CAN DIALECTICS BREAK WIND?
Nov 13th, 2007 by Conor McCabe
This article owes its existence to two things: one is the situationist ideas of René Viénet; the other is Sinéad Gleeson. Recently, Sinéad had a post on Irish film, and mused on a possible definition of what constitutes an Irish film.
If it’s made by Hollywood is it Irish? Does it have to be set here? Even if there’s one lone Irish character, does that count? What if said character just has a dodgy brogue?. And what about Hitler’s take on things? The less said about Jennifer Aniston’s contribution, the better. The Irish film industry, compared to Hollywood, is still in its infancy and it could be argued that it’s only in the last three or four decades that genuine Irish films have been made, ie ones funded here, shot here, with Irish crews, Irish actors featuring Irish themes and narratives.”
We can arrive at a definition of what constitutes an Irish film, but first I think we have to differentiate between an Irish genre movie, and an actual Irish-made movie. In literary terms, it’s a bit like the difference between Leon Uris’ novel, Trinity, which is an Irish genre novel, and Ulysses, which is, of course, an Irish novel. So, we have movies like ‘The Commitments’ and ‘Veronica Guerin’, which fall into Irish genre, and then there’s movies like ‘Michael Collins’ and ‘I Went down’ which are Irish movies. And then, of course, we have “Omega Team Alpha Action Force Six Part II The Return“, which exists within its own universe. And genre. And almost its own terms of reference.
It’s a close call, but “Omega Team Alpha Action Force Six Part II The Return” is the missing link between sixties French situationism, Glasnevin, Chuck Norris, and Jaffa Cakes.
It is an intensely Irish movie. I do not wish to spoil the surprise, but for anyone interested, below is part I of part II, if you follow what I mean. Thumbs up to Donal for the link.
Have to agree that the irish movie-making industry is still in its infancy, despite decades of erratic state funding for Ardmore Studios and the occasional encouragement for independent documentary making from RTE. State tax concessions for foreign companies to shoot here have resulted in the successful Braveheart that involved lots of Irish input (great for employment and technical experience) but was essentially about ancient Scotland. Ryan’s Daughter was made by British director David Lean with foreign money, several foreign key actors, but some substantial small parts for Irish including Abbey actors - and Bord Failte as usual was delighted with the positive tourist promotion that was a by-product of the location shots. I suppose we can call the movie honorary Irish because of the substantial Irish input. One movie shot in Ireland we couldn’t call Irish was the French title Le Taxi Mauve (’Purple Taxi’) starring Fred Astaire and several French actors. Shot in Connemara, it was about the nuanced emotions of French expatriates in Ireland, Gallic rather that Gaelic in tone. Regardless of its status Bord Failte once again cheered.
Independent Irish film producers still have to scrape and scrimp to get the needed spondulicks for transforming their imagination into celluloid reality. The state seems unlikely to come up with the many millions needed to put the industry on a proper footing. Hence its strategy of tax concessions for foreign companies. The best that native producers and directors can do is to tap matching funds from the British Arts Council (if there’s a NornIron dimension to the storyline), BBC, German, German and other European television film funds. Good luck to such people - they could do financially better if they were citizens of other states. We need to have more regional Film Festivals, such as Galway and Cork.
One thing I’d recommend is that the Dept. of Foreign Affairs actively fund Irish Film Weeks/Seasons in overseas countries where there is a strong business and aid personnel presence.
Thanks the the comment, Chaleur. some excellent points there. It’s got me thinking about doing up a more substantial post on Irish films - what they are, and why we need more. Cheers.
Thanks for the thanks, and good luck with a more substantial post. Countries where our Dept. of Foreign Affaris could sponsor Irish Film Weeks/Seasons would include: Canada (where they have the good old National Film Board of Canada), USA, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Espana, Nigeria, Zambia, South Africa, Kenya, Peoples Republic of China, India. We have diplomatic representation in those countries; English is understood by many; there are lots of Irish expatriates there. Our Irish independent producers, directors and movie technicians need all the help the state can give. Dept. of Foreign Affairs is supposed to promote that elusive concept “cultural relations” and in my book Irish movies fit into the category.
What are Irish universities doing in the area of cinema studies and movie making courses? The Institutes of Technology?
The Dublin Institute of Technology shut down its film-maker course about three years ago. I think the only courses left are out in Dún Laoghaire and…. i think that’s it. Bloody hell!
Sorry to hear that. Try also Sligo Institute of Technology, where a lecture module on movie making was held in recent years, and might still be for all I know.
I should have mentioned “our nearest neighbour” the UK as a country where the Dept. of Foreign Affairs could spend spondulicks promoting Irish Film Weeks/Seasons. In three nations of course - Scotland (two cities with lots of Irish expats are Glasgow and Edinburgh), Wales, and England (regional centres of Irish expats include Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, the Brum). Get the cultural relations out of London and down to the grass roots, I say.
Under the terms of the Good Friday Agreement the two sovereign governments could promote the “totality of relations” on “these islands” by, inter alia, putting up the dough and the bureaucratic infrastructure to encourage movie making projects between film companies, producers and directors in the three nations, not excluding the two-thirds province of NornIron.