IFTA win for animated film made in Offaly

An animated film which was produced in Offaly during the first lockdown has won the award for Best Animated Short at the IFTAS recently.

The short film, 'Soft Tissue' made by animator and filmmaker Cliona Noonan received the accolade at Sunday night’s IFTA award ceremony in Dublin.

Cliona previously undertook a six-month residency placement in Birr which offers animators a one of a kind chance to focus on their passion project without the burden of rent, studio or equipment costs.

The fim follows a father who takes desperate measures in the hopes of saving his son but his actions soon become a distraction from what matters to him most.

Residency co-ordinator and executive producer Gary Hoctor said “We always knew that the residency offered creatives a chance to create something special. What makes this just as rewarding is the fact that Cliona completed this short through the long lonely days of the first lockdown. We feel justified now with our decision to forge ahead that year, when so many other events and activities were being mothballed. I admire Cliona’s perseverance as much as her obvious talent.”

This film was made thanks to the OFFline Animation Residency, Offaly County Council, J.V.M Trench Will Trust, Creative Ireland and Piranha Bar. The residency is funded by the Trench Trust and Creative Ireland through Offaly County Council and receives mentoring funding through Offaly LEO with initial equipment co-funded by Offaly Local Development Company, LEADER.

Cliona graduated from the National Film School of Ireland with a BA in Animation, having directed her graduation film Tuna. Her work has screened at film festivals internationally including Pictoplasma, Animafest Zagreb and ITFS Stuttgart. In 2020 she directed ‘Wet & Soppy’, and ‘Soft Tissue’ is her latest short film.