Kilkenny screen talent shines at Berlinale

Kilkenny’s screen sector made a strong and coordinated presence at the 76th Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale), showcasing the city as a hub for filmmaking, animation, and international creative collaboration.

Young Irish Film Makers (YIFM) highlighted Kilkenny’s talent and production strengths at the European Film Market through the launch of Screen Kilkenny, promoting the city’s locations, skilled crews, and emerging creative talent.

Garry McHugh also represented YIFM at the Screen Talent Europe AGM, where YIFM became one of only three new organisations invited to join the network alongside representatives from Kosovo and Turkey. This membership strengthens Kilkenny’s international profile and supports young filmmakers entering the industry. Screen Kilkenny is now open for business at www.screenkilkenny.com for more details.

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Meanwhile Cartoon Saloon, the globally acclaimed animation studio, engaged with Japanese film and animation industry officials, together with Screen Ireland, to explore creative collaborations and discuss pathways for closer cooperation between the two countries, including expressing support for the development of a potential co- production treaty. Given the global strength and influence of anime, alongside the studio’s strong tradition in 2D hand-drawn animation, such collaborations represent a
natural alignment and an exciting opportunity for creative exchange.

The studio also highlighted its involvement in the Global Anime Challenge, as it is currently hosting leading Japanese animation professionals, including:

• Keiichiro Saito (Director, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End)
• Takafumi Nakame (Producer, Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End)
• Ayumi Moriyama (Director, Pokémon the Movie)
• Hiromi Hasegawa (Cultural Coordinator)

The programme provides workshops, creative exchange, and observation of production workflows, offering emerging creators insight into global animation practices across story, design, and production.

Together, these initiatives underline Kilkenny’s growing reputation as a centre for filmmaking, animation innovation, talent development, and international engagement.