Belfast director Terry George is celebrating after his film The Shore won an Oscar in the live action short category.
The Shore was filmed on Terry George’s family cottage at Coney Island near Ardglass.
It stars major Northern Ireland actors, including Ciaran Hinds, Maggie Cronin and Conleth Hill.
Mr George was twice previously nominated for his screenplays for Hotel Rwanda and In the Name of the Father.
He paid tribute to the people of Northern Ireland after receiving the Oscar.
“Our little film was inspired by the people of Northern Ireland, Protestant and Catholic, who after 30 years of war, sat down, negotiated a peace and proved to the world that the Irish are great talkers,” he said.
“I want to dedicate this to them.
“This is about reconciliation in Northern Ireland, it is really close to my heart.”
He also praised his daughter Oorlagh, who raised money for the film and acted as its producer.
“I’d like to thank the Academy because now I don’t have to wait for her wedding to tell the world how brilliant she is,” he said.
The Shore is about a man who emigrated to America 25 years ago to escape the Troubles and is now bringing his daughter back to meet his childhood friends, while harbouring a dark secret.
Maggie Cronin said she was thrilled to learn of the film’s success at the Oscars.
“We were leaping about the place,” she said.
“It ticks all the right boxes, it looks beautiful and I think it is a film we can all be proud of.
“It was a very good shoot to be involved with carried by some lovely performances.”
Northern Ireland Culture Minister Carál Ní Chuilín said the award was a “fantastic achievement” by the Northern Ireland film industry.
“It is wonderful that local talent and hard work is being recognised on the global stage,” she added.
‘Powerful vision’
Richard Williams, chief executive of Northern Ireland Screen, said an Oscar triumph represented “the best possible international industry endorsement for film talent worldwide”.
“Terry and Oorlagh George have done us proud,” he said.
“With their help, the profile of both the film industry in Northern Ireland and indeed the beauty of our place have received a major boost.
“Hundreds of thousands of short films are produced every year around the world and for Northern Ireland to win one really underlines the world class talent we have working in the industry here.
“The Shore is a beautiful, poignant and funny film.”
Danny Moore, of Lough Shore Investments, which helped to fund the film said the company were delighted at Mr George’s achievement.
“When Terry first conveyed the powerful vision of Northern Ireland he wanted to communicate to the world, we had no hesitation in getting involved,” he added.
“For us, The Shore afforded a very unique means through which we could showcase Northern Ireland abroad, both as a place to do business, film or otherwise, and as a rapidly expanding tourist destination.”