AQW 7866/22-27

Ms Paula Bradshaw
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 29/02/2024
Answered On Date: 29/03/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the First Minister and deputy First Minister what role the Northern Ireland Bureau in Washington, DC has in promoting Northern Ireland as a location for the screen industry.

Answer:

The Northern Ireland Bureau has been an enthusiastic advocate for Northern Ireland as a location for the screen industry. The Bureau regularly partners with other organisations, including Solus Nua and Cinemagic to showcase the capability of the region in regard to film. The Bureau established the Norman Houston Short Film award in 2022. The inaugural winner, “An Irish Goodbye”, went on to win the 2023 Academy Award Best Live Action Short Film at the Oscars. The Bureau collaborates with Cinemagic and the promotion of its work in the USA. The Bureau also collaborated with ComcastNBC on the promotion of the film Belfast in Washington DC, including a special event involving Sir Kenneth Branagh to show the film. The film Young Plato has also been promoted by the Bureau in conjunction with the Irish Consulate in New York City.