It’s official!
Irish-language film Aontas has been selected as Ireland’s entry for the Oscars in the Best International Feature Film category.
The news was announced on Friday, with TG4 celebrating the film’s selection by the Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA) as it prepares to represent Ireland on the international stage.
Directed by Damian McCann, Aontas is an Irish-language heist thriller starring Carrie Crowley, Bríd Brennan and Eva-Jane Gaffney.
The film follows three unlikely thieves who rob a rural Irish Credit Union, led by a woman on the verge of a breakdown.
Opening in the aftermath of the heist gone wrong, the story unfolds backwards, chapter by chapter, as it reveals what led the group to the robbery.
The film marks the first feature from bilingual production company Púca Pictures and was written by Sarah Gordon and Damian McCann.
Aontas premiered on TG4 and TG4.ie in March and has already enjoyed success on the international festival circuit, having screened at more than 40 festivals in Ireland and around the world.
The film has also picked up a number of awards, including Best Film, Best Director and Best Script, while it was nominated for six IFTAs.
Speaking about the Oscar selection, director Damian McCann said he had been “blown away” by the response to the film so far.
“Aontas was born out of a conversation with my Mum where she described in detail how she would rob a bank (she’s an unlikely candidate…),” he said.
“That conversation led to a film that has connected with audiences around the world.”
He added that the film’s international success was a “testament to the power of its storytelling and performances”.
Aontas continues a strong run for Irish-language cinema, with five TG4 films having now been selected as Ireland’s Oscar entry for Best International Feature Film since 2021.
Those films include Arracht, Foscadh, An Cailín Ciúin, Kneecap and now Aontas.
Of course, Irish audiences will be hoping that Aontas can follow in the footsteps of An Cailín Ciúin, which made history in 2023 as the first Irish-language film to receive an Academy Award nomination.
Fingers crossed!