Congratulations to Cartoon Saloon who have earned a Second Academy Award® Nomination for their Animated Feature Film ‘Song of the Sea’
Congratulations to Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board (IFB) funded animated feature film Song of the Sea, which has been nominated for an Academy Award® for Best Animated Feature.
Speaking of the Academy Award nomination, IFB Chief Executive James Hickey said: "Congratulations to Irish filmmakers and animators Tomm Moore, Will Collins, Paul Young and the entire Cartoon Saloon team, who deserve to be nominated along with the best talent in the world this year. With their previous feature film The Secret of Kells, Cartoon Saloon proved themselves more than capable of standing alongside the most renowned names in global animation and a second Academy Award nomination for the company has cemented this reputation of world-class talent. Song of the Sea is a beautiful film, bringing Irish myths and legends to the big screen with stunning storytelling and visual perspective."
"This is a big day for the Irish animation industry and as the largest funder of Irish animation content in the state, the Irish Film Board hope that this achievement will lead to further growth and international recognition for an industry that is a major Irish success story."
Supported by the IFB Song of the Sea tells the story of the last Seal Child's journey home. After their mother's disappearance, Ben and Saoirse are sent to live with Granny in the city. When they resolve to return to their home by the sea, their journey becomes a race against time as they are drawn into a world Ben knows only from his mother's folktales. But this is no bedtime story; these fairy folk have been in our world far too long. It soon becomes clear to Ben that Saoirse is the key to their survival.
Directed by Tomm Moore, Song of the Sea is the new film from Kilkenny-based animation studio Cartoon Saloon, and is their follow-up to the Academy Award® nominated film The Secret of Kells.
The film features the voices of David Rawle (Moone Boy), Brendan Gleeson (The Guard), Fionnula Flanagan (The Others), Lisa Hannigan, Pat Shortt (Calvary) and Jon Kenny (D'Unbelievables), as well as music from Bruno Coulais and Kíla.
Song of the Sea premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September and screened at the BFI London Film Festival in October. It received critical acclaim at these festivals. Empire Online described it as "a movie that deserves to be seen by all: children will find it entertaining, adults will find it poignant and everyone will benefit from watching this quietly stunning film." Screen Daily described the film as "Sophisticated enough to appeal to adults and packed with enough humour and adventure to work for youngsters, Song Of The Sea is a real animated gem, and one of the real pleasures of the Toronto Film Festival."
Song of the Sea will be released in Irish cinemas in 2015.