Local film nominated for Academy Award
It was announced on Tuesday that ‘The Secret of Kells’, an Irish animated film, has been nominated for the Best Animated Feature Film category of the 82nd Academy Awards. The film was conceived and created by the Kilkenny City-based Cartoon Saloon, a film and design studio set up by Tomm Moore and Paul Young (who are no doubt feeling justifiably pleased with themselves at present!).
With such actors as Brendan Gleeson and Mick Lally providing the voices, the film tells the story of a young apprentice monk in the Dark Ages, living in an abbey with his strict uncle and other monks. The arrival of a master illuminator with the unfinished Book of Kells shows the young hero the beauty of illumination, and soon he is off on an amazing adventure to help complete the book before the Viking hordes besiege the abbey. Utilising hand-drawn imagery alongside computer animation with a very Celtic flavour, the film is fast-paced, visually beautiful, and very enjoyable.
A joint Irish, French, and Belgian production, ‘The Secret of Kells’ has received acclaim and numerous awards since its release, and this Academy Award must be the icing on the cake for the creators. It is up against major productions such as ‘Coraline’, ‘Fantastic Mr Fox’, and ‘The Princess and the Frog’, and we wish it the best of luck. The winners will be announced on March 7th.
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