“How could we put booster rockets on the cross-border support?” Producers call for an island of Ireland fund

Ireland and Northern Ireland producers are calling for the creation of funds for the shared islands to allow for a more streamlined and unified approach on both sides of the border.

“We have been lobbying to create a new shared island fund for the screening industry, especially trying to put together these films together because it is such a tumultuous world. patella.

“There are two different funds on the island of Ireland: Screen Ireland, the Cultural Fund, and Screens in Northern Ireland, the Economic Fund,” continued Bernie. “Every time you bring to Northern Ireland, the screens in Northern Ireland will need to spend £4, £5, and £6 in Northern Ireland to utilize the funds.

“What we really need to see is understanding the consistency between the two funds on the island and how they can make up for how they sit and really support producers, and how the funds on the shared island are doing.”

Bernie was speaking at a panel discussion in the Galway film Fleadh, entitled “Shared Islands: Cross-Border Collaboration.” He was joined by McDarra Kelleher, CEO of Dublin-based Wild Atlantic Pictures, Ein Walsh, head of the Irish Language Broadcasting Fund for Northern Ireland Screen, Coleman Farrell, head of the Skills Development for Screen Ireland, and editor of the Irish Langarji Broadcaster.

“Every agency has its own subtle standards,” Kelleher said. “The more you streamline it, the easier it will be to collaborate.”

Kelleher and Birney recently produced Saipan Together, a British-Ireland co-production directed by Northern Ireland filmmakers Lisa Barros Dasa and Glenn Rayburn, funded by Screen Ireland, Northern Ireland screens and the UK Global Screen Fund.

It follows the relationship of football star Roy Keene. eanna Played by Hardwicke and manager Mick McCarthy Steve Coogan recorded an infamous conflict during the accumulation of the 2002 Japan World Cup.

To maximize fundraising opportunities, the film accessed regional fundraising in Carlingford, Louth County, for 51% in Belfast, and filmed for several days in Dublin and the Canary Islands.

“When you watch the movie, there’s no way to know which is which, but that’s a lot of loops you’re jumping at to do the job,” Kelleher said.

Bernie pointed to the success of the Irish Language Broadcasting Fund (LBF), which marks its 20th anniversary this year. It supports 571 Irish films and television productions in Northern Ireland, with the aim of broadcasting the project on the North and Southern Ireland, the BBC, TG4 and RTé channels.

“What has been achieved over the last 20 years is what I think is truly one of the unnamed heroes of Good Friday agreement. And we should look at (Irish broadcaster) TG4 and LBF.

Given President Donald Trump’s unpredictable policies, if Ireland seeks inward-looking investment practices, Kelleher said:

Wild Atlantic Pictures is a co-producer mummy, Recently, it has been produced from the US by New Line, Atomic Monsters and Blumhouse, which has been wrapped around Ireland. Kelleher feels there has been a transition from US companies that want to work more in collaboration with Irish producers, rather than simply using Ireland as a location to film.

“What we found is because indie film, traditionally the heart of the universe where America doesn’t want to share or give you anything. Finally, that’s another conversation.”

Shared Island Fund

There is a call from the Irish screen sector for more support from the Shared Island Fund, announced in 2021. The initiative is a collaboration between the Irish government, the Northern Ireland leaders and the UK government, and is a collaboration to address the strategic challenges facing the island of Ireland. In January 2025, an additional 1 billion euros was committed to the Common Island Fund until 2035.

“Let’s take a look at the fact that our sector needs a slice of that pie, and how can we do that,” said Marilyn Gaugan Reddun, chief executive of Galway Cultural Company, an organization that promotes relationships between Galway and the EU and international partners.

Farrell of Screen Ireland said: “With the Shared Island Fund, a portfolio of funds across a full range of Ireland’s sectors, it has a cultural element, and a screen element as part of it.

He also said on the production side that “the conversation is ongoing between screens in Ireland and Northern Ireland, and there is a conversation going on about how to advance.”