UK-based production, sales and distribution company Swipe Films announced February 28 that it has completed post-production on the feature documentary Quintessentially Irish, directed by Frank Mannion, ahead of the film’s March 12 North American release in cinemas and on VOD by Visions Films. Swipe Films’ theatrical distribution arm will release the film in the UK and Ireland on April 26.
The film was sold to Vision Films for North America together with all other available international rights (excluding UK and Ireland) after Swipe Films considered “multiple offers,” the company confirmed.
Quintessentially Irish features a remarkable cast celebrating “everything that is great and Irish,” and is led by three heads of state – Irish President Michael D Higgins, President Joe Biden and HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco (son of Grace Kelly). The filmmakers had exclusive access to the White House on St Patrick’s Day (President Joe Biden is a proud Irish American whose family is from County Mayo) as well as to the Palace of Monaco and the Presidential Mansion in Dublin during the State visit of Joe Biden in April 2023.
Interviewees also include Navan-born actor Pierce Brosnan, Academy Award-winner Jeremy Irons, Bob Geldof, Andrew Scott, Sharon Horgan, Siobhan McSweeney (Derry Girls), the Hon. Rory Guinness (great-great-great grandson of Guinness founder, Arthur Guinness), business tycoon and former Manchester United owner John Magnier, the conservationist Randal Plunkett (aka Lord Dunsany), Grand National-winning jockey Rachael Blackmore, best-selling writer Emma Dabiri, Celebrity Masterchef winner Riyadh Khalaf, and Olympic Gold medalist Usain Bolt together with his Irish agent Ricky Simms. The film also includes a cameo from Irish musician Niall Horan.
Quintessentially Irish is the third film directed by the Frank Mannion, after his debut Sparkling: The Story of Champagne, featuring Stephen Fry, and Quintessentially British with Ian McKellen and Judi Dench.
The film, executive-produced by Oxana Popkova and produced by Mannion, is a Swipe Films production in association with Carlow Castle Films, Kasiyan Knockbeg Entreprises, CBS 1A1 Motion Picture Fund and Vision Films.
Lise Romanoff, CEO/Managing Director of Vision comments: “Quintessentially Irish is an unprecedented peek into the celebrity and history of Ireland. We are excited to release this fun and fact-filled documentary in time to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day!”
Producer/director Frank Mannion adds: “Quintessentially Irish reflects the modern reality that Ireland…has a renewed national self-confidence that is reflected in the thrilling mix of a new generation of artists and novelists, the inward investment brought in by the filming of Game of Thrones, Normal People, Banshees of Inisherin and Star Wars: The Last Jedi, and the huge revenues pumped into the Irish economy by tech companies like Apple and Google. There are 23 million Americans who claim Irish heritage and 6 million Brits with an Irish grandparent. They are our target audience. I look forward to seeing what audiences make of this valentine to all things great and Irish. Hopefully audiences will feel that Quintessentially Irish is the perfect film to watch this St Patrick’s Day.”
