Limerick Film Producers set their sights on Berlin Film Festival

Limerick Film Producers Berlin Film Festival delegation pictured above – Paul C Ryan, Regional Film Manager, Film in Limerick, Gregory Burrowes, Alanna MacNamee, Pius McGrath, Paul Patton, Director of Further Education Training and Eimear Brophy, Further Education & Training Manager, Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board. Picture: Brian Arthur

Local Producers selected to join Film in Limerick Delegation to Berlin Film Festival

For the first time since 2020, Film in Limerick will have a delegation of Mid-West producers traveling to the European Film Market, at the Berlin International Film Festival, starting this weekend.

Run in conjunction with Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board, the delegation will support three local producers to attend one of the top international film markets in the world. Attended by over 8,300 international industry professionals, the EFM is where independent film producers find partners and finance to make their projects a reality.

The initiative by Innovate Limerick through Film in Limerick, will see local producers: Alanna MacNamee, Gregory Burrowes and Pius McGrath, travel to Berlin to experience a working film market and to attend industry training events. 

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Commenting on the new initiative, Regional Film Manager Paul C. Ryan said: “It’s brilliant to have to have the delegation back at EFM and to support more local producers as they develop their careers and their first feature projects. The key to a successful and sustainable independent film scene in the Mid-West is to invest in developing our creative producers here. They are the ones who will ultimately find and develop ideas and talent and help to drive new projects. This initiative, with the support of Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board, will allow more of our producers to begin to work at an international level and to build their networks and knowledge.”

The delegation already have a wealth of experience producing film projects. Alanna MacNamee, a producer and freelance journalist, is currently working with Tyrone Productions on a documentary project with Manchán Magan for RTÉ1, and she hasseveral recent broadcast credits for both RTÉ and TG4. Alanna is also a graduate of Film in Limerick’s ‘Introduction to Creative Producing Programme’, run with Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board. 

Pius McGrath, has been producing work for the stage internationally for over 10 years, and is currently developing his first feature film project with Irish and US creative partners. 

Gregory Burrowes, with his company Carbonated Comet Productions based in Co. Clare has been a prolific producer of short films in recent years. His latest production ‘You’re Not Home”, an Engine Short Film Scheme production, has screened at numerous film festivals and will screen next month at the prestigious SXSW Film Festival in Austin, Texas. Gregory is also a nominee for the Discovery Award at this month’s Dublin Film Festival.

Commenting on the trip, Paul Patton, Director of Further Education & Training at Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board said: “we are delighted to be partnering with Film in Limerick again to support these talented local producers who will have the opportunity to develop their careers and professionalise their practice through attending the European Film Market in Berlin and by taking part in industry training and events there.

The Limerick Film Producers Berlin delegation will also represent Mid-West filmmaking, at the annual Irish film reception in Berlin taking place at the Irish Embassy this weekend. 

Film in Limerick was established by Innovate Limerick and is supported by funding from Limerick City and County Council and Clare County Council, as well as project funding from Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board and Screen Ireland. 

Film in Limerick acts as a one-stop shop for filming in the Mid-West, supporting productions looking for locations, crews and support to film in the region. They are also active in training and up-skilling aspiring and emerging filmmakers and companies based in the region.

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