Gerry Cody

Celebrating the 30th birthday gathering in Kilkenny for Young Irish Film Makers were members of the company with special guests: John McGuinness T.D, Mike Kelly (YIFM), Minister Malcolm Noonan T.D, Gary McHugh, Director YIFM, Minister Roderic O’Gorman, Mayor Andrew McGuinness Young Irish Film Makers director Gary McHugh and founding member Mike Kelly enjoying the 30th birthday celebrations

Young Irish Film Makers celebrating 30 years of young people making movies!

Young Irish Film Makers Members, Emma Grogan, Terence Christle, Mark McNally and Sophie O’Donovan

The Bockety World of Henry &

Bucket by Sarah ArgentBucket by Sarah Argent Paul Curley and John Currivan Paul Curley and John Currivan

Lights, camera, action. Members of YIFM ready to roll

YIFM ..Sound crew on set

WHAT started out as a local youth club with cameras in 1991 in the heart of Kilkenny, has grown to become a national centre of excellence for young people interested in lmmaking and animation. Young Irish Film Makers are celebrating their 30th Anniversary as the national organisation responsible for training and supporting generations of young lmmakers and animators both locally in Kilkenny and across the country through several creative programmes.

Over the past 30 years, YIFM has worked with thousands of young people making lms and become such an important part of Kilkenny’s creative heritage, as well as a key player in the national youth arts landscape. e starting point of many a creative career, YIFM are best known for their role in helping Cartoon Saloon set up their rst studio on their premises (before they went on to winning awards and Oscar nominations). Founder of YIFM, Mike Kelly (Creative Director) and Angela Walsh (Operations) helped so many young people over the decades who have

Photographed at the 30th birthday celebration were : Le to Right: James Marnell, Niamh Moyles, Linda Hanbidge, Alan Slattery, Richie Cody, Darragh Kelly

gone on to do amazing things on screen and stage.

YIFM Alumni

Over the years Young Irish Film Makers have had the pleasure of working with some very talented young people. Some of those grew up to do some amazing work in the creative industries. e most famous being Tomm Moore & Ross Stewart from Cartoon Saloon who were members at YIFM, before returning after college to start their animation studio along with Nora Twomey & Paul Young within the walls of Young Irish Film Makers.

Oscar nominated director Tomm Moore says this of the organisation: ‘Young Irish Film Makers inspired me to become a lmmaker. e easy going, yet disciplined, atmosphere introduced me to the joys of teamwork and storytelling at an early age. I have carried those lessons through my whole career.’

Other YIFM alumni include:

Rory Fleck Byrne began his acting career with YIFM taking part in numerous lm making projects and has starred in movies with Pierce Brosnan & Jackie Chan in “ e Foreigner”

Laura Gaynor attended the National Youth Film School, went on to study lm at IADT and is now working for the BBC as a producer.

Ferdia Shaw is one of our younger members who has just recently signed up with Disney to play Artemis Fowl in a series of movies alongside Dame Judy Dench and directed by Kenneth Branagh. e celebrations involved a trip down memory lane for YIFM Friends, Alumni and many people who have worked with them over the past 30 Years. ose attending enjoyed lm screenings from the archive, photo galleries, a display of old costumes and a wander through the studios and workshops at their national headquarters here in Kilkenny.

On the set of ‘Under The Hawthorne Tree’, with Young Irish Film Makers

Young Irish Film Makers on the set of the National Youth Film school 2019

‘Young Irish Film Makers are entering a new era as it turns 30,’ says Garry McHugh (Director of YIFM) ‘and we are now working with almost 2000 young people each year nationwide. Training them in the skills they need to make lms, produce animation and kick start a career in the screen industry. With amazing support from funders like Kilkenny Carlow ETB, the Arts Council, Screen Ireland and the Department of Children, Equality, Integration, Disability and Youth, they are looking forward to many exciting years ahead working with young people all over Ireland and beyond.’