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FESTIVALS / AWARDS Ireland

IFTA awards the best productions and talents of the 2019/2020 season

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- After a one-year break and the subsequent reorganisation of the body, this year’s edition saw the triumph of Lance Daly's Black '47 and Lisa Barros D'Sa's Ordinary Day

IFTA awards the best productions and talents of the 2019/2020 season
Deirdre O'Kane and Martin Scorsese during the ceremony (© PIPPicutres)

The traditional awards ceremony of the Irish Film and Television Academy was broadcast last night on Virgin Media One, hosted by Deirdre O’Kane.

After a one-year break and the subsequent reorganisation process that brought the body to approve a five-year strategic development plan for the period 2020-2024, the prestigious event was finally back and ready to award, as a one-time exception, the best productions and talents of the entire 2019/2020 season. In detail, this edition saw the triumph of Lisa Barros D’Sa romantic drama Ordinary Love [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
, crowned as the best film of 2020, along with Lance Daly’s period drama Black ’47 [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Lance Daly
film profile
]
, named best title of 2019.

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Both accolades were handed out by legendary director Martin Scorsese. Speaking about the difficult times we live in, Scorsese said: “Little did we know what strange times lay ahead that we are witnessing now, and it appears to me that we are all having to reinvent cinema now, and that’s a good thing, it is. Because now, more than ever, we need the moving image. We need vision, creativity and storytelling that takes us on a journey and opens us, enlightens us, opens our hearts and our minds, and there’s something about Ireland and Irish storytelling that is universal, that connects with everyone in the world. John Ford knew that, and I know that.”

Other big victors were thesps Tom Vaughan-Lawlor (recipient of the prize for the best actor in a film), Andrew Scott (best leading actor in a drama for his role in Black Mirror’s episode Smithereens), Aisling Franciosi (this year’s Rising Star for her performance in The Nightingale), Niamh Algar (best actress in a drama and best supporting actress in a film) and Jessie Buckley (winner of the prizes for the best leading actress in a film for Wild Rose [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
and best supporting actress in a drama for Chernobyl).

Moreover, Liam Neeson shared a special message to the Irish screen industries and said: “I’m thinking of you all back home right now, and I know we are going through hard times, cruel times. Many industries have been hurt, especially the film industry, but we will get through it; we must get through it. As a famous politician once said, ‘when you’re going through hell, keep going’. To all our filmmakers, young actors and actresses: try and stay strong, stay creative. The work will come back again, and tonight we are going to celebrate how cool and how great a film industry we have in Ireland.”

The next edition will take place in April 2021.

Here is the full list of this year’s award winners:

Best 2020 Film
Ordinary Love [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
– Lisa Barros D’Sa (UK/Ireland)

Best 2019 Film
Black ’47 [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Lance Daly
film profile
]
– Lance Daly (Ireland/Luxembourg)

Best Film Director
Paddy Breathnach – Rosie [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
 (Ireland)

Best Screenwriter (Film)
Mark O’Halloran – Rialto [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Peter Mackie Burns
film profile
]
(Ireland/UK)

Best Actor in a Leading Role (Film)
Tom Vaughan-Lawlor – Rialto

Best Actress in a Leading Role (Film)
Jessie Buckley – Wild Rose [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
 (UK)

Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Film)
David Wilmot – Ordinary Love

Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Film)
Niamh Algar – Calm with Horses [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
(UK/Ireland)

George Morrison Feature Documentary Award
The Lonely Battle of Thomas Reid [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
– Feargal Ward (Ireland)

Screen Ireland Rising Star
Aisling Franciosi – The Nightingale (Australia)

Best Short Film (Live Action)
Welcome to a Bright White Limbo – Cara Holmes (Ireland)

Best Animated Short
The Dream Report – Jack O’Shea (Ireland)

Best Drama
Blood (Ireland)

Best Drama Director
Dearbhla Walsh – The Handmaid’s Tale (USA)

Best Screenwriter (Drama)
Mark O’Rowe – Temple (UK)

Best Actor in a Leading Role (Drama)
Andrew Scott – Black Mirror: Smithereens (USA/UK)

Best Actress in a Leading Role (Drama)
Niamh Algar – The Virtues (UK)

Best Actor in a Supporting Role (Drama)
Mark O’Halloran – The Virtues

Best Actress in a Supporting Role – Drama
Jessie Buckley – Chernobyl (USA/UK)

Best Cinematography
Piers McGrail – Never Grow Old [+see also:
trailer
interview: Ivan Kavanagh
film profile
]
(Ireland/Luxembourg)

Best Costume Design
Eimer Ni Mhaoldomhnaigh – The Rhythm Section [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
(UK/USA/Spain)

Best Editing
Mick Mahon – Gaza [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
(Ireland/Palestine)

Best Make-up and Hair
Liz Byrne & Linda Gannon – Black ’47

Best Original Score
Kíla – Arracht [+see also:
trailer
film profile
]
(Ireland)

Best Production Design
John Leslie – Never Grow Old

Best Sound
Brendan Rehill, Alan Scully and Peter Blayney – Arracht

Best VFX
Ed Bruce and Nicholas Murphy – We Have Always Lived in the Castle (USA)

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