TG4, Bord Scannán na hÉireann/The Irish Film Board (BSÉ) and the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland (BAI) have joined in launching the Cine4 Development Scheme, a new joint-funding initiative to support the development and production of feature films in the Irish language.

Open to live-action feature-length drama film projects in the Irish language, Cine4 will encourage strong storytelling, visual flair and high production values appropriate for the big screen. Projects seeking funding must offer a story-line that has a strong credibility as Gaeilge, prove potential to appeal to Irish and international cinema audiences and demonstrate Irish language capability and gender balance across the creative team being proposed.

Applications for feature-length projects with budgets of up to €1.2million that meet these criteria will first be assessed by a panel of assessors from TG4, BSÉ and BAI. Five applications annually will be offered development budgets up to €25,000. Developed projects will then be assessed further with two of these chosen consideration in the next appropriate round of the BAI Sound & Vision scheme for production funding. The two films produced annually as a result will be given a full festival life and theatrical release prior to their broadcast premiere on TG4.

Full details of the scheme, including terms, conditions, deadline dates etc are available from www.tg4.ie/ga/leiriuchan/coimisiunu/

The new scheme was launched today at the 2017 Celtic Media Festival currently taking place in Douglas, Isle of Man, the annual conference attended by 300 TV, film and radio professionals from the audio-visual sector in the Celtic nations and regions.