Irish Talent Receive Golden Globe Nods

Two films funded by Bord Scannan na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board have received nominations for the 73rd Golden Globe Awards. The movies are Room and Brooklyn.

Lenny Abrahamson's Room was nominated in the category of Best Motion Picture, Emma Donoghue was nominated for Best Screenplay for the same movie, which she adapted from her own award-winning book, while Brie Larson was nominated in the category of Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture for her role in Room. The fourth nomination went to Saoirse Ronan in the Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture for her role in Brooklyn.

Irish-born playwright and novelist Emma Donoghue, has already won awards for her previous works. She adapted Room as a screenplay and it was then directed by Lenny Abrahamson (Adam & Paul, Garage, What Richard Did). The film was developed and produced by Ed Guiney for Element Pictures, with Andrew Lowe as Executive Producer. Room was the winner of the People's Choice Award at the Toronto International Film Festival, and was named Best International Independent Film at the British Independent Film Awards.

Saoirse Ronan has already won major international awards including the Best Actress Award at the New York Film Critics Circle and the British Independent Film Awards for her role in John Crowley's Brooklyn. She will be honoured as Performer of the Year at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival (shared with Room's Brie Larson) and she received the New Hollywood Award at the Hollywood Film Awards. She has been nominated by the Screen Actors Guild in the category of Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role.

Brie Larson will share the Performer of the Year Award at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival with Saoirse Ronan. She was nominated at the Independent Spirit Awards in the category of Best Female Lead. The Screen Actors Guild has nominated her in the category of Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role.

Elsewhere, Michael Fassbender was nominated in the category of Best Actor in a Motion Picture for his performance in Danny Boyle's Steve Jobs. Caitriona Balfe received a nomination in the category of Best Actress in a TV series for Outlander. Also in this category is Eva Green, nominated for her role in Penny Dreadful, which was shot on location in Dublin.

Commenting on the news, James Hickey, CEO of Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board, said: "Irish film is enjoying a real 'coming of age' this year, with our writers, directors and actors all receiving unprecedented global acclaim – both with awards and from audiences. Today the industry is celebrating the Golden Globe nominations and coming next month are the Academy Award nominations, with Irish talent tipped to take centre stage. With support from the Irish Film Board, productions like Room and Brooklyn are considered to be amongst the world's best films in 2015."

(JP/LM)