Acting legends Pierce Brosnan, Lucy Liu, Helena Bonham Carter and Hugh Grant were among the biggest actors to visit Northern Ireland last year, as the country cemented its reputation as a popular filming location. I was alone.
Despite a difficult year in Hollywood, including a writer’s and actors’ strike, 2023 was once again a bumper year for film, television, animation and interactive content for Northern Ireland, NI Screen said.
This year, directors Ross White and Tom Barclay won awards around the world, including an Oscar, for their short film The Irish Farewell, catapulted local actor James Martin to global stardom, and helped lead local actor James Martin to global stardom. They broke through their barriers and got off to a strong start.
Lisa McGee’s Derry Girls went on to win award after award, winning an International Emmy Award and three BAFTAs, bringing people from all over the world to her hometown, and making the Tower Art Museum show-centric attraction attracted 10,000 visitors by September.
In the documentary category, Kathryn Ferguson’s Nothing Compares won the Rose d’Or Artistic Award, and she was selected as a member of BAFTA’s 2023 Breakthrough Nominees.
Alison Miller’s Lila, about murdered Belfast journalist Lila McKee, won Best Independent Documentary at the Grierson Trust’s 2023 British Documentary Awards and Best European Television at the European Awards. It won the Documentary Award.
KEO Films and Walk on Air Films’ Once Upon a Time in Northern Ireland has won two British Documentary Awards for Best Documentary Series and Best Historical Documentary.
Meanwhile, Paramount and eOne’s Dungeons & Dragons: Honor of Thieves, starring Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Rege-Jean Page and Hugh Grant, will be filmed on location at Titanic Studios and across Northern Ireland in 2021. , which grossed over £162 million worldwide. .
It was also a strong year for independent films, with 12 films shot throughout the year, including Four Letters of Love, starring Pierce Brosnan with Helena Bonham Carter and Gabriel Byrne. .
Lucy Liu of Charlie’s Angels filmed The Old Guy in Belfast with two-time Oscar winner Christoph Waltz, tracking down elderly contract killer Danny Dolinsky.
Other highlights include Ballywalter, starring Patrick Kielty, A Land of Saints and Sinners, and the Pierce Brosnan drama The Land of Saints and Sinners, which was released on Sky Cinema in time for Memorial Day in November.・Includes “The Last Rifleman.”
In recent weeks, The Heist Before Christmas, starring James Nesbitt and Timothy Spall, as well as young Northern Irish newcomers Bamber Todd and Joshua MacLeese, has aired on Sky, bringing some festive magic to the small screen.
The TV drama department has also been busy, with Blue Lights, written by Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson, being released to great success on BBC One and iPlayer in March. Filming for the second series has recently finished.
BBC One’s Sunday 9pm primetime slot was dominated over the summer by Northern Irish dramas including World on Fire Season 2 and The Woman in the Wall, while Lovers launched on Sky Atlantic .
The BBC’s popular daytime police drama Hope Street returns to Donaghadee for season 3 in April, while the latest series of popular drama Show Trial is currently filming in Northern Ireland, while Mastermind and Celebrity Mastermind The terrifying black chair also remains in Northern Ireland.
New mammoth TV drama ‘Tom Jones’ launches on ITVX in May, ITV’s ‘Breathtaking’ starring Golden Globe-winning actress Joan Froggatt takes to the streets by storm in the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic It was about an NHS doctor who was faced with the situation.
The first animated feature film produced in Northern Ireland was released in 2023. “Puffin Rock And The New Friends”. Paper Owl Films’ new series of Ladybird And Bee launched on his RTEjr in March, while Sixteen South’s The Coop Troop premiered on French TV and China’s Tencent Video.
Belfast-based make-up company BPerfect also hit the small screen in BBC Three’s behind-the-scenes documentary Made Up In Belfast, which also had a well-received Christmas special edition.
As for Irish-language content, Irish rap trio Kneecap’s documentary will have its world premiere at the prestigious Sundance Film Festival in January, while Imagine Media’s An Bouachail Gealgaireach will be performing at Greece’s Thessaloniki International in March. It won the Audience Award at a documentary film festival.
Ulster and Scottish Broadcasting Fund programming continues, with a second series of double band A Stitch Through Time in July and the return of Mahon’s Way from Westway Films in August. , Paula McIntyre’s “Heimley Kitchen” was broadcast.
Meanwhile, Studio Ulster, a state-of-the-art virtual production studio, is under construction in Belfast’s Giants Park, a joint project between Belfast Harbour, Ulster University and Northern Ireland Screen, due to open in 2024. It’s planned.
NI Screen continues to focus on skills, supporting hundreds of individuals through numerous development initiatives, from animation and games to TV drama and independent film.
Northern Ireland Screen CEO Richard Williams said local talent would shine brightly in 2023.
“In 2023, our vibrant screen industry once again demonstrated its resilience and creativity, overcoming challenges and delivering great content across film, television, animation, games and interactive media.” said.
“Our local talent has shined brightly, winning accolades, breaking records and captivating audiences around the world. From the historic success of ‘An Irish Goodbye’ to ‘Derry Girls’, ‘Lyra’, Our storytellers excelled on all fronts, leading up to the continued triumph of Nothing Compares.
“2024 is already shaping up nicely with Universal’s How to Train Your Dragon ready to shoot, Netflix’s Rift streaming worldwide, and exciting new projects across all genres lined up. It’s in order.”
“In a spirit of collaboration and creativity, we will move forward united in our quest to make Northern Ireland a global hub for screen excellence.”