WRAP Fund

02/06/2026

Comhghairdeas mhór to the team behind behind Learning to Breathe Underwater as it makes its world premiere at the 60th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival and its Irish premiere at Galway Film Fleadh this July! ✨🎬💚

Filmed in Galway in 2025 – and starring Rory Kinnear, Maria Bakalova and Ezra Carlisle – Learning to Breathe Under Water follows an eight-year-old boy as he navigates life after the death of his mother while his father swings between manic creativity and debilitating anxiety. The arrival of a Bulgarian au pair brings unexpected changes to the household.

The film is directed by Rebekah Fortune from a script by Richard Barbin. The project is produced by Jack Tarling of the UK’s Shudder Films and Patrick O’Neill of Ireland’s Wildcard, co-produced by KeyFilm in the Netherlands, One Wave Films in Wales and made in association with Éiru Films and Finite Films.

Learning to Breathe Under Water is proudly supported by WRAP Fund, alongside Fís Éireann/ Screen Ireland, BFI Global Screen Fund, Ffilm Cymru, Netherlands Film Fund, Finite Films, Bankside Films, Three Point Capital, Kamila Serkabaeva and Dias Feld.

Find out more about the film & book your tickets:

https://www.kviff.com/en/homepage

https://www.galwayfilmfleadh.com/

27/05/2026

As part of its continued growth as an organisation, the team at Ardán is relocating its headquarters from the CREW Hub on Wellpark Road into Galway city centre. Ardán is a film, TV, games, and animation organisation based in Galway that supports the creative screen industries across the West of Ireland and throughout the country.

A milestone for the non-profit, as Wellpark Road has been home to Ardán for the last 32 years. Galway Film Centre – having opened in 1989 as a resource for local filmmakers – moved its office to what is now known as ATU’s Centre for Creative Arts and Media (CCAM) in 1994. It is a credit to the many people that have been part of Galway Film Centre through the years which has allowed the organisation to become what it is today. In 2022, we rebranded as Ardán – meaning platform or stage – to encompass the evolving screen industry we support. In 2024, Ardán moved into the CREW Hub, of which it is a founding member, having played a key part in the establishment of this creative innovation space.

“As we move our headquarters back to Galway city centre – where Galway Film Resource Centre originally started its journey back in 1989 – Ardán continues its mission to support and platform screen creatives and to be a key part of the ecosystem in the West of Ireland. This relocation allows the team at Ardán to continue to provide the creative talent opportunities we always have, and to expand that support even further.” Alan Duggan, Ardán CEO

“Ardán’s move marks exactly the kind of milestone CREW is designed to support, providing space and dedicated enterprise support to help creative organisations start, scale and graduate. As a founding partner, Ardán has played a central role in shaping both the hub and the wider ecosystem. Through our collaboration, particularly in strengthening supports for digital creative startups, we’ve seen real progress across the region. Their expansion into a new city centre headquarters is a strong signal of that momentum, and we look forward to continuing our work together in this next phase.” Niamh Costello, CEO CREW

We were proud to have helped build a brilliant hub at CREW over the last couple of years, and we look forward to continuing to collaborate with the creative community there. As our organisation continues to grow, it is the right time to make this move. So, with that, the team will be based in Ard Rí House on Abbeygate Street Lower from May 2026.

Photo Credit: Brigid Vinnell Photography/ Sunbeka Imaging

Read more on the website: https://ardan.ie/news/ardan-moves-its-headquarters-to-galway-city-centre-as-organisation-expands/

25/05/2026

✨Spotlight on Leitrim!✨

Positioned in the North-West of Ireland, County Leitrim is home to an array of sites that portray the idyllic sentiment of old Ireland. Sites range from the small-town shop streets and thatched-roof cottages such as Dromod Village and Drumshanbo, to stately manor houses and castle grounds like Lough Rynn and Parkes castles. The dramatic mountain range of Sliabh an Iarainn, the majestic Lough Allen, Fowley's Falls, Glencar Lake plus a small, but picturesque coastline makes it a hidden gem.

Cinemas have been active in Leitrim since 1929 with Carrick on-Shannon's first Talking Pictures being shown in 'Barry's Hippodrome' situated in Dolan's Field. The Ritz Cinema, Mohill, The Lyric Cinema, Ballinamore and The Park Cinema, Manorhamilton all opened in the 1940s. Production companies in the area include Bandit Film and Janey Pictures. Notable productions are Jimmy’s Hall (2014), Black Ice (2013), and The Winter Lake (2020). The Adaptation Film Festival is hosted in Leitrim every September. It is home to a new cinema initiative Cinema Northwest and the Creative Heartlands Equipment base at the Glens Centre Manorhamilton.

Read more about Leitrim: https://leitrimtourism.com/ | http://wrapfund.ie

WRAP is a joint initiative between Ardán & the Western Development Commission, with local authorities in Clare, Donegal, Galway City, Galway County, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Sligo & Údarás na Gaeltachta.

Creative Heartlands Leitrim County Council

19/05/2026

18/05/2026

Go raibh maith agat to The Galway Advertiser for Ardán and WRAP Fund’s feature in the Industry in the West special of their newspaper last week.

Read the full article at the link - page 52-53 https://edition.pagesuite-professional.co.uk/html5/reader/production/default.aspx?pubname=Galway%20Advertiser&pubid=a2fc81f2-0ccf-4dbf-aca1-00bedf4bde35

18/05/2026

15/05/2026