Irish/US Documentary Feature Shortlisted for Oscar Nomination as Sundance Spotlights Irish Short
Two Irish films were under the international spotlight this week, with the first Irish project shortlisted for an Oscar nomination so far this season and a second Irish film picked up for Sundance.
The documentary film MEA MAXIMA CULPA SILENCE IN THE HOUSE OF GOD, directed by Oscar winning director Alex Gibney, with funding from Bord Scannán na hÉireann/ the Irish Film Board (IFB), was shortlisted for an Academy Award® nomination in the Best Documentary Feature category. Whilst a short film IRISH FOLK FURNITURE focusing of the heritage of Irish farmhouse furniture has been selected for the renowned Sundance Film Festival.
Filmed in Ireland, the US, and Italy and shot by Lisa Rinzler and Irish Documentary filmmaker Ross McDonnell (Colony), MEA MAXIMA CULPA SILENCE IN THE HOUSE OF GOD explores the charged issue of abuse within the Catholic Church, following a trail from the first known protest against clerical abuse in the United States and all way to the Vatican. The film has already generated much international buzz, having picked up the Grierson Award for Best Documentary at the BFI London Film Festival in October, along with its premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival.
IRISH FOLK FURNITURE is a charming animated tale bringing new life to the culture and social history of Irish farmhouse furniture. The short is directed by Tony Donoghue and produced by Cathal Black under the IFB 'Frameworks' animated short film scheme.
This year a record number of entries were received for the Best Documentary Feature category, (126 films in total), from which fifteen films were selected for the shortlist. The final Academy Award® nominations will be announced in January 2013.
MEA MAXIMA CULPA SILENCE IN THE HOUSE OF GOD is produced by Jigsaw Productions, Wider Film Projects and Below the Radar Films. Trevor Birney and Ruth O'Reilly were the producers for Below the Radar Films. The film will be released in Irish cinemas in 2013.