The Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA) has annnounced the shortlist of nominees in 40 strongly contested categories for the 9th Annual Irish Film and Television Awards, which takes place on Saturday 11th February 2012 at the Convention Centre Dublin (CCD).
Nominations have been announced in categories across film and television, celebrating the highest standard of Irish talent over the past twelve months. All IFTA’s categories have been shortlisted by Members of the Irish Film & Television Academy’s fourteen chapters alongside a select Jury panel of industry experts from around the world.
Reflecting the Irish film and television industry’s continuing development of its creative, original and entertaining output year-on-year, IFTA received 337 titles submitted for consideration in the 2012 Awards.
Academy CEO, Aine Moriarty stated that:
“The Irish Film & Television Awards is Ireland’s showcase to the world of what our small but outstanding film and television community has to offer: excellent and challenging feature films and dramas; entertaining television and engaging factual content. The Irish industry consistently delivers world-class standards of work that is watched by a global audience. Ireland’s economic struggles have been well documented, but against this pressure it’s heartening to see how Ireland’s hard-working creative community continues to punch above its weight and really deliver.”
The features nominated for Best Film at IFTA 2012 are; the period drama Albert Nobbs; Irish psychological thriller Charlie Casanova; black comedy The Guard, and rural drama Stella Days. Screenwriters for all four of the Best Film contenders - John Banville & Glenn Close, John Michael McDonagh, Terry McMahon and Antoine O’Flaherta - have been nominated for Script Film whilst McDonagh and McMahon join fellow debut director Rebecca Daly (The Other Side of Sleep) and IFTA winner Thaddeus O’Sullivan (Stella Days) in the category for Director Film.
In the feature film acting categories, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy star Ciaran Hindsreceives an IFTA nomination alongside The Guard actor Brendan Gleeson. Michael Fassbender has been nominated for his performance in Steve McQueen’s drama Shame and Martin Sheen, an Irish citizen, has also been nominated for his role as Irish priest Fr. Daniel Barry in the Irish production Stella Days. Sheen's Stella Days co-star Marcella Plunkett has also been nominated with Antonia Campbell Hughes (The Other Side of Sleep) shortlisted for the first time in the Lead Actress category following her Rising Star nomination in 2011. Newcomer Aoife Duffin is also nominated for her performance in Behold the Lamb. IFTA winning actress Saoirse Ronan has been IFTA nominated for her lead turn in Hanna. Albert Nobbs star Glenn Close and The Guard actor Don Cheadle have both been shortlisted in the International categories for their performances in these Irish features.
The shortlist for Supporting performances sees Brendan Gleeson receive his second IFTA nomination this year for his role in Albert Nobbs, alongside his The Guard co-star Liam Cunningham, The Debt actor Ciarán Hinds and Bridesmaids star Chris O’Dowd. Maria Doyle Kennedy (Albert Nobbs), Brenda Fricker (Albert Nobbs), Fionnula Flanagan (The Guard) and Amy Huberman (Stella Days) are shortlisted in the Supporting Actress Film category.
In the Television Drama categories, RTÉ crime drama Love/Hate leads the overall shortlist with nominations in 10 categories including Best Drama, Director Television Drama for David Caffrey, Writer Television Drama for Stuart Carolan (who received the IFTA in 2011 for his work on the first series) and acting nominations for cast Tom Vaughan Lawlor, Denise McCormack and Aidan Gillen. Aidan Gillen receives a second IFTA nomination this year for his performance on the HBO epic Game of Thrones, filmed on location in Northern Ireland, which has also received nominations for Best Drama, Director Television Drama for Brian Kirk and Actress in a Lead Role Television for Coleraine star Michelle Fairley.
TG4’s Irish language series Corp + Anam has received four IFTA nominations including Best Drama, Writer Television Drama for Daire Mac Con Iomaire, Lead Actor Diarmuid de Faoite and Actress Maria Doyle Kennedy; with Showtime epic The Borgias also shortlisted in Drama, with the series’ creator, director and writer Neil Jordan receiving two further nominations.
In television acting, Brendan Coyle earns his first IFTA nomination for his performance as Mr. Bates in the BBC drama Downton Abbey, whilst more Irish talents working on international television projects feature strongly across the shortlist. Ruth Negga has been nominated for her Lead performance in the BBC biopic Shirley, in addition to a nomination in the Supporting Actress TV category for her performance in the modern sci-fi series Misfits. Ruth’s Misfits co-star Robert Sheehan is also nominated for his work on the second instalment of the E4 series. Chris O’Dowd, Bronagh Gallagher and Eva Birthistle are nominated for their television acting performances, whilst Television Drama Director Daniel O’Hara and Drama Writer Ronan Bennett are nominated for their work on Being Human and Hidden respectively.
Ireland’s MasterChef debuts strongly at the IFTAs with nominations in three categories, including Entertainment Programme, and the Irish Academy’s newly introduced Television Craft categories. Comedy series Hardy Bucks, Mrs Brown’s Boys and The Savage Eye are shortlisted with MasterChef for Entertainment. TV3’s Head Chef and The Apprentice join RTÉ’s Celebrity Bainisteoir and ICA Bootcamp in becoming the very first nominees for the IFTA Reality Programme category.
In the popular Children’s/Youth category OMG! Jedward’s Dream Factory, fronted by Ireland’s renowned Grimes twins, has been nominated alongside a modern take on Oscar Wilde’s classic The Importance of Being Whatever, the original animated series Punky and the Emmy nominated The Amazing World of Gumball.
Other shortlisted titles include Ireland’s Secret Millionaire; wartime documentary The Belfast Blitz; a look at Rory McIlroy’s Major Breakthrough and The Frontline’s Presidential Debate.
The full list of IFTA nominees is below.
The 9th Annual Irish Film & Television Awards will take place at Dublin’s CCD on Saturday 11th of February 2012, broadcasting on RTÉ One at 9.30pm. IFTA 2012 will be hosted by Irish actor Simon Delaney.
For further information and all the latest IFTA updates visit:
www.ifta.ie
www.facebook.com/iftaonline
www.twitter.com/ifta
NOMINEES FOR THE 9TH ANNUAL IRISH FILM & TELEVISION AWARDS
FILM CATEGORIES
BEST FILM
Albert Nobbs- Alan Moloney, Bonnie Curtis, Julie Lynn and Glenn Close (Parallel Film & TV Productions)
Charlie Casanova- Terry McMahon (Source Productions)
Stella Days - Jackie Larkin& Leslie McKimm (Newgrange Pictures)
The Guard - Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, Chris Clarke, Flora Fernandez Marengo(Element Pictures/Reprisal Films)
DIRECTOR FILM
Rebecca Daly - The Other Side of Sleep (Fastnet Films)
John Michael McDonagh - The Guard (Element Pictures/Reprisal Films)
Terry McMahon - Charlie Casanova (Source Productions)
Thaddeus O’Sullivan - Stella Days (Newgrange Pictures)
SCRIPT FILM
John Banville & Glenn Close - Albert Nobbs (Parallel Film & Television Productions)
John Michael McDonagh - The Guard (Element Pictures/Reprisal Films)
Terry McMahon - Charlie Casanova (Source Productions)
Antoine O’Flaherta - Stella Days (Newgrange Pictures)
ACTOR IN A LEAD ROLE IN A FEATURE FILM
Michael Fassbender – Shame (Momentum Pictures)
Brendan Gleeson - The Guard (Element pictures/Reprisal Films)
Ciarán Hinds – Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (Focus Features)
Martin Sheen – Stella Days (Newgrange Pictures)
ACTRESS IN A LEAD ROLE IN A FEATURE FILM
Aoife Duffin - Behold The Lamb (Dumbworld Productions)
Antonia Campbell Hughes - The Other Side of Sleep (Fastnet Films)
Marcella Plunkett - Stella Days (Newgrange Pictures)
Saoirse Ronan -Hanna (Focus Features)
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A FEATURE FILM
Liam Cunningham - The Guard (Element Pictures)
Brendan Gleeson - Albert Nobbs (Parallel Film & Television Productions)
Ciarán Hinds - The Debt (Universal Pictures)
Chris O’Dowd - Bridesmaids (Universal Pictures)
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A FEATURE FILM
Maria Doyle Kennedy - Albert Nobbs (Parallel Film & Television Productions)
Fionnula Flanagan - The Guard (Element Pictures/Reprisal Films)
Brenda Fricker - Albert Nobbs (Parallel Film & Television Productions)
Amy Huberman - Stella Days (Newgrange Pictures)
GEORGE MORRISON FEATURE DOCUMENTARY AWARD
Bernadette; Notes on a Political Journey- Lelia Doolan, (Digital Quilts)
Knuckle- Ian Palmer, (RISE Films)
Men of Arlington- Enda Hughes, (Hotshot Films)
Off The Beaten Track- Dieter Auner, (Ikandi Productions)
SPECIAL IRISH LANGUAGE AWARD
Corp + Anam – Paddy Hayes (Magamedia)
Mobs Cheanada - Dathai Keane (Abú Media)
Ray McAnally - M'Athair - Brian Reddin (Dearg Films)
Seacht - Colin O'Donnell (Stirling Film & Television)
ANIMATION
23 Degrees 5 Minutes - Darragh O'Connell (Brown Bag Films)
The Boy in the Bubble - Kealan O' Rourke (Igloo Films)
The Last Train - Alex Sherwood (Giant Creative)
Origin - James Stacey (Souljacker)
PHILIPS SHORT FILM AWARD
The Boy In The Bubble- Kealan O' Rourke (Igloo Films)
Cluck- Michael Lavelle (Tilted Productions)
Downpour- Claire Dix (Zucca Films)
Foxes- Lorcan Finnegan (Lovely Productions)
The Shore- Terry George (All Ashore)
INTERNATIONAL CATEGORIES
INTERNATIONAL FILM
Bridesmaids (Universal Pictures)
Drive (Eclipse Pictures)
Senna (Universal Pictures)
Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (Focus Features)
INTERANTIONAL ACTOR
Don Cheadle - The Guard (Element Pictures)
Leonardo DiCaprio - J Edgar (Warner Bros Pictures)
Ryan Gosling – Drive (Eclipse Pictures)
Gary Oldman - Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy (Focus Features)
INTERNATIONAL ACTRESS
Glenn Close, Albert Nobbs
Meryl Streep, The Iron Lady
Tilda Swinton, We Need To Talk About Kevin
Kirsten Wiig, Bridesmaids
TELEVISION DRAMA CATEGORIES
BEST DRAMA, IN ASSOCIATION WITH BAI
Corp + Anam - Paddy Hayes (Magamedia)
Game of Thrones - Mark Huffam (Generator Entertainment)
Love/Hate - Suzanne McAuley/Steve Mattews (Octagon Films)
The Borgias - James Flynn, Neil Jordan (Octagon Films)
DIRECTOR TELEVISION DRAMA
David Caffrey - Love/Hate (Octagon Films)
Neil Jordan - The Borgias (Octagon Films)
Brian Kirk - Game of Thrones (Generator Entertainment)
Daniel O’Hara - Being Human (Company Pictures)
WRITER TELEVISION DRAMA
Neil Jordan - The Borgias (Octagon Films)
Stuart Carolan - Love/Hate (Octagon Films)
Ronan Bennett - Hidden (Origin Pictures)
Daire Mac Con Iomaire - Corp + Anam (Magamedia)
ACTOR IN A LEAD ROLE TELEVISION
Diarmuid de Faoite - Corp + Anam (Magamedia)
Aidan Gillen - Love/Hate (Octagon Films)
Chris O’Dowd - The Crimson and the White Petal (Origin Pictures)
David Pearse - Trivia (Grand Pictures)
ACTRESS IN A LEAD ROLE TELEVISION
Maria Doyle Kennedy - Corp + Anam (Magamedia)
Michele Fairley - Game of Thrones (Generator Entertainment)
Ruth Negga - Shirley (Prospect Cymru Wales)
Aisling O’Sullivan - Raw (Ecosse Films / Octagon Films)
ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE TELEVISION
Brendan Coyle - Downton Abbey (Carnival Productions)
Aidan Gillen - Game of Thrones (Generator Entertainment)
Robert Sheehan – Misfits (Clerkenwell Films)
Tom Vaughan Lawlor - Love/Hate (Octagon Films)
ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE TELEVISION
Eva Birthistle - Strike Back (Left Bank Pictures)
Bronagh Gallagher - The Field of Blood (BBC Scotland)
Denise McCormack - Love/Hate (Octagon Films)
Ruth Negga – Misfits (Clerkenwell Films)
CRAFT / TECHNICAL CATEGORIES (FILM / TV DRAMA)
COSTUME DESIGN (FILM / TV DRAMA)
Joan Bergin - Camelot (World 2000 Entertainment)
Consolata Boyle - The Iron Lady (Eclipse Pictures)
Eimer Ní Mhaoldomhnaigh – Neverland (Parallel Film & Television Productions)
Lorna Marie Mugan - Treasure Island (Parallel Film & Television Productions)
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY (FILM / TV DRAMA)
Seamus Deasy – Neverland (Parallel Film & Television Productions)
Suzie Lavelle - The Other Side of Sleep (Fastnet Films)
Seamus McGarvey - We Need To Talk About Kevin (Artificial Eye)
Robbie Ryan - Wuthering Heights (Ecosse Films)
EDITING (FILM / TV DRAMA)
Dermot Diskin - Stella Days (Newgrange Pictures)
Tony Kearns - Charlie Casanova (Source Productions)
Úna Ní Dhonghaíle - Dr Who (BBC Film)
Isobel Stephenson - Love/Hate (Octagon Films)
M.A.C MAKE-UP & HAIR (FILM / TV DRAMA)
Lorraine Glynn / Lynn Johnson - Albert Nobbs (Parallel Film & Television Productions)
Dee Corcoran / Tom Mc Inerney - Camelot (World 2000 Entertainment)
Ailbhe Lemass / Lorraine Glynn - Neverland (Parallel Film & Television Productions)
Joni Galvin / Eileen Buggy - Stella Days (Newgrange Pictures)
ORIGINAL SCORE (FILM / TV DRAMA)
Brian Byrne - Albert Nobbs (Parallel Film & Television Productions)
Darragh O’Toole - Ballymun Lullaby (Pulp Productions)
Stephen McKeon - Legends of Valhalla: Thor (Tidal Films)
Ray Harman - Love/Hate (Octagon Films)
PRODUCTION DESIGN (FILM / TV DRAMA)
Tom Conroy - Camelot (World 2000 Entertainment)
Stephen Daly - Love/Hate (Octagon Films)
John Paul Kelly - The Guard (Element Pictures)
Anna Rackard - Stella Days (Newgrange Pictures)
SOUND (FILM / TV DRAMA)
Albert Nobbs - Brendan Deasy, Niall Brady, Michelle Cunniffe, Steve Fanagan (Parallel Film & Television Productions)
Game of Thrones – Ronan Hill & Sound Post Production Team (Generator Entertainment)
Love/Hate - Brendan Deasy, Mark Henry, Fiadhnait McCann (Octagon Films)
The Guard - Robert Flanagan, Michelle Cuniffe, Niall Brady (Element Pictures)
CRAFT & TECHNICAL CATEGORIES (TELEVISION)
DIRECTOR TELEVISION
Liz Gill - A Story With Me In It (Animo)
Gary Keane - The Writing in the Sky (Real Films)
Lynda McQuaid – MasterChef Ireland (Screentime Shinawil)
Kieron J Walsh - The Savage Eye (Blinder Films)
DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY TELEVISION
Richard Kendrick - Two for the Road (Yellow Asylum Films)
Michael O’Donovan - The Writing in the Sky (Real Films)
Peter Robertson – Waterways (Tile Films)
Kieron Skyne - Departure Day (RTÉ)
EDITING TELEVISION
Ailbhe Gaffney – MasterChef Ireland (Screentime Shinawil)
Mick Mahon - The Writing in the Sky (Real Films)
Emer Reynolds - Broken Tail (Crossing the Line Films)
Ray Roantree - The Ashes of 9/11 (RTÉ)
SOUND TELEVISION
Horslips - Rotha Mór an tSaoil – Sam Horgan (Gaijin Productions)
MasterChef Ireland – Trevor Cunningham (Screentime Shinawil)
Punky – Emma Butt (Monster Animation and Design)
The Writing in the Sky – Killian Fitzgerald (Real Films)
TELEVISION CATEGORIES
CHILDREN’S / YOUTH PROGRAMME
OMG! Jedward’s Dream Factory - Noleen Golding (Tyrone Productions)
Punky - Gerard O'Rourke (Monster Animation & Design)
The Amazing World of Gumball - Anne Tweedy & Peter Lewis (Boulder Media Limited)
The Importance of Being Whatever - Martina Niland & David Collins (Accomplice TV)
CURRENT AFFAIRS / NEWS
Prime Time Investigates: The Home Care Scandal - Adrian Lydon (RTÉ)
Prime Time Investigates: Carry On Regardless - Bill Malone (RTÉ)
The Frontline: The Presidential Debate - Michael Hughes (RTÉ)
State Visit to Ireland of Queen Elizabeth II - John O'Regan (RTÉ)
DOCUMENTARY SERIES
The Meaning of Life with Gay Byrne - Roger Childs (RTÉ)
Mobs Cheanada - Dathai Keane, (Abu Media)
The Tenements - Jane Kelly (Big Mountain Productions)
Waterways - Stephen Rooke (Tile Films)
DOCUMENTARY
Father Ted;Small, Far Away - The World of Father Ted - Faye Hill (Hat Trick Productions Ltd)
The Blood of the Travellers - Liam McGrath (Scratch Films)
Ray McAnally - Brian Reddin (Dearg Films)
The Irish of 9/11 - Maurice Sweeney (Motive Television)
ENTERTAINMENT PROGRAMME
Hardy Bucks – Mike Cockayne
MasterChef Ireland - Larry Bass (Screentime ShinAwiL)
Mrs Brown’s Boys - Brendan O'Carroll & Justin Healy (BBC)
The Savage Eye – (Blinder Films)
FACTUAL PROGRAMME
Secret Millionaire - Ronan O Muirthile (Animo Television)
Story of Ireland - Mike Connolly (BBC NI)
The Belfast Blitz - Andrea McCartney (Hardy Pictures)
The Only Viking In The Village - Anne Heffernan & Bernadine Carraher (Mind the Gap)
REALITY PROGRAMME
Celebrity Bainisteoir - Fiona Looney (Kite Entertainment)
Head Chef - Billy McGrath (Sideline Productions)
ICA Bootcamp (Independent Pictures)
The Apprentice - Larry Bass (Screentime ShinAwiL)
SPORTS
Eamon Coughlan - Man on a Mission – (Motive Television)
Frank O’Farrell - The Shadow of Busby - Sean Doyle (Zoogon)
Pilgrims - The Irish at Cheltenham - Maurice Sweeney (Motive Television)
Rory’s Major Breakthrough - Stephen Watson (BBCNI Sport)
The Irish Film & Television Awards are sponsored by Irish Film Board/Bord Scannán na hÉireann; RTÉ, IFTN, Broadcasting Authority of Ireland, Philips, RTÉ Guide; and has Partners MAC, CityJet, BMW, Moet & Chandon, Walt Disney Studios (Ireland).
