Nora Twomey co-founded the Kilkenny-based animation studio Cartoon Saloon in 1999, establishing a base for Irish production that would eventually garner multiple Academy Award nominations. Born in Cork in 1971, her transition from factory work to professional animation culminated in a career defined by intricate, hand-drawn storytelling and the direction of significant international animated feature films.
Formative Experiences and Education
Before pursuing a professional path in film, Twomey attended St. Mary's Secondary School in Midleton, County Cork. At 15, she left school and spent a period performing manual labor, operating a conveyor belt on night shifts. She utilized this time to develop conceptual ideas while wearing headphones. She later studied fine art and secured a place at the School of Animation at Ballyfermot College in Dublin based on her portfolio, graduating in 1995.
Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.
Take the IQ test →Early Career at Cartoon Saloon
Following graduation, she worked at Brown Bag Films. In 1999, she partnered with Tomm Moore, Paul Young, and Ross Murray to launch Cartoon Saloon. Her early directorial output included the 2002 short film From Darkness, an Inuit-inspired story, and the 2004 short Cúilín Dualach, which explored themes of social acceptance. She also provided animation work for the television series Skunk Fu!
Feature Film Contributions
Twomey achieved significant recognition by co-directing The Secret of Kells, which premiered at the 2009 Berlin International Film Festival and received an Academy Award nomination. She contributed to Song of the Sea in 2014 as head of story and voice director. In 2017, she released The Breadwinner, her first feature-length project with sole directing credit. The film, which depicts a girl living under Taliban rule in Afghanistan, involved collaboration with executive producer Angelina Jolie.
Narrative Themes and Aesthetic
Her work primarily centers on coming-of-age stories involving pre-teen protagonists navigating family dynamics and external societal pressures. She utilizes a blend of traditional and digital techniques, often prioritizing hand-drawn visuals. In The Breadwinner, she employed a stark, realistic aesthetic for the narrative's central conflict, contrasted by geometric, color-saturated sequences to represent the protagonist's internal imaginative life.
Fast facts
- Born: 1971, Cork, Ireland
- Co-founder: Cartoon Saloon
- Ballyfermot College graduation year: 1995
- Directorial debut (short): From Darkness, 2002
- The Secret of Kells premiere: 2009
- The Breadwinner release: 2017
- Member: Motion Picture Academy
Questions readers ask
Which animated feature films did Nora Twomey direct?
She co-directed The Secret of Kells and directed the solo feature The Breadwinner.
Where is the animation studio Cartoon Saloon based?
It is based in Kilkenny City, Ireland.
Achievements
- Worked as film director, animator and director