The Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA) has bestowed a unique award on Gay Byrne. The IFTA has presented the renowned television personality with a one off Lifetime Achievement Award at the award ceremony at the Waterfront Hall.
Ian S Kennedy, Chairman of IFTA, said “We have not presented such a prestigious award at past ceremonies and we may not present one in the future. However, Gay Byrne represents something unique in the history of Irish television and it is appropriate that his fellow colleagues should mark his achievement. Much more than a television show host, Gay gave many in the industry the confidence to achieve the quality of work that we are celebrating here today.”
Stars from Irish film and television were awarded for their excellence in a wide range of categories.
Winners included Colm Meaney (Best Actor in a Feature Film), Elaine Cassidy (Best Actress in a feature film), Susan Lynch (Best Actresses in a Television Drama) and Michael McElhatton (Best Actor in a Television Drama). Bloody Sunday won four awards including Best Feature Film and Best Director.
Ian continued, “The winners of these awards have demonstrated exceptional quality in their work and we are delighted and proud to be in Belfast to celebrate the array of talent in the film and television industry both north and south. We thank them for their dedication to the pursuit of excellence.”
Members of ifta vote for nominations in the ifta awards. Award winners are selected from the nominations by individual juries of film and television industry practitioners. BBC Northern Ireland hosted the awards luncheon.
BEST ACTRESS IN A TELEVISION DRAMA
Brenda Fricker – No Tears
Bronagh Gallagher – Sinners
Susan Lynch – Any Time Now
Deirdre O’Kane – Paths to Freedom
Winner: Susan Lynch – Any Time Now
BEST FEATURES PROGRAMME: RELIGION/EDUCATION/SCHOOL’S CHILDREN’S
Beyond the Boundary
Caitlín Naomh Dha Phobail
St Therese of Lisieux
Would You Believe – Forgotten Children
Winner: Would You Believe - Forgotten Children
The Birthday
Cáca Milis
Éireville
An Leabhar
Limbo
Zulu 9
Paul Greengrass – Bloody Sunday
Kirsten Sheridan – Disco Pigs
Gerard Stembridge – About Adam
Kieron J Walsh – When Brendan Met Trudy
Agenda
Bad Blood
Cúba – Sláinte Mhaith
Primetime
Winner: Bad Blood
BEST TELEVISION DRAMA – SERIES/SERIAL/SOAP
Any Time Now
Bachelor’s Walk
Fair City
Paths to Freedom
Winner: Paths To Freedom
BEST ACTOR IN A FEATURE FILM
Brendan Gleeson – Wild About Harry
Colm Meaney – How Harry Became a Tree
Cillian Murphy – Disco Pigs
James Nesbitt – Bloody Sunday
Winner: Colm Meaney – How Harry Became a Tree
BEST FEATURES PROGRAMME– LIFESTYLE/SPORT
Breaking Ball
Home from Home – Majorca
Laochra Gael
Odds on Favourite
Winner: Breaking Ball
BEST SOUND (FILM AND TELEVISION)
Bloody Sunday – Albert Bailey
Christy Moore Uncovered – Colm Flynn
H3 – Daniel Birch
Sinners – Sound Team (Mark O’Sullivan, Cathi Weldon, Niall Brady, John Fitzgerald)
Winner: Albert Bailey - Bloody Sunday
BEST ANIMATION (FILM AND TELEVISION)
Butterfly
Fifty Percent Grey
Give Up Yer Aul Sins
Norman Normal
Winner: Give Up Yer Aul Sins
BEST ACTRESS IN A FEATURE FILM
Elaine Cassidy – Disco Pigs
Kathy Kiera Clarke – Bloody Sunday
Susan Lynch – Map Maker
Flora Montgomery – When Brendan Met Trudy
Winner: Elaine Cassidy – Disco Pigs
BEST SINGLE TELEVISION DRAMA
As the Beast Sleeps
Black Day at Blackrock
Sinners
Sunday
Winner: Sunday
BEST EDITING (FILM AND TELEVISION)
Any Time Now – Mary Finlay & Rodney Holland
Bloody Sunday – Clare Douglas
The Green Fields of Vietnam – Ray Roantree
H3 – Niamh Fagan
Sinners – Scott Thomas
Winner: The Green Fields of Vietnam – Ray Roantree
BEST SCRIPT (FILM AND TELEVISION)
About Adam – Gerard Stembridge
Bachelor’s Walk – John Carney, Kieran Carney & Tom Hall
Bloody Sunday – Paul Greengrass
Paths to Freedom – Ian Fitzgibbon & Michael McElhatton
Winner: Bloody Sunday – Paul Greengrass
BEST SINGLE DOCUMENTARY
Pearse – Fanatic Heart
Shackleton & Scott – Rivals for the Pole
Tomás Mac Eoin – Séo Aonair
Us Boys
Winner: Us Boys
BEST DOCUMENTARY SERIES
The Ghost of Roger Casement
Léargas
Siberia – The Journey North
Unit 8
Winner: The Ghost of Roger Casement
BEST ACTOR IN A TELEVISION DRAMA
Simon Delaney – Bachelor’s Walk
Stuart Dunne – Fair City
Michael McIlhatton – Fergus’ Wedding
Michael McIlhatton – Paths to Freedom
Winner: Michael McIlhatton – Paths to Freedom
BEST ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMME
Amú san Áise
Christy Moore Uncovered
Flosc
Patrick Keilty Almost Live
Winner: Amú san Áise
BEST PHOTOGRAPHY (FILM AND TELEVISION)
Any Time now – Ciaran Tanham
Bloody Sunday – Ivan Strasburg
H3 – Owen McPolin
Sinners – Simon Kossoff
Winner: Sinners – Simon Kossoff
BEST FEATURE FILM
About Adam
Bloody Sunday
Disco Pigs
When Brendan Met Trudy
Winner: Bloody Sunday