR4 Here's a couple more images from the evening: 1. President Michael D. Higgins arriving at the Galway City of Film 10th anniversary event. (📷Dave McDonagh) 2. Seamus Deasy, Maggie Uí Cuaig, and Bob Quinn. (Maggie starred in "Póitín" in 1978. (📷Avi Ratnayake) 3. Ceantar Scannán Honouree 2024 Bob Quinn (Avi Ratnayake) 4. Bob Quinn receiving his Ceantar Scannán brooch from President Higgins and Lelia Doolan. Brooch by Berina Kelly (📷Emilija Jefremova) 5. Trailblazers of Irish film: Thaddeus O'Sullivan, Seamus Deasy, Joe Comerford, Vivienne Dick, Pat Murphy, Lelia Doolan and Bob Quinn. (📷Avi Ratnayake) 6. Bob Quinn and Patricia Melly. Patricia was in Bob's documentary "The Silent World". (📷Avi Ratnayake) 7. Sabina Higgins, Lelia Doolan, and Bob Quinn listening to President Higgins' speech (📷Emilija Jefremova) 8. Attendees included Bob's family, friends, and peers, Irish film industry professionals and City of Film programme participants (📷Emilija Jefremova) 9. The Galway City of Film team, the President and his team, and Bob’s family, friends, and peers at the awards ceremony at the Pálás Cinema (📷Avi Ratnayake) 10. Bob Quinn at the House Hotel with his children Robert, Hannah, Toner, Bairbre, Marcus, and Dominic. ((📷Avi Ratnayake) The Galway City of Film UNESCO designation and programme is managed by Ardán on behalf of Galway City and County Council.

Yesterday evening the Galway City of Film team had the privilege of hosting a special event at the Pálás Galway honouring acclaimed filmmaker Bob Quinn for his contributions to Irish cinema. 📽️ 💚 ✨ Former Ceantar Scannán recipients President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins and cultural trailblazer Lelia Doolan presented Bob with the award. The evening brought together figures from the film community to celebrate Bob’s pioneering work, particularly his focus on the West of Ireland and his groundbreaking use of the Irish language in film. Uachtarán na hÉireann Michael D. Higgins and Lelia Doolan delivered inspiring speeches about Bob Quinn's legacy and what it means for Galway as a City of Film. We rounded off the evening with a screening of Bob’s remastered Irish language crime-drama “Poitín” (1978), with new music from Bill Whelan, praised for its historical and cinematic significance. Thank you to every one of our distinguished guests - friends and supporters of, and industry and initiative participants in City of Film - for joining us to mark Galway’s 10 year UNESCO status. Here are some initial snapshots of the night including our guests of honour; A Uachtaráin Michael D. Higgins, Sabina Higgins, Lelia Doolan, Bob Quinn, Declan Gibbons, Miriam Allen, Kate O'Toole, Toner Quinn, Celine Curtin with Alan Duggan (Formal Photos: Emilija Jefremova) (Ceremony/ Screening Avi Ratnayake) Galway City of Film is managed by Ardán on behalf of Comhairle Cathrach na Gaillimhe / Galway City Council Arts Office and Galway County Council Arts Office. Áras an Uachtaráin Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland Galway Film Fleadh thisisgalway.ie

Closing date for WRAP region producers to apply for Berlinale 2025 Early Bird Access To Markets support is next Tuesday! 💚✨🎬