The 5th Annual Irish Film & Television Awards took place at Dublin’s Gaiety Theatre on Sunday 17th February 2008. In front of an audience of 850, host Ryan Tubridy guided proceedings to honour the finest Irish talent in film and television – with 'The Tudors', 'Kings' and 'Garage' taking home the most IFTA gold.
‘The Tudors’ secured its place in Irish television history by winning a record seven IFTAs – the most any single title has scooped in the Award’s five year history. The period drama, based upon the life of King Henry VIII, won the Best Drama Series/Soap award, while actors Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Maria Doyle Kennedy and Nick Dunning were honoured for their performances. Costume designer Joan Bergin, production designer Tom Conroy and Hair & Makeup team Jennifer Hegarty & Dee Corcoran were also named winners on the night.
In the strongly contested feature film categories, ‘Kings’ and ‘Garage’ emerged as the top winners picking up five and four awards apiece. Irish language drama ‘Kings’ dominated the craft categories taking awards for Original Score, Sound and Editing amongst others, whilst ‘Garage’ picked up the Best Film, Best Director Film for Lenny Abrahamson, Best Script Film for Mark O’Halloran and the IFTA for Actor in a Lead Role Film for Pat Shortt.
IFTA 2008 proved a momentous night for writer/director team Mark O’Halloran and Lenny Abrahamson as they proved their diversity across film and television. The pair were also awarded top Awards for Script Television and Director Television for their urban drama series ‘Prosperity’ Irish language series ‘The Running Mate’ scooped the Best Single Drama award.
Young Irish actress Saoirse Ronan was another standout winner on the night scooping the Supporting Actress Film and the Irish Film Board Rising Star awards for her starring role in ‘Atonement’. In addition, Irish cinematographer Seamus McGarvey was honoured once again by his Irish peers for his work behind the camera, with the crowd wishing both Ronan and McGarvey the best of luck at the Oscars later this month.
In the People’s Choice categories, the race for Sony Bravia TV Personality of the Year was won by RTE presenter Kathryn Thomas, while the Pantene Best International Actress Award went to Hilary Swank for ‘PS I Love You’. Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck‘s ‘The Lives of Others’ was named Best International Film and Daniel Day Lewis took the Best International Actor award for ‘There Will Be Blood’.
In television categories, ‘The Podge and Rodge’ Show was a popular choice voted Best Entertainment while The Hospice and ‘Diarmuid’s Pony Kids ‘also received the nod in their respective categories. Others winners included ‘At Home with the Cleary’s’, which was named Best Single Documentary, and ‘Tall, Dark & Ó hAilpín’, which was awarded the gong for Sport.
Other highlights included a standing ovation for filmmaker and actor Mel Gibson who received the Outstanding Contribution to World Cinema Award.
Aine Moriarty, CEO of the Irish Film and Television Academy commented, “The list of winners and nominees at these Awards shows the exceptional talent and creativity that our industry has to offer and re-affirms IFTAs commitment to celebrating their work. The Award’s supporters and all the Academy members join me in congratulating the winners for their fine achievements this year. Enjoy the night!”
International guests including Rene Russo, Bo Derek, John Corbett, Mary McDonnell, Kevin Dillon, Michael Fassbender and Dominic Purcell took to the red carpet along with a host of Irish style leaders including Victoria Smurfit, Ruth Bradley, Cecelia Ahern, Gráinne Seoige, Lorraine Keane and young starlets Jayne Wisener and Evanna Lynch.
FILM CATEGORIES
Film - Garage
Becoming Jane - (Ecosse Films/Octagon)
Closing the Ring - (The Works UK Distribution)
Garage - (Element Pictures Distribution)
Kings - (Newgrange Pictures)
Shrooms - (Treasure Entertainment)
International Film - The Lives of Others
Atonement (Universal)
The Bourne Ultimatum (Universal)
La Vie en Rose (Eclipse Pictures)
The Lives of Others (Lionsgate)
Director Film – Lenny Abrahamson - Garage
Lenny Abrahamson – Garage (Element Pictures Distribution)
Paddy Breathnach – Shrooms (Treasure Entertainment)
Tom Collins – Kings (Newgrange Pictures)
John Crowley – Boy A ( Cuba Pictures)
Robert Quinn – Cré na Cille (ROSG)
Script Film – Mark O’Halloran - Garage
Tom Collins – Kings (Newgrange Pictures)
Mark O’Halloran – Garage (Element Pictures Distribution)
Mark O’Rowe – Boy A ( Cuba Pictures)
Stuart Townsend – Battle in Seattle(Insight Film Studios)
Actor in a Lead Role Film – Pat Shortt - Garage
Gabriel Byrne – Jindabyne(Revolver Entertainment)
Colm Meaney – Kings (Newgrange Pictures)
Cillian Murphy – Sunshine (Twentieth Century Fox)
Hugh O’Conor – Speed Dating (System 48)
Pat Shortt – Garage (Element Pictures Distribution)
Actor in a Supporting Role Film – Brendan Conroy – Kings
Brendan Conroy – Kings (Newgrange Pictures)
Donal O’Kelly – Kings (Newgrange Pictures)
Conor J Ryan – Garage (Element Pictures Distribution)
Don Wycherley – Speed Dating (System 48)
Actress in a Supporting Role Film – Saoirse Ronan - Atonement
Elaine Cassidy – And When Did You Last See Your Father (Walt Disney Studio Motion Pictures Ireland)
Anne Marie Duff – Garage (Element Pictures Distribution)
Gail Fitzpatrick – Strength and Honour (Maron Pictures)
Saoirse Ronan – Atonement (Universal)
International Actor - Daniel Day Lewis – There Will Be Blood
George Clooney – Michael Clayton
Daniel Day Lewis – There Will Be Blood
James McAvoy – Atonement
Ulrich Mühe – The Lives of Others
TELEVISION DRAMA CATEGORIES
Single Drama / Drama Serial – The Running Mate
Damage ( Subotica Entertainment)
My Boy Jack (Ecosse Films/Octagon Films)
Prosperity (Element Pictures)
The Running Mate (Rubicon Films)
Drama Series / Soap – The Tudors
The Clinic (Parallel Film Productions)
Ros na Rún (EO Teilifís/Léirithe Thír Eoghain)
Single-Handed (Touchpaper)
The Tudors (World 2000)
Director Television – Lenny Abrahamson - Prosperity
Lenny Abrahamson – Prosperity (Element Pictures)
Brian Kirk – The Tudors (World 2000)
Paul Mercier – Aifric (Telegael Media Group)
Declan Recks – The Running Mate (Rubicon Films)
Script Television – Mark O’Halloran - Prosperity
Marcus Fleming – The Running Mate (Rubicon Films)
Mark O’Halloran – Prosperity (Element Pictures)
Daniel O’Hara, Paddy C.Courtney – Paddywhackery (Dough Productions)
Aisling Walsh – Damage ( Subotica Entertainment)
Actor in a Lead Role Television – Jonathan Rhys Meyers – The Tudors
Denis Conway – The Running Mate (Rubicon Films)
Michael Gambon – Celebration (Parallel Film Productions)
Jonathan Rhys Meyers – The Tudors (World 2000)
Don Wycherley – The Running Mate (Rubicon Films)
Actor in a Supporting Role Television – Nick Dunning – The Tudors
Nick Dunning – The Tudors (World 2000)
Leroy Harris – Prosperity (Element Pictures)
Eamonn Hunt – The Running Mate (Rubicon Films)
Gary Lydon – The Clinic (Parallel Film Productions)
Actress in a Lead Role Film/Television – Aisling O’Sullivan – The Clinic
Clíona Ní Chiosáin – Aifric (Telegael Media Group)
Fionnula Flanagan – Brotherhood (Channel 6)
Brid Ní Neachtain – Cré na Cille (ROSG)
Aisling O’Sullivan – The Clinic (Parallel Film Productions)
Siobhan Shanahan – Prosperity (Element Pictures)
Actress in a Supporting Role Television – Maria Doyle Kennedy – The Tudors
Dawn Bradfield – The Clinic (Parallel Film Productions)
Maria Doyle Kennedy – The Tudors (World 2000)
Fionnula Flanagan – Paddywhackery (Dough Productions)
Amy Huberman – The Clinic (Parallel Film Productions)
CRAFT CATEGORIES
Costume Design – Joan Bergin – The Tudors
Joan Bergin – The Tudors (World 2000)
Maggie Donnelly – Kings (Newgrange Pictures)
Lorna Marie Mugan – My Boy Jack (Ecosse Films/Octagon Films)
Eimer Ní Mhaoldomhnaigh – Becoming Jane (Ecosse Films/Octagon)
Director of Photography - Seamus McGarvey - Atonement
PJ Dillon – Kings (Newgrange Pictures)
Seamus McGarvey – Atonement (Universal)
Peter Robertson – Garage (Element Pictures Distribution)
Ciaran Tanham – Northanger Abbey (Octagon Films)
Editing - Dermot Diskin – Kings
Dermot Diskin – Kings (Newgrange Pictures)
Stephen O’Connell – Damage ( Subotica Entertainment)
Isobel Stephenson – Garage (Element Pictures Distribution)
Gareth Young – The Running Mate (Rubicon Films)
Hair & Makeup – Jennifer Hegarty, Dee Corcoran – The Tudors
Kings – Muriel Bell, Pamela Smyth(Newgrange Pictures)
My Boy Jack – Morna Ferguson, Lorraine Glynn (Ecosse Films/Octagon Films)
Prosperity – Tom McInerney, Sandra Kelly (Element Pictures)
The Tudors – Jennifer Hegarty, Dee Corcoran (World 2000)
Original Score – Pol Brennan - Kings
Pol Brennan – Kings (Newgrange Pictures)
Jim Lockhart – Cré na Cille (ROSG)
Stephen McKeon – The Running Mate (Rubicon Films)
Stephen Rennicks – Garage (Element Pictures Distribution)
Production Design – Tom Conroy – The Tudors
Tom Conroy – The Tudors(World 2000)
David Craig – Kings (Newgrange Pictures)
Tom Mc Cullagh – Closing the Ring (The Works UK Distribution)
Padraig O’Neill – Garage (Element Pictures Distribution)
Sound - Ken Galvin, Ronan Hill, Dominic Weaver - Kings
Becoming Jane – Nick Adams, Tom Johnson, Mervyn Moore (Ecosse Films/Octagon)
Garage – Niall Brady, John Fitzgerald, Robert Flanagan (Element Pictures Distribution)
Kings – Ken Galvin, Ronan Hill, Dominic Weaver (Newgrange Pictures)
My Boy Jack – Brendan Deasy, Ken Galvin, Nikki Moss (Ecosse Films/Octagon Films)
TELEVISION CATEGORIES
Children’s / Youth Programme - Aifric
Aifric (Telegael Media Group)
The Café (RTÉ)
Cúla Cairde (Tobar Productions)
Skunk Fu! (Cartoon Saloon)
Current Affairs Programme - Prime Time Investigates – Not Seen, Not Heard
Election 2007 – Results Coverage (RTÉ)
Prime Time Investigates – Buyer Beware (RTÉ)
Prime Time Investigates – Not Seen, Not Heard (RTÉ)
Spotlight: The Pitbull Sting - (BBC Northern Ireland)
Documentary Series – The Hospice
The Hospice (Yellow Asylum Films)
Imeacht Na N'Iarlaí /Flight of The Earls (BBC NI)
Mobs Mheirceá (Abú Media)
Scannal (RTÉ)
Surgeons (Mint Productions)
Single Documentary - At Home with the Clearys
Arts Lives: The Undertaking (Littlebird)
At Home with the Clearys(Tern Television)
Bloody Sunday – A Derry Diary (Besom Productions)
Get Collins (Mint Productions)
Ireland ’s Nazis (Tile Films)
Joe Strummer: The Future is Unwritten (Parallel Films)
Entertainment – The Podge & Rodge Show
Dan & Becs (Accomplice Television)
Killinaskully (Shortt Comedy Theatre Company)
Naked Camera (Scratch Films)
The Podge & Rodge Show (RTÉ)
Factual Entertainment - Diarmuid’s Pony Kids
Diarmuid’s Pony Kids (Vision Independent Pictures)
Families in Trouble (Stopwatch Television)
Hector – Mo Rogha San Oz (Good Company Productions)
No Experience Required ( Liberty Films)
News Programme - BBC Newsline
BBC Newsline – BBC Northern Ireland
Nuacht RTÉ/TG4 – RTÉ/TG4
RTÉ News – RTÉ
TV3 News @ 5.30 – TV
Sport - Tall, Dark & Ó hAilpín
20 Moments That Shook Irish Sport ( Liberty Films)
Red Mist (Wildfire Films/Setanta Sports)
Rugby World Cup 2007 (TV3/Hot Air Productions)
Six Nations: Ireland’s v England (RTÉ)
Tall, Dark & Ó hAilpín (Telegael Media Group)
OTHERS
Special Irish Language Award - Kings
Aifric (Telegael Media Group)
Cré na Cille (ROSG)
Kings (Newgrange Pictures)
Paddywhackery (Dough Productions)
Irish Film Board Rising Star 2008 – Saoirse Ronan
(Sponsored by Bord Scannán na hÉireann/the Irish Film Board)
Cecilia Ahern – Writer
Mark Mahon – Producer
Martin McCann – Actor
Marian Quinn – Director
Saoirse Ronan – Actress
Animation – Skunk Fu!
Ding Dong Denny O’Reilly’s History of Ireland ( Brown Bag Films )
Skunk Fu! (Cartoon Saloon)
The Ugly Duckling and Me (Magma Films)
Wobblyland (Brown Bag Films)
Short Film– New Boy
Deep Breaths ( PJ Dillon & Alex Jones )
Hesitation (Virginia Gilbert & Julien Berlan / Michelle Eastwood / Antonin Dedet)
New Boy (Steph Green /Tamara Anghie)
No Regrets ( Colm Quinn )
The Wednesdays ( Conor Ferguson & AnneMarie Naughton )
Pantene People’s Choice Award for Best International Actress – Hilary Swank – PS I Love You
Cate Blanchett – Elizabeth: The Golden Age
Jodie Foster – The Brave One
Keira Knightley – Atonement
Hilary Swank – PS I Love You
Sony Bravia TV Personality of the Year – Kathryn Thomas RTÉ
Stephen Nolan - BBC Northern Ireland
Michelle Doherty - Channel 6
Kathy Hoffman - City Channel
Kathryn Thomas - RTÉ
Paul Dempsey – Setanta Sports
Síle Ní Bhraonáin - TG4
Lorraine Keane - TV3
Julian Simmons – UTV
Outstanding Contribution to World Cinema
Mel Gibson
