After a hiatus of five weeks, Ireland’s Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism, Martin Cullen, has announced the appointment of a new governing board for the Irish Film Board following the end of the tenure of the previous board members.

The new board will have a four-year remit until February 2013 and includes the re-appointment of James Morris as chairperson, but only for a twelve-month period, and members Lesley McKimm, Tristan Orpen Lynch, Kevin Moriarty, and Kirsten Sheriden.

The minister has made two new appointments to the board - writer and director Johnny Gogan and composer Barry Grace - who replace outgoing members Alan Gilsenan and Margaret McCarthy MacIntyre.

Commenting on the appointments, Minister Cullen said, ‘I am delighted James Morris has accepted my invitation to continue to serve as chairperson of the Irish Film Board for a further twelve months. James brings considerable experience and understanding to the important work of the Board and his extended tenure will ensure continuity for projects currently in progress, as will the re-appointment of four members of the existing Board. I wish James and the new board every success as they continue to build on their programme of work in developing and pursuing the Government’s ambitious agenda for the Irish film industry.’

James Morris paid tribute to Gilsenan and McCarthy McIntyre, saying, ‘For as long as the Irish Film Board has members of the calibre of Alan and Peggy, film makers and the film industry will be well served. On behalf of everyone at the Irish Film Board, both Board members and staff, I would like to thank them, not only for the quality of their individual contributions but also for their commitment, precious time generously given, and support.’

The Irish Film Board was re-established in 1993 with the primary function of providing development and production finance for Irish film projects and is funded by the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism.

Board Members - the Irish Film Board

James Morris (Chair) is a graduate of Trinity College and trained as a film editor in London. He founded Windmill Lane Pictures and Recording Studios on his return to Dublin. He led the Windmill Consortium to win the television franchise for TV3 in 1989. In 1990 he founded The Mill - Film and TV Post Production Company in London. He was appointed non-executive Chairman of TV3 in 1998. He joined the board of the International Dublin Film Festival in 2004 and the Board of the Irish Music Rights Organization [IMRO] in 2008.

Johnny Gogan founded Bandit Films in 1989 and has directed and produced over ten films for cinema and TV, including the award-winning features The Last Bus Home and Mapmaker. While developing an Ireland-Spain co-production project he has also been involved with the World Cinema exhibitor Cinema North West, a mobile cinema organisation he chaired until 2007, and ‘Adaptation’, the County Leitrim based festival which celebrates the relationship between literature and cinema.

Barry Grace is a composer and producer. As well as scoring a number of short films such as Zanzibar, he has provided the music to numerous television commercials both here and abroad for brands including Guinness, Kellogg’s and Cadburys. He has scored a number of television dramas and documentaries such as Dear Daughter and recently Grandfather, Speak To Me In Russian. He is currently producing his first commercial album.

Lesley McKimm is a producer with Newgrange Pictures. She is currently producing the romantic comedy film Happy Ever Afters, and has exec-produced and produced a number of television dramas such as Whistleblower, No Tears and Any Time Now.

Kevin Moriarty is Managing Director of Ardmore Studios. He is Chair of the Kerry Screen Commission and a board member of the Wicklow Film Commission and the Irish Film Institute. Kevin is also Chairman of Media Desk Ireland.

Tristan Orpen Lynch founded Subotica Entertainment in 1998 and has produced numerous feature films and television dramas, winning many international awards. His recent film producing credits include The Daisy Chain and El Juego Del Ahorcado.

Kirsten Sheridan is a writer, director and producer. She directed her first feature, the critically acclaimed Disco Pigs in 2001 and went on to co-write the Oscar and Golden Globe nominated In America. She directed the Oscar nominated film August Rush in 2007 and is currently developing a number of feature film projects with Blindside Films.

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