Dublin animator Richard Baneham, who won an Academy award for visual effects on blockbuster film Avatar today described his joy at collecting his Oscar at a glittering ceremony in Hollywood.
Mr Baneham, who trained in Ballyfermot College and now works on some of the world’s biggest film productions in Los Angeles, said the honour did not hit home until after the ceremony.
“It’s an incredibly surreal moment,” he said. “The strange thing is it’s kind of a serene feeling in this weird way to be finally handed the trophy.
“It does not feel real in any way, until you have come through the press and done all that and walked away and handed the piece to your wife and say ‘here, what do you think of that?’
“Only at that moment was it that I actually said ‘it’s a lot heavier than I expected’. At that point it seems real.”
Mr Baneham was animation supervisor on Avatar - the most financially successful film in cinema history.
He studied the trade in Ballyfermot College of Further Education before moving to Los Angeles and has worked on a number of other blockbusters including the Lord of the Rings trilogy and The Chronicles of Narnia.
Mr Baneham told RTE Radio that he began celebrating in Dylan’s bar Hollywood with family, friends and colleagues before joining other industry figures.
The Dubliner won a Bafta award in the same category last month and was one of five Irish nominees at this year’s Oscars.
President Mary McAleese congratulated Mr Baneham on his award, which she said was a "wonderful recognition of Richard's remarkable talent for animation". She said this year's Oscars, which saw Irish filmmakers nominated in five categories, were a "testimony of the vibrancy and diversity of film industry talent in Ireland".
Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism Martin Cullen congratulated him on his win. He said he was "one of Ireland's most accomplished animators and winning this much-coveted award is a great personal success and a further recognition of the talent available in the Irish film industry either working at home or abroad".
"Both Richard’s Academy Award and his recent Bafta will inspire young Irish creative animators and all those working in, and committed to art, design and the digital media in Ireland.”
“At this year’s Oscars, Ireland had nominees in five categories, all at the cutting edge of filmmaking - and especially animation, where skills of craftsmanship and storytelling combine with digital technology."
Mr Cullen also extended his congratulations to the other Irish nominees.
Irish Film Board chief executive Simon Perry said the success in the US awards was an inspiration.
“The Academy has already acknowledged the exceptional talent of Irish film-makers with five Irish nominations, but for Richard to win an Oscar is international recognition at the highest level,” he said. “We are delighted for Richard and his team. It is inspiring to see that the fires of Irish talent continue to burn as brightly as ever. This award is a further reinforcement of Ireland’s reputation for creativity and innovation.”
Fine Gael’s arts spokeswoman Olivia Mitchell said Mr Baneham’s award was a “tremendous honour” that is “richly deserved”.
Once more the creativity of Irish artists has been internationally recognised at the highest level and I hope this results in further support for those in the visual effects and film industries,” she said.
Mary Upton, Labour’s spokeswoman on arts, said the Dublin man’s “wonderful accomplishment” would give cause for optimism for the future of Irish filmmaking. “Richie’s Oscar, along with the other Irish nominations gives us a clear indication that when young Irish people are provided with decent education and training opportunities, they can flourish and excel at the highest level,” she said.