Comments from Stephen Kane to contribute to the debate on the future of the IFB's low/micro-budget initiatives.

Has the initiative been judged a failure by the IFB? Did the filmmakers do something wrong? Did we waste taxpayers money? Last year we were hearing about how we had 'punched above our weight' – that we had delivered great films at a fraction of what they might have cost. The change in outlook seems to revolve around the belief that sales agents are better placed to decide which films are good enough to be made. The board should be leading the way in helping to create an indigenous industry. Instead it seems to want to be reduced to playing follow the leader.

Stephen Kane
Writer/ Director of Starfish

This article was printed in Film Ireland 103 (Mar/Apr 2005)