Press Release
2023 Kildare Short Grass Film Commission & Bursary Awards Announced
Kildare County Council has announced the winner of the 2023 Short Grass Film commissions. The award of €12,500 was made for a film to be made on location in Kildare in the coming months.
Written and directed by Dan Colley and produced by Eamon Hughes and Samson Films, ‘The Painted Man’ tells the story of George, a quiet child who finds solace in his own creative outlets. A fascination that struck him in a formative moment, when he met The Painted Man, a transfixing street performer. Their connection deepens as The Painted Man gives George the required room for his creativity to blossom.
Writer and Director Dan Colley said; “Kildare County Council have been really important supporters of my residency as a theatre artist in the Riverbank Arts Centre over the years. I am delighted to have this opportunity afforded by the Short Grass Film commission to translate some of the artistic processes I've developed in theatre into film form.”
Producer Eamon Hughes, at Samson Films said; “Kildare County Council’s Short Grass scheme has always been one I have looked to as their selection process has always resulted in quality creative projects, to be part of this selection is an honour. Dan and I are very much looking forward to bringing this project to life alongside Kildare County Council.”
In addition to the commission, 2 Kildare based filmmakers received Short Grass Films Bursary Awards of €1,500 for film development.
‘Findlater’ is a short chamber piece drama about two women brought together in front of a microphone to discuss their shared past. It deals with issues of addiction, mental health and intergenerational trauma. It is written and directed by Allyn Quigley, Rye Films, Leixlip and produced by Aisling Malone.
'Beyond The System' is an innovative dystopian science-fiction short film that utilizes virtual production technology. Produced entirely within a studio located in Kilcock, Co. Kildare, the production pipeline uses Unreal Engine 5 for world-building, green screen capture of the actors' performances, and a comprehensive post-production workflow for compositing. It is created and written by Fergus Mulligan, produced by Sue Walsh of Frame It Productions, and directed by Sam McGovern.
Arts Officer for Kildare County Council, Lucina Russell said; “It is very exciting to announce this year's awards and commend in particular, the creative team behind The Painted Man project who presented a compelling case for funding for a story worth telling.” She noted the calibre of applications, across diverse media from CGI to animation and also commented on the quality of applications for the bursary award from Kildare filmmakers. To date, the local authority has supported the making of over 50 films through the Short Grass Film Commission and Bursary Award. Through the Kildare Short Grass Film commissions and bursary awards, and other endeavours, we will continue to promote Kildare as a ‘Film Friendly County’ and to support filmmakers to realise their ambition.
