Last night (May 24th) the 12th Irish Film and Television Academy Awards took place in the Round Room of Dublin’s Mansion House. With Cannes coming to a close some of the bigger Irish stars couldn’t make it, but those that did were treated to an elaborate and efficient celebration of the best in Irish film and drama.
The Academy Award nominated Irish feature animation Song of the Sea was the big winner on the night, taking home the prize for Best Film. The film’s director Tomm Moore was shocked and delighted by the win , saying that “Irish filmmakers show they can see animation is a medium, not a genre”. The film is produced by Kilkenny based studio Cartoon Saloon, who also won Best Short Animation for Julien Regnard’s Somewhere Down The Line.
Legendary Irish director Jim Sheridan received a Lifetime Achievement Award for his prolific career, that includes six Academy Award nominations for films such as My Left Foot, In the Name of the Father, The Field, and In America. Actor Sean Bean presented a clearly elated Sheridan with the award, which was accompanied by tribute video that included director Neil Jordan, actor John Hurt, and rapper 50 Cent.
The heavily favoured Frank started the night with 9 nominations, winning three awards; Best Director for Lenny Abrahamson, Actor in a Supporting Role in Film for Domhnall Gleeson, and Director of Photography for James Mather. Director Abrahamson was unable to pick up his award personally as he was at the Corona Fastnet Short Film Festival, where he is patron.
Terry McMahon’s Patrick’s Day also began the night with 9 nominations (10 if you include Moe Dunford as Rising Star), and also took home 3 awards; Script Film for McMahon, Actor in a Lead Role in Film for Moe Dunford’s powerful central performance, and Sound for Ardmore Sound’s superb work on the film.
Rising Star went to Sarah Greene, who was on hand to pick up this award and Actress in a Supporting Role in Film for her portrayal of children’s activist Christina Noble in Stephen Bradley’s Noble. Irish comedian and actress Deirdre O’Kane won Actress in a Lead Role in Film for her portrayal of Christina in Noble as well. A documentary based on the life of Christina Noble, Atlantic Film Alliance’s In A House That Ceased to Be won George Morrison Feature Documentary, completing a sweep for Noble led films.
Contender for Best Documentary, One Million Dubliners, had to settle for Best Editing, with Emer Reynolds’ winning one of her two nominations in the category. Stephen McKeon work on Queen and Country won Original Score, beating out Stephen Rennick’s highly regarded work in Frank. John Paul Kelly won Production Design for his work on British film The Theory of Everything, which also won International Actor for Eddie Redmayne.
International Film went to Richard Linklater’s Boyhood, with Julianne Moore winning International Actress for Still Alice. Dave Tynan’s excellent tale of a young Roy Keane, Rockmount, won Short Film.
On the television drama front the big winner was RTÉ’s Love/Hate, winning 3 awards for Drama (in Association with BAI), series creator Stuart Carolan for Script Drama, and Actress in a Lead Role Drama for Charlie Murphy. Irish co-production Vikings won two awards, Director Drama for Ciaran Donnelly, and Make Up & Hair Sponsored by MAC for Tom McInnerney and Dee Corcoran.
Elsewhere Stephen Rea and Aisling Franciosi where the first winners on the night, winning Actor in a Supporting Role in Drama for The Honourable Woman, and Actress In a Supporting Role in Drama for The Fall, respectively. Aiden Gillen’s turn as former Taoiseach Charles J. Haughey in Charlie saw the Dublin actor take Actor in a Lead Role Drama. Costume Design went to Lorna Marie Mugan for the post-World War I set Peaky Blinders.
All in all the night was a success for the Irish Film and Television Academy, who had come in for criticism after last year’s event. The awards can be seen on June 1st in edited form on TV3 from 9pm.
Full List of Winners:
Best Film: Song of the Sea
Director Film: Lenny Abrahamson – Frank
Script Film: Terry McMahon – Patrick’s Day
Rising Star: Sarah Greene
Actor in a Lead Role in Film: Moe Dunford – Patrick’s Day
Actress in a Lead Role in Film: Deirdre O’Kane – Noble
Actor in a Supporting Role in Film: Domhnall Gleeson – Frank
Actress in a Supporting Role in Film: Sarah Greene – Noble
George Morrison Feature Documentary: In A House That Ceased to Be – Atlantic Film Alliance
Animation Short: Somewhere Down the Line – Julien Regnard
Short Film: Rockmount – David Tynan
Drama (in Association with BAI): Love/Hate
Director Drama: Ciaran Donnelly – Vikings
Script Drama: Stuart Carolan – Love/Hate
Actor in a Lead Role Drama: Aidan Gillen – Charlie
Actress in a Lead Role Drama: Charlie Murphy – Love/Hate
Actor in a Supporting Role in Drama: Stephen Rea – The Honourable Woman
Actress In a Supporting Role in Drama: Aisling Franciosi – The Fall
Director of Photography: James Mather – Frank
Costume Design: Lorna Marie Mugan – Peaky Blinders
Editing: Emer Reynolds – One Million Dubliners
Make Up & Hair Sponsored by MAC: Tom McInnerney and Dee Corcoran – Vikings
Original Score: Stephen McKeon – Queen and Country
Production Design: John Paul Kelly – The Theory of Everything
Sound: Patrick’s Day
International Film: Boyhood
International Actor: Eddie Redmayne – The Theory of Everything
International Actress: Julianne Moore – Still Alice