More success for Ireland as three Element Pictures films invited for Cannes Festival selection

Element is coming off four Academy Award wins for Poor Things, including Best Actress for Emma Stone, Best Production Design, Best Makeup and Hairstyling and Best Costume Design.

The company is collaborating with Poor Things director Yorgos Lanthimos again for Kinds of Kindness.

Stone also returns to star alongside Willem Dafoe, Jesse Plemons and Margaret Qualley. The film will premiere in Cannes’ high-profile ‘Main Competition’ section.

In the ‘Un Certain Regard’ section of Cannes, September Says was filmed in Ireland and supported by Screen Ireland, BBC Film and Mubi. It will feature the debut of French actress Ariane Labed.

The third film from Element at Cannes will be On Becoming a Guinea Fowl, the second film directed by Rungano Nyoni. Post-produced in Ireland and filmed in Zambia, it was backed by BBC Film, A24 and Fremantle.

"We're absolutely thrilled and honoured that an unprecedented three films from Element Pictures are included in the Official Selection at the Cannes Film Festival,” Element co-CEOs Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe said.

“This is a significant achievement for the Element team and for the exceptionally talented directors, writers, actors and crews that we work with.

“These films are all incredibly special and we can’t wait for the world to see them. We are as ever very grateful to the Element team who have worked tirelessly on all three films to ensure they were finished in time for the festival.”

Today's News in 90 Seconds - April 11th

Previous success at Cannes for Element includes another Lanthimos film, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, being awarded Best Screenplay in 2016. The Lobster, also directed by Lanthimos and starring Colin Farrell, won the Jury Prize in 2015.

Ken Loach’s The Wind that Shakes the Barley, starring Cillian Murphy, won the Palme d’Or, Cannes’ biggest prize, in 2006.

Established in 2001, Element Pictures is based on Dublin’s O’Connell Street. The company has 26 Oscar nominations, 17 Golden Globe nominations and 38 BAFTA nominations to its name.

Other credits for Element include Normal People, the Sally Rooney adaptation starring Paul Mescal and Daisy Edgar-Jones, and two more Oscar winners including Room and The Favourite.

The four Oscar wins for Poor Things this year are the most ever for an Irish produced film.