Kilkenny based Cartoon Saloon’s made the shortlist for the Academy Awards yet again.
The team’s new short film, ÉIRU, is one of 15 offerings to qualify out of 113 hopefuls to go forward for nomination voting next month, with the five final nominees to be announced on the 22nd of January.
The locally founded grouping has previously gotten the nod for four of its feature films, The Secret of Kells, Song of the Sea, WolfWalkers and Breadwinner, with a fifth for short Late Afternoon.
Now hopes are high that it could be sixth time lucky for the talented team as its category was one of 12 to have its listings confirmed tonight (more here).
Studio founding member and Éiru producer Nora Twomey says; “We are delighted to be one of two Irish Animated Shorts to be shortlisted for the Academy Awards®. We have our fingers crossed for the next stage in January when 5 Oscar® Nominees are picked from the 15 shortlisted films, we hope Éiru will be one of them.”
Éiru tells of the smallest child of an Iron-Age clan who wants to be a mighty warrior, one who’s taken seriously by her kinfolk. She gets that chance when the village’s well mysteriously dries up and she’s the only one small enough to gain access to investigate and ultimately return the water flow.
Funded by Cartoon Saloon, Screen Ireland/Fis Eireann and BCP Asset Management, the piece has played film festivals worldwide and took home numerous awards including RiverRun International Film Festival, Galway Film Fleadh, Heartland Indy Shorts Film Festival, Dublin Animation Film Festival, Fantasia International Film Festival and Animation is Film.
Writer and director by Giovanna Ferrari reflects on the shortlist announcement saying “Out of over 100 eligible animated shorts considered for shortlisting, we are incredibly proud that our short film, made with love by our international and incredibly talented team, was selected to be among the 15 shortlisted animated short films. It’s incredible to share this achievement with such an impressive selection of wonderful short films. From the whole crew, we thank the Academy and all the people who have watched the movie and shared their reactions with us for giving us this amazing chance of sharing our movie with an even bigger audience.”
Éiru was produced in association with HerStory, founded by award winning social innovator Melanie Lynch. Éiru educational programmes can be accessed through www.herstory.ie
Éiru’s score by Leo Pearson, along with its original song Amhrán Éiru, by Ceara Conway and Leo Pearson are available on all streaming platforms.
Cast: Coco Teehan Roche, Michael McGrath, Richie Cody, Niamh Moyles, Susie Lamb, Lydia Deegan, Lucy Philpott, David Bergin, Paul Young
Art Director: Áine Mc Guinness
Editors: Richie Cody (ACE, BFE), Nora Twomey
