As the 2017 IFTA Irish Film & Drama Awards nominations were announced at lunchtime on Wednesday 8th March International Women’s Day. It seems appropriate that we recognise and congratulate the 45 talented women who have been nominated for their working talents and contributions within the industry.
Five female producers have been nominated within the Best Irish Film category, across the six nominated films. These include; Juliette Bonass (‘A Date for Mad Mary’), Katie Holly and Lauranne Bourrachot (‘Love & Friendship’), Julie Ryan (‘The Young Offenders’) and Liz Gill (‘Tomato Red’).
Usually seen as one of the biggest accolades of the awards ceremony it is worthy to note that 2017 Awards see’s four out of the six overall films nominated for Best Irish Film representing strong female-led storylines.
Jim Sheridan’s ‘The Secret Scripture’ centres on the reminiscences of Rose McNulty an Irish woman who has spent over fifty years in state institutions. In ‘A Date for Mad Mary’ we watch as Seána Kerslake who received an IFTA nomination for Best Actress in a Lead Role plays ‘Mad’ Mary Mc Ardle as she returns to Drogheda after a short spell in prison. ‘Love & Friendship’ based on Jane Austen's 'Lady Susan' concerns the young widow Lady Susan as she comes to the estate of her in-laws and decides to secure herself a husband. In ‘Tomato Red’ we see redheaded Jamalee entangle the small town drifter Sammy Barlach into her web of longing, desire and revenge.
Irish actresses Caoilfhionn Dunne ‘In View’, Catherine Walker ‘A Dark Song’, Aisling Loftus ‘Property of the State’, Seána Kerslake ‘A Date for Mad Mary’ and Ruth Negga ‘Loving’ all received IFTA nominations for Best Actress in a Lead Role in Film with Ruth also receiving a second IFTA nomination for Best Actress in a Lead Role in Drama for her role in ‘Preacher’ alongside other Irish actresses Catriona Balfe ‘Outlander’, Elaine Cassidy ‘No Offense’, Anne Marie Duff ‘Muder: The Lost Weekend’ and Amy Huberman for her lead role playing Solicitor Tara Flynn in the RTÉ One legal drama ‘Striking Out’.
Female nominations dominate both the Costume Design and Makeup & Hair categories with the Oscar nominated Consolata Boyle ‘Florence Foster Jenkins’ up against Joan Bergin ‘The Secret Scripture’, Triona Lillis ‘An Klondike’ and Eimer Ní Mhaoldomhnaigh ‘Love & Friendship’ in the Best Costume Design category with her ‘Love & Friendship’ colleague production designer Anna Rackard representing woman as the only female nomination in the Best Production Design category.
Úna Ní Dhonghaíle ‘The Crown’ is also the only female nominee within the Editing category alongside Colin Campbell ‘The Young Offenders’, Dermot Diskin ‘The Secret Scripture’, and Nick Emerson ‘I am Not a Serial Killer’. Úna’s is leading female editor across numerous award-winning TV dramas and feature length documentaries. Her editing credits include ‘The Missing’, ‘Wallander’, ‘Ripper Street and ‘Doctor Who’ to name a few.
The annual Awards Ceremony taking place at the Round Room of the Mansion House on Saturday 8th April 2017.
See below for the full list of all 45 women nominated across the 2017 IFTA Film & Drama Awards.
ACTRESS IN A LEAD ROLE FILM
Caoilfhionn Dunne - In View
Seana Kerslake - A Date for Mad Mary
Aisling Loftus - Property of the State
Ruth Negga - Loving
Catherine Walker - A Dark Song
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE FILM
Charleigh Bailey - A Date for Mad Mary
Simone Kirby - Notes on Blindness
Susan Lynch - Bad Day for the Cut
Hilary Rose - The Young Offenders
Fiona Shaw - Out of Innocence
INTERNATIONAL ACTRESS
Amy Adams - Arrival
Viola Davis - Fences
Natalie Portman - Jackie
Emma Stone - La La Land
ACTRESS IN A LEAD ROLE IN DRAMA
Caitriona Balfe - Outlander
Elaine Cassidy - No Offence
Anne Marie Duff - Murder: The Lost Weekend
Amy Huberman - Striking Out
Ruth Negga - Preacher
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN DRAMA
Ruth Bradley - Humans
Sinead Cusack - Call The Midwife
Dominique McElligott - House of Cards
Charlene McKenna - Ripper Street
Charlie Murphy - Happy Valley
COSTUME DESIGN
Joan Bergin - The Secret Scripture
Consolata Boyle - Florence Foster Jenkins
Triona Lillis - An Klondike 2
Eimer Ní Mhaoldomhnaigh - Love & Friendship
MAKEUP & HAIR
Ailbhe Fitzpatrick & Bernie McBride - An Klondike 2
Eileen Buggy & Lynn Johnson - Love & Friendship
Dee Corcoran - Vikings
Patsy Giles - Wrecking the Rising
PRODUCTION DESIGN
Anna Rackard - Love and Friendship
EDITING
Una Ni Dhonghaile - The Crown
DIRECTOR DRAMA
Neasa Hardiman - Z: The Beginning of Everything
SCRIPT FILM
Juanita Wilson - Tomato Red
GEORGE MORRISON FEATURE DOCUMENTARY
In Loco Parentis - Neasa Ní Chianáin
It's Not Yet Dark - Lesley McKimm & Kathryn Kathleen Kennedy
BEST FILM
Producers
A Date for Mad Mary - Juliette Bonass & Ed Guiney
Love & Friendship - Katie Holly & Lauranne Bourrachot
Tomato Red - Liz Gill & James Flynn
The Young Offenders - Julie Ryan & Peter Foott
View the Full Nominee List & Categories on the IFTA Website