Terry George's THE SHORE receives Oscar nomination
The Northern Ireland Screen funded short film, THE SHORE, produced by Terry George and Oorlagh George and written and directed by Terry George, has received an Academy Award® nomination.
THE SHORE, which filmed entirely in Northern Ireland on location in Killough last year, is the inspiring story of two boyhood best friends - Joe (Ciarán Hinds) and Paddy (Conleth Hill) - divided by 25 years of misunderstanding.
Their world and their friendship are shattered by the conflict escalating in Northern Ireland. The two boys' lives take very different paths until, 25 years later, Joe returns for the first time to his homeland with his 24-year-old daughter, Patricia (Kerry Condon). In his absence Paddy, his best friend, has married Joe’s former fiancée Mary (Maggie Cronin). What happened all those years ago? Can old wounds be healed? The answer is in equal parts hilarious and moving.
Speaking about his return to Northern Ireland Terry George said: "I felt for quite a while it was a gap in my career that I hadn't actually filmed in my homeland, and it was the best experience I've ever had. Film in Northern Ireland has really ramped up. It has a strong infrastructure now, and the government and the community seem to be in favour of it. They aren't jaded about people shooting on their streets."
THE SHORE is among five nominees in the Live Action Short Film category, with the Oscar® winner set to be announced at the 84th Annual Academy Awards® ceremony on Sunday, 26th February 2012.
On learning of the nomination, Terry said: “It’s the highest accolade you can get from your peers and the industry; what’s so special about this is that it is a little film we made with my family in Killough and to take it to the Oscars is an amazing achievement.”
Terry is already a double Oscar® nominee, having been nominated for Best Original Screenplay for Hotel Rwanda in 2004 and ten years earlier in 1994 for Best Adapted Screenplay for In the Name of the Father.
Funded by Northern Ireland Screen, the film also received finance from Tourism Ireland and Loughshore Investments.
Watch a clip from the film here on the Northern Ireland Screen TV channel and read more in our film catalogue.
The Academy has also recognised Ken Branagh, who is Honorary President of Northern Ireland Screen, who receives a nomination for Best Supporting Actor for his portrayal of Laurence Olivier in the film My Week with Marilyn.
Academy Awards for outstanding film achievements of 2011 will be presented on Sunday, February 26, 2012, at the Kodak Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center®, and televised live by the ABC Television Network. The Oscar presentation also will be televised live in more than 225 countries worldwide. www.oscars.org