Contemporary Irish film: An introduction

(Introduction to collection CONTEMPORARY IRISH FILM: NEW PERSPECTIVES ON A NATIONAL CINEMA) The title of this paper is deliberately ambiguous. It is not only meant as an introduction to this collection, but also as a very basic introduction to the study of Irish film and cinema – considering the dearth of relevant material originating from, and visible in, the academic playing fields of Continental Europe or anywhere outside the Anglo-American sphere. Therefore, before we introduce the contents of this collection, a few summarising hints and guidelines for critics, students, and movie-goers new to the study of Irish film are in order. The "Works Cited" section appended to this introduction may be considered as an elementary checklist for the study of contemporary Irish cinema.