Neil Jordan’s Vampire Thriller 'Byzantium' Nabs Funding From Irish Film Board

LONDON – Neil Jordan’s upcoming vampire thriller Byzantium, starring Saoirse Ronan, Gemma Arterton and Sam Reilly has glamored an undisclosed sum of development funding from the Irish Film Board, Ireland’s national development agency.

Jordan’s film, produced by Alan Moloney and Stephen Woolley is expected to shoot in locations around Ireland including Dublin and Wicklow, the IFB said in backing is part of its latest round of funding announced Monday (Nov. 28).

“The investment by the IFB in Byzantium will ensure that the project can be produced in Ireland, bringing with it international investment and ensuring Irish talent are attached to it,” Moloney said.

The IFB also said it is also pushing money into animated feature film Astrid Silverlock and the Staff of Virtue, which is being mounted by Emmy-award winning Irish banner Boulder Media.

Boulder Media’s output includes work for Cartoon Network, Disney and Nickelodeon among others and it is co-producing the fantasy adventure tale.

Also on the IFB funding roster is Mister John, billed as the first ever Irish–Singapore co-production.

Produced by famed Irish banner Samson Films, Mister John is a project from Christine Molloy & Joe Lawlor.

Elsewhere, Oscar-nominated Brown Bag Films, will receive development support for The Wooden Sword directed by Paul Bolger.

And Igloo Films’ latest project, entitled The Boy in the Bubble, written by Will Collins and directed by Kealan O’Rourke, is being popped into a feature film from a short film funded by the IFB that premiered at the Galway Film Festival this year.

Short film Oscar nominee director Steph Green has also received support for her much anticipated feature film debut Run and Jump. Written by Ailbhe Keogan, the project was selected for the Sundance Labs in 2010 and is one of a number of feature-length film debuts from new talent developed by the IFB.

IFB chief executive James Hickey described the latest funding round as showing a “strong mix between large scale feature length productions, animation and documentary films.”

He said: “We envisage that these production investments alone, will result in generating production activity of up to €38 million ($50.6 million) and will ensure that 2012 will be another year of sustained activity for the Irish film, television and animation industry.”