An Post Film Reel
8 July 2008
Certain to be popular, each of the four stamps feature a respected Irish actor within their roles in recent films produced in Ireland. The films selected have been successful both in Ireland and abroad and represent the broader spectrum of the vibrant Irish film industry.
Actor Cillian Murphy features in his role in The Wind that Shakes the Barley on an 82c denomination stamp. The film, directed by Ken Loach, was produced in Ireland during 2006 and awarded the Palme D’Or at that year’s Cannes Film Festival.
Actor Brid Ni Neachtáin appears on a 55c stamp from her role in Cre na Cille. Directed by Robert Quinn in 2007 as an adaptation of the famous novel by Máirtin O’ Cadhain, this film was selected for screening at the 2007 Shanghai International Film Festival. Attending the event Brid said “I’m delighted that Cré na Cille is being featured in the series, míle buíochas do An Post”
Actor Colm Meaney appears on a 55c denomination stamp in his role in Kings. Directed by Tom Collins and based on the play Kings of the Kilburn Highroad, by Jimmy Murphy, Kings is a 2007 film featuring both the Irish and English languages and was Ireland’s official entry for Best Foreign-language Film in the 2008 Academy Awards.
Actor Pat Shortt features on an 82c denomination stamp in his role in Garage, directed by Lenny Abrahamson and written by Mark O’Halloran. Garage received four prizes at the Irish Film and Television Awards, Best Film, Best Script, Best Actor and Best Director. Garage also won the CICAE Prize at the 2007 Cannes Film Festival and Best Feature Film at the 2007 Turin Film Festival.
Previous stamp issues celebrating the creativity and success of Irish film and television, past and present includes an earlier series of film stamps (1996) marking 100 years of Irish cinema and featuring films Man of Aran, The Field,, My Left Foot, and The Commitments. An Post has also issued stamps commemorating RTE’s broadcasting history from the GPO as well as the memorable and popular Zig and Zag stamp issue (1996).
The Filmed in Ireland stamps are available from the GPO philatelic shop (01-7057400), selected post offices nationwide and from www.irishstamps.ie (new window)
