Jean, a former student at St Mary's College in Naas, is one of eight animators who worked on the Dublin-based studio's six-minute film, directed by Nicky Phelan. The movie tells the tale of a seemingly sweet old lady who terrifies her granddaughter a
t bedtime with her dark version of the classic fairytale.
"I cannot believe it, I'm so happy," Jean told the Leinster Leader yesterday, as the studio's staff planned their celebrations. She spent about two months working on the film, which was funded by the Irish Film Board, RTE and the Arts Council.
Jean has been with Brown Bag Films for six years. She studied animation at Ballyfermot College of Further Education. After leaving in 2002 she spent a year in England working in the gaming industry before returning home.
"I was always drawing when I was younger, I was always interested in it," she said. "I was going to do something academic but I changed my mind at the last minute, and I think I made the right choice!"
All eyes are now on the Oscars ceremony, which will be hosted by Steve Martin and Alec Baldwin in Los Angeles on March 7.
It is the second time at the Oscars for Brown Bag Films, which was previously nominated in 2002 for 'Give Up Yer Auld Sins'. For Jean, it would be the chance of a lifetime to mingle with fellow nominees George Clooney, Meryl Streep and James Cameron on the red carpet.
"I hope I will be able to go, but it's all so up in the air at the moment that I'm not sure," said Jean.
"While writer Kathleen O'Rourke and director Nicky Phelan might be the only ones who can go to the ceremony, we'd all love to go over as well for the party!".
'Granny O'Grimm' will face tough competition for the famed golden statuette. It is nominated in the same category as Nick Park's Wallace and Gromit adventure 'A Matter of Loaf and Death'. "All of the other films are of a very high standard too," said Jean.
'Granny O'Grimm' has already received several national and international awards, including gongs from the Newport Beach Film Festival, Cinegal Montreal and the Heart of Gold Film Festival in Australia.
"I was always saying I reckoned we'd get nominated for an Oscar - look at us now!" said a delighted Jean.
The short film can be watched at
www.grannyogrimm.com.
