Ananova:

A low-budget Irish movie that scooped a surprise Oscar earlier this year is to be turned into a Broadway musical.

'Once' was shot on camcorders and starred musicians rather than actors. Costing �?�130,000 (£111,000) to make and filmed without permission on the streets of Dublin, it wasn't really made to win awards.

But in February, it was given the biggest of them all - an Oscar for a song written and performed by the two main stars called 'Falling Slowly'.

Such is the popularity of the film its stars, musicians Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová, are now on a world tour performing the soundtrack.

And before their recent show London's Royal Albert Hall, Glen gave me his take on new plans to turn the film into a Broadway musical.

"One part of me dreads that idea of 'It's a musical' (he does the 'jazz hands' routine as he says it) and what that'll do to our film because our film is so simple," he says.

"But at the same time, when you make something, you put it into the world and you let it go, it's not yours any more. Whatever happens to it and whoever wants to interpret it in whatever way, you've got to salute it."

The theatre rights have been acquired by Tony-winning producers John N Hart Jr, Jeff Sine and Fred Zollo, who intend to bring it to Broadway for the 2010-11 season.

While a lot has happened since they won the Oscar for the film, Glen can still remember the moment the envelope was opened.

"I heard my name come out," he recalls. "I don't remember a thing after that moment. I've seen what I've said on stage on YouTube but I don't remember saying any of it."

Since winning the Oscar, the film's become a word of mouth favourite on DVD, taking around �?�15m (£12m) worldwide.

Not bad for a film shot on a shoestring.

:: For more info on Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová's tour, go to http://www.theswellseason.com/