FOSCADH, THE Galway made, Irish language feature film, inspired by Donal Ryan's The Thing About December, has been chosen as Ireland’s entry for Oscars’ Best International Feature Film category.
The film was written and directed by Seán Breathnach, who teaches scriptwriting and production on the MA (Cleachtas Gairmiúil sna Meáin ) and the BA (Cumarsáid agus Gaeilge ) programme at NUI’s Acadamh na hOllscolaíochta Gaeilge.
It was shot in Connemara and stars Dónal Ó Héalaí (Arracht ), Fionnuala Flaherty (Out of Innocence ) and Cillian Ó Gairbhí (Blood ). Former students of NUIG media courses, Eoin O’Kelly Smith and Daithí Ó Cinnéide, worked as trainee assistant directors on the film.
Foscadh has already won the Best Irish First Feature at the 2021 Galway Film Fleadh, and this week the Irish Film & Television Academy selected Foscadh as Ireland’s entry for the Oscars’ Best International Feature Film category at the upcoming 94th annual Academy Awards - the second year in a row an Irish Language film has been selected. Arracht, also made in Galway, was last year's selection.
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Foscadh is part of the Cine 4 scheme, which is supported by Fís Éireann / Screen Ireland, the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, and TG4, an initiative set up in 2017 to develop original feature films in the Irish language. Foscadh is the third release from Cine4 following Finky and Arracht.
