Latest news with #IrishFilmClassificationOffice
Irish Independent
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Independent
Two Irish films earn enough to break into the top 25 box office performers
That is according to the 2024 annual report for the Irish Film Classification Office (IFCO) which shows that the biggest movie at the Irish box office last year was Disney's Inside Out 2 which grossed €6.2m. Inside Out 2 was well ahead of the second biggest hit at the box office last year, Despicable Me 4 which grossed €4.83m. Paul Mescal's much anticipated Gladiator II opened in November to mixed reviews and recorded the fifth highest box office of the year at €3.67m, and was edged out of the top four by Deadpool & Wolverine, which grossed €4.36m and Wicked, which enjoyed a box-office of €3.83m. No Irish movie broke into the top 25 top box office movies for 2023, but last year, two did with Small Things Like These ranked 11th, with a box office of €2.4m, while Kneecap had a box office of €1.14m and was ranked 25th. The report says that total box office revenue in 2024 at the Irish cinema was €102.5m, up €1.5m on 2023, while total box office admissions in 2024 was 11.62m, up 1pc on 2023. In his report, director at the IFCO, Dr Ciarán Kissane said: 'It is great to see Irish titles, Kneecap and Small Things Like These, in the top 25 box office earners in 2024.' Small Things Like These stars Cillian Murphy and Emily Watson, and was adapted for the screen by Enda Walsh from the best-selling Claire Keegan 2021 novel. The comedy drama Kneecap depicts the rise of Kneecap, the hip-hop trio from Belfast. The movie premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival, and was the first Irish language movie to do so where it won the NEXT Audience Award. Dr Kissane said: 'Films originating from Ireland accounted for 17pc of features and shorts classified for Irish cinema in 2024. ADVERTISEMENT This is a significant increase on 2023 figures, where Irish features accounted for just 10pc.' The report says that 'the increase in Irish material is linked to the increase in the number of shorts classified and this reflects IFCO's increased engagement with Irish film festivals and producers'. Dr Kissane said that 'while box office revenue is back to the pre-pandemic peak, admissions are still over 3.5m lower than 2019'. He said: 'This indicates that there remains significant room for growth and this is supported by independent analysis.' He said that in PwC's Ireland Entertainment Media Outlook 2024-2027, total cinema revenue in Ireland is projected to grow to €161m by 2027. 'This would be a significant increase on the pre-pandemic 2019 figure of €124m.' He said the majority of the top 25 grossing films in 2024 were US releases and these accounted for more than 55pc of total box office revenue. Concerning complaints received in 2024, IFCO received correspondence about 13 different films and the report says that 'all were dealt with and closed within specified timeframes'.
Irish Examiner
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Kneecap among the top performers as Irish box office totals €102.5m
Two Irish movies, Small Things Like These and Kneecap last year broke into the top 25 box office performers at the cinema here. That is according to the 2024 annual report for the Irish Film Classification Office (Ifco) which shows the biggest movie at the Irish box office last year was Disney's Inside Out 2, which grossed €6.2m. Inside Out 2 was well ahead of the second biggest hit at the box office last year, Despicable Me 4, which grossed €4.83m. Paul Mescal's much anticipated Gladiator II opened in November to mixed reviews and recorded the fifth highest box office of the year at €3.67m, and was edged out of the top four by Deadpool & Wolverine, which grossed €4.36m and Wicked which enjoyed a box-office of €3.83m. No Irish film broke into the top 25 box office movies for 2023 but last year, two did, with Small Things Like These ranked 11th and had a box office of €2.4m, while Kneecap had a box office of €1.14m and was ranked 25th. The report says total box office revenue in 2024 at the Irish cinema was €102.5m, up €1.5m on 2023, while total box office admissions in 2024 was 11.62m, up 1% on 2023. In his report, Ifco director Dr Ciarán Kissane said: 'It is great to see Irish titles, Kneecap and Small Things Like These, in the top 25 box office earners in 2024.' Small Things Like These stars Cillian Murphy and Emily Watson and was adapted for the screen by Enda Walsh from the best-selling Claire Keegan 2021 novel. The comedy drama Kneecap movie depicts the rise of Kneecap, the hip-hop trio from Belfast. The movie premiered at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival and was the first Irish language movie to do so where it won the NEXT Audience Award. Read More Irish companies double down on DEI despite shift in the US
Irish Examiner
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Irish Examiner
Cinema-goer who 'had my mind polluted' among complaints to film regulator
Appalled cinema-goers have written to complain over sex and violence being shown on Irish film screens, with one remarking they felt their 'mind was polluted' after watching a multi-Oscar winning movie. The Irish Film Classification Office (IFCO) has released details of correspondence it has received so far this year, which referenced seven different films, including award-winning movies The Brutalist and Anora. Most related to the film's age rating being too lenient, while others referenced the bad language and sexual content in them. A mother who had just brought her son to see the 15A-rated We Live In Time, a romantic drama starring Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield, was one of those who wrote in. 'I had no idea from the advertisement that there would be sexual content and nude scenes in the movie,' she said. It was embarrassing to take my 14-year-old son to watch the movie. Being a Catholic mom, this movie in my view should not be viewed by young adults in cinema and should not be screened at all. Another went to see The Brutalist and, having seen it won many awards, assumed it 'must be good'. 'I can honestly say I feel my mind has been polluted by watching that film,' the person wrote. 'It had a 16 rating, which I feel is appalling. I am 52 years old and the extreme pornography I saw last night at that film was most certainly not suitable for me, without my consent, and [should have] an 18 rating on it.' One took exception to the Barry Keoghan film Bring Them Down, saying they found it 'extremely disturbing, with graphic scenes of animal violence and someone's head being cut off' in a 15A film. A former school principal, meanwhile, said they were 'alarmed at the misogyny towards girls and women' in Anora, whose star Mikey Madison won the Oscar for best actress at the ceremony earlier this year. 'This movie gives a false impression of prostitution,' the former principal said. 'Human trafficking of girls and women is a serious issue here. I believe we as adults need to promote wholesome values that protect the mental health and wellbeing of our teenagers. This film gives all the wrong messages.' IFCO said none of these were considered to be a complaint, as per its complaints procedure, and all were resolved. 'At IFCO, we are committed to providing trusted guidance and information to help audiences make informed decisions on what video content they — and their children — view,' its director Dr Ciarán Kissane said, adding each classification decision was "carefully considered".
RTÉ News
06-06-2025
- Entertainment
- RTÉ News
New film classification guidelines for Ireland announced
The Irish Film Classification Office has published its revised and updated Classification Guidelines, with changes in how depictions of drugs, bullying, self-harm, and anti-social behaviour are classified. The IFCO, which is marking its centenary this year, classifies audio visual content for cinema release and home entertainment content sold in Ireland. According to the office, "the publication of the new Guidelines represents a key milestone in IFCO's commitment to transparency and public engagement in film classification." The new revised guidelines were produced following a comprehensive public consultation process and independent research conducted by IFCO and Behaviour & Attitudes in 2023. The IFCO has also published a "plain English" version of the classification guidelines commissioned from the National Adult Literacy Agency (NALA). Speaking about the new guidelines, Director of Film Classification Dr Ciarán Kissane said, "The publication of our revised Classification Guidelines marks a key milestone for IFCO. "By expanding the drugs category to include harmful behaviour, we are responding directly to the research published in 2023 and stakeholder feedback during our public consultation. "The new Classification Guidelines reflect our ongoing commitment to ensure our classifications remain relevant and reflect current community standards." "We are particularly proud to introduce a Plain English version of the Guidelines, developed in partnership with NALA. "It is important to us that our Classification Guidelines are accessible and easy to read for all, keeping in mind the younger audiences. By doing this, we hope to increase public understanding of IFCO's work and improve media literacy." In a statement, the office said, "The publication of the new revised Guidelines fulfils a key commitment set out in IFCO's Strategy Statement 2023 to 2025, underscoring the Office's dedication to providing trusted and timely classification and advice and evolving its practices in line with research, public engagement, and societal expectations". To mark the centenary of the IFCO, a new documentary entitled In the Opinion of the Censor, was screened at the Irish Film Institute last May, with an address from the Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration, Jim O'Callaghan TD. Narrated and presented by John Kelleher, Ireland's last Film Censor and first Director of Film Classification, the documentary examines the history of Irish film censorship. Drawing on contributions from historians, filmmakers, movie archivists, and media commentators, In the Opinion of the Censor sheds light on how the evolution of censorship closely mirrored changes in Irish society over the past century. Directed by Andrew Gallimore and Lydia Monin, film blends rare archival footage - drawing on the IFCO material donated to the National Archives in 2023, expert interviews, and scenes from censored films. Speaking at the film's debut screening, Jim O'Callaghan said, "Since its establishment, IFCO has undergone significant transformation, evolving from a body once focused heavily on censorship to one now centred on classification. "It has now been more than 20 years since a film has been censored or refused a certification for the Irish cinema audience and that is a clear demonstration of a positive and welcome shift of approach." "I want to pay tribute to Dr Ciaran Kissane and his predecessors, Mr Sheamus Smith and Mr John Kelleher, for their progressive leadership of IFCO. I have no doubt the office will continue to evolve along with Irish society." Dr Kissane, said, "In the Opinion of the Censor gives us an interesting look into the history of how film censorship has transitioned into classification. At IFCO, we are committed to providing trusted guidance and advice, that supports the availability of a diverse range of audio-visual content to the appropriate audiences. "For the past two years, the majority of our classifications have been in the advisory category. Our classification and accompanying consumer advice helps audiences make informed decisions on what audio visual content they - and their children - watch."
