An Cailín Ciúin (The Quiet Girl) has continued to break records for an for Irish language film after it surpassed €600,000 at the UK and Irish box office.
Based on Claire Keegan's novel, Foster, An Cailín Ciúin is set in early 1980s Ireland and follows Cáit, played by newcomer Caitríona Clinse, a young girl whose family send her to her mother's cousin to be cared for while her mother has another baby.
It is currently No. 14 in the top 20 of Irish and UK films at the box office this week.
The film, which also stars Carrie Crowley and Andrew Bennett, is the feature film debut of writer/director Colm Bairéad and producer, Cleona Ní Chrualaoi of Inscéal.
An Cailín Ciúin has been critically acclaimed by major publications and has already broken several records for an Irish-language film and is now the highest grossing Irish language film in history.
In the coming weeks, An Cailín Ciúin will have its Australian premiere at the Sydney Film Festival next week and is amongst 12 films in official competition at the festival. The film has also brokered a major sales deal for an Australian and New Zealand cinema release this year.
The film had its World Premiere at the Berlinale (Berlin International Film Festival) in February, the first Irish-language feature film to be selected for the festival.
At the festival, it won the Grand Prix of the Generation Kplus International Jury for Best Film, another first for an Irish-language feature film. The film also received a Special Mention from the Children's Jury.
At the Irish Film and Television Academy awards, the film picked up the most accolades for any single project with seven prizes, including Best Film - the first time an Irish-language film has ever won this award - and Best Director (Film) for Colm Bairéad.
Speaking about the film's continued success, Désirée Finnegan, Chief Executive of Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, said: "Screen Ireland is delighted to congratulate director Colm Bairéad and producer Cleona Ní Chrualaoí, as well as distributors Break Out and Curzon, on the remarkable response to An Cailín Ciúin since its release in Irish and UK cinemas.
"The film’s success is an outstanding example of Irish filmmaking talent and a powerful story beautifully told and crafted.
"We are delighted for the film’s incredible commercial success at the box office and to see that audiences have responded so well, as well as to the other recent Irish-language films.
"This feels like a new horizon for Irish-language cinema and for the artistic expression of our national culture on screen for a new generation."
