The Irish film industry could benefit significantly from Britain's vote to leave the EU, according to director Jim Sheridan.

The six-time Academy Award nominee urged the country to take immediate action to secure the work which he believes could desert the UK after the Brexit vote.

"Brexit will be big for us in film. Film is a long-term proposition, you need stability. A movie takes two years to get made, if you're lucky, so you're looking at every movie as a new business and you need stability and long-term planning.

"We are in the privileged position that we don't really realise and haven't taken advantage of in that we're one of the few English-speaking territories. We need to jump on this," he told the Irish Independent.

He called for an increase in the funding for the Irish Film Board but acknowledged that funds were always needed in crisis areas.

"Every time I say the Film Board should get more money, like the €20m that they used to have, you think of people on trolleys in hospitals but you can't consider it that way. If you did you wouldn't get up in the morning.

"People need to have a sense of hope and fun and film provides a vision, a narrative that we can step into the future," he said.

Sheridan, who was attending the Galway Film Fleadh, also praised 'The Siege of Jadotville' starring Jamie Dornan, as Ireland's first "blockbuster movie". He said the country should focus more on such films with high levels of special effects.

"It's the first Irish movie with a lot of special effects and it's really done well. I think we need to do more like this. The playing field is a bit more even now. Movies like this with these special effects show we are able to do business on an international level."

Irish Independent