The 34th edition of the Galway Film Fleadh has come to an end after another outstanding year. This year the Fleadh moved back indoors at the Town Hall Theatre and at Pálás Cinema, giving festival goers the chance to see the best of Irish and international film premieres back where they belong in cinema.
The annual awards ceremony took place on Sunday 10th of July before the closing film Ukrainian-made Carol of the Bells. Carol of the Bells is the story of three families – Ukrainian, Polish, and Jewish – who lived in the same building in Stanislaviv in Ukraine between 1938 and 1944. All three families disappeared one by one, leaving their children in the building. The last one to disappear was a Ukrainian woman who was a teacher of music.
The winner of Best Irish Film, in association with Danu Media was Lakelands, written, directed and produced by Robert Higgins & Patrick McGivney. Lakelands won the Fleadh’s Best Marketplace Project Award in 2021 and returned to the Fleadh this year for its World Premiere. Lakelands follows Cian, a young Gaelic footballer who struggles to comes to terms with a career-ending injury after an attack on a night out. Cian undertakes a search for his own identity in a small town where Gaelic football is a religion, and identity is defined by what you can do on the pitch. Featuring the directorial debuts of Robert Higgins and Patrick McGivney, and a cast of emerging Irish stars including Éanna Hardwicke (Vivarium, Normal People) and Danielle Galligan (Netflix’s Shadow and Bone).
Winning Best Irish First Feature was The Sparrow, written & directed by Michael Kinirons, produced by Alicia Ní Ghráinne. The Sparrow follows KEVIN COYNE (15) who lives in a dysfunctional household where grieving the death of his mother is forbidden by his father LARRY, an ex-soldier. Kevin is also used to living in his brother ROBBIE’s (18) shadow, so he is surprised when HANNA (16), a newcomer to this West Cork parish, seems to prefer his company.
Nothing Compares, won the best Irish documentary award on the night, directed by Kathryn Ferguson. The film charts Sinéad OʼConnorʼs phenomenal rise to worldwide fame and examines how she used her voice at the height of her stardom. Focusing on Sinéad’s prophetic words and deeds across a five-year period (1987–1992), Nothing Compares presents an authored, cinematic portrait of a musical icon through a contemporary feminist lens.
The winners are as follows –
BEST INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION SHORT
Zoon - Directed by Jonathan Schwenk
BEST INTERNATIONAL FICTION SHORT
Too Rough - Directed by Sean Lionadh
BEST INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY SHORT
Nuisance Bear - Directed by Jack Weisman & Gabriela Oslo Vanden
BEST FIRST ANIMATION SHORT in association with Brown Bag Films
Soul Office -Directed by Ryan Loughran, Produced by Fiona McLaughlin, Tom Getty and Grace Loughrey
BEST IRISH FIRST SHORT FICTION
Homebird - Directed by Caleb J. Roberts, Produced by Brian J. Falconer, Callum Harrison and Jonathan Beer
THE DONAL GILLIGAN AWARD FOR CINEMATOGRAPHY IN A SHORT FILM in association with the Irish Society Cinematographers (ISC) supported by Celtic Grips presented by John Leahy
Burn It All - Directed by Jack Hickey, Produced by Lara Hickey, Cinematography by Phillip Blake
BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY IN AN IRISH FILM in association with Teach Solais - presented BY Cian de Bulteir
Tarrac - Cinematography by Patrick Jordan
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM
The Score - Written & Directed by Malachi Smyth
BEST INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY
The Job of Song - Directed by Lila Schmitz, Produced by Fengy Xu and Anika Kan Grevstad
PERIPHERAL VISIONS AWARD
Bad Women - Directed by Niklas Lindgren, Written by Niklas Lindgren and Karolina Lindgren, Produced by Mila Haavisto
BEST HUMAN RIGHTS FILM in association with Amnesty international Presented BY Siddhi Joshi
Afghan Dreamers - Directed by David Greenwald, Produced by Beth Murphy & David Cowan
YOUNG AUDIENCE AWARD
Stay Awake - Director: Jamie Sisley, Writer: Jamie Sisley, Producers: Shrihari Sathe, Eric Schultz, Kelly Thomas & David Ariniello
PITCHING AWARD
Haven by Maureen O’Connell
BEST MARKETPLACE PROJECT AWARD in association with Bankside Films
Shoal - Directed by Clare Strong, Produced by Jeanie Igoe
THE BIGHAM RAY NEW TALENT AWARD: in association with Magnolia Pictures PRESENTED BY KATE O’TOOLE
Joint Winners: Éanna Hardwicke and Danielle Galligan, Lakelands
BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY in association with TG4
Special Mentions:
Where Do All the Old Gays Go - Directed by Cathy Dunne, Produced by Maggie Ryan and Cathy Dunne
For the Birds - Directed by Ciarán O’ Connor, Produced by Nuala Cunningham and Jen Dunbar
Winner:
Call Me Mommy - Directed by Tara O’Callaghan, Produced by Aaron McEnaney, Louise Byrne and Ross Killeen
THE JAMES HORGAN AWARD FOR SHORT ANIMATION
Soul Office - Directed by Ryan Loughran, Produced by Fiona McLaughlin, Tom Getty and Grace Loughrey
THE TIERNAN MCBRIDE AWARD FOR BEST FICTION SHORT Drama in association with Network Ireland Television Presented by Derry O'Brien
Wednesday’s Child - Directed by Laura O’Shea, Produced by Caroline Harvey and Charleigh Baileigh
BEST IRISH DOCUMENTARY
Nothing Compares - Director: Kathryn Ferguson, Writers: Kathryn Ferguson, Eleanor Emptage & Michael Mallie, Producers: Eleanor Emptage & Michael Mallie
BEST IRISH FILM in association with Danu Media – Presented by Siobhan Ni Ghadhra
Lakelands - Written, Directed and Produced by Robert Higgins & Patrick McGivney
BEST IRISH FIRST FEATURE in association with Saffery Champness – Presented by John Gleeson
The Sparrow - Written & Directed by Michael Kinirons, Produced by Alicia Ní Ghráinne
Photos courtesy of Galway Film Fleadh
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