14/04/2005

Mark Woods, Chief Executive Officer of the Irish Film Board (IFB) has just resigned from his post to return to Australia where he had been living over 12 years before joining the Irish agency in October 2003.

"Working at the IFB has been an unforgettable experience", said Woods. "I thank former Chairman Ossie Kilkenny and present Chairman James Morris for their support for the agency and I would especially like to salute Arts, Sports and Tourism Minister John O’Donoghue for his faith in the Irish industry as evidenced by the renewal of the Section 481 tax incentive and his increasing the agency’s budget by 32% in the past 18 months".
"With this increased funding and the tax incentive in place, together with a range of new initiatives (such as the Regional Film & TV Fund, Documenting the Arts Fund, Test Screenings program, the Film Dublin Partnership and the Revolving Pre-production Cashflow Fund), the agency is in good shape to serve the Irish film industry’s talent base", he added. "Forthcoming films like Neil Jordan’s Breakfast on Pluto (tipped for a Cannes selection this year), Boys Eats Girl, Pavee Lackeen, Isolation, Studs, Dead Long Enough and Short Order are a pleasing testament to the range and depth of that talent" concluded Woods.

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Commenting on Woods departure, IFB Chairman James Morris said: "In an increasingly competitive international marketplace for Irish filmmakers and Ireland, Mark and his team have developed a clear sighted programme of initiatives and supports to assist the Irish film industry in competing successfully at home and abroad. Mark’s understanding of the importance of international alliances and competitiveness is a perspective that will undoubtedly be strongly maintained into the future".
In Australia, Mark Woods will take up the position of CEO with Sydney-based content and marketing agency Ausfilm next August.