Killane woman invited to join Academy of Motion Pictures
A Wexford production designer has been invited to join the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, the body of cinematic artists who vote for Oscar winners and run the Academy Awards.
Anna Rackard, a native of Killane, Enniscorthy joins the U2 drummer Larry Mullen among the latest world-wide group of members to to be enlisted into the distinguished organisation.
Anna who works as a feature film, television drama and commercials production designer, won Irish Film and Television Awards in 2010 for her design work on Neil Jordan’s ‘Ondine’, starring Colin Farrell, and in 2012 for ‘Stella Days’, starring Martin Sheen and Stephen Rea.
She is the youngest daughter of the late Betty and and Bobby Rackard, the legendary Wexford hurler.
Other Irish talent recruited into the Academy in the latest round of membership announcements are the costume designers Eimer Ni Mhaoldomhaigh and Catherine George.
A total of 819 invitations were extended to artists and executives around the world who have distinguished themselves by their contributions to motion pictures, including 75 Oscar nominess, 15 winners and five recipients of Scientific and Technical Awards.
‘ The Academy is delighted to welcome these distinguished fellow travellers in the motion picture arts and sciences. We have always embraced extraordinary talent that reflects the rich variety of our global film community, and never more so than now,’ said Academy
President David Rubin.
Ms. Rackard who did the production design on Jane Austin adaptation ‘Love and Friendship’ starring Kate Beckinsale, was awarded the Fellowship of Wexford Film in 2016.
She has worked as an art director on Neil Jordan’s ‘ The Butcher Boy’, the 2004 Jerry Bruckheimer production ‘King Arthur’ and the Amy Adams romantic comedy ‘Leap Year’.
She also did the production design for the 2018 mystery drama ‘We Have Always Lived in the Castle, an adaptation of a Shirley Jackson novel with ‘Captain America’ star Sebastian Stan and Crispin Glover (Back to the Future) which was filmed mainly in Wicklow.
Her television drama work includes A Dangerous Fortune for ZDF, Foyle’s War for ITV and George Gently for the BBC. In 2001, she published a book Fish Stone Water on the holy wells of Ireland and in 2004 co-directed a documentry on the same subject called An Tobar.
She maintains a fine art photography practice alongside her film career.