Award from the Artist Support Scheme 2020

Huge thanks to the Galway County Council’s Arts Office for selecting my work for an award under the Artist Support Scheme 2020 to enable me to write a high concept science fiction screenplay, Ardent.

Support from arts organisations for projects like this truly matters. A sincere buíochas to GCC Arts Officer Sharon O’Grady and the adjudicating panel for choosing my project from a competitive field.

I conceived the story some years ago with Greg Day. I wrote the treatment from the concept, hoping to arrange the time and headspace necessary to move it onto the script stage, but other deadlines and projects kept interfering.

Recently Greg discussed the idea with the excellent Canadian director Danishka Esterhazy (Level 16, The Banana Splits Movie), and she has attached herself to the project. This has been a fantastic meeting of minds and interests.

Film development is a long and difficult process, so this encouragement from my local County Council Arts Office at a critical stage is a boon. Especially for an ambitious genre film that’s about a world, and people, facing crisis.

I’m very grateful for the support. Gaillimh Abú!