There were eleven prizes in total awarded to projects supported by Bord Scannán na hEireann/the Irish Film Board (IFB) at the Galway Film Fleadh this weekend with features, shorts, animations and documentaries all winning prizes.
GOOD VIBRATIONS directed by Lisa Barros D'Sa and Glenn Leyburn and written by Colin Carberry and Glenn Patterson scooped the Best Irish Feature Award following its packed out screening on Saturday night. The feature documents how the infamous Terry Hooley opened up a music shop and began a record label (both called Good Vibrations) at the height of the Troubles in 1970s Belfast.
The Best First Feature was jointly won by two very different films - CITADEL and EARTHBOUND. Ciaran Foy's psychological horror CITADEL which picked up an Audience Award at SXSW earlier this year is an unsettling, original and powerful story about an agoraphobic father teams up with a renegade priest to save his daughter from the clutches of a gang of twisted feral children. Meanwhile Alan Brennan's contemporary sci-fi comedy EARTHBOUND is about a man who just wants an ordinary life: a job he doesn't hate, a place to call home and a nice girl to settle down with. He is just like the rest of us...except he's an alien.
The Bingham Ray New Talent Award in association with Magnolia Pictures went to the talented Gerard Barrett for his poignant and raw film PILGRIM HILL which tells the story of Jimmy Walshe, a bachelor farmer living in rural Ireland and caring for his sick father.
The Best Irish Feature Documentary went to Art O'Briain's NATURAL GRACE while LON SA SPEIR written by Niall Murphy and directed by Seán Ó Cualáin came in second place.
IFB funded shorts also picked up a number of awards. The James Horgan Award for Best Animation went to Conor Finnegan's Framework short FEAR OF FLYING. The short is now eligible to enter into the race for an Academy Awards nomination. A Special Mention in this category was given to Tony Donoghue's animated documentary IRISH FOLK FURNITURE.
The Don Quijote Prize for Short Animation went to Kris Kelly's Framework short film HERE TO FALL while Teemu Auersalo's Short Short LEARNING TO FISH received a Special Mention. The Donal Gilligan Award for Best Cinematography in a short film went to James Mather for his work on the Signature short THE HATCH.
GALWAY FILM FLEADH - THE WINNERS:
GALWAY HOOKER AWARDS:
Frank Stapleton
Isabelle Huppert
30 Minute Film Festival Judges Award
Winner: Alan Travers
Director: Stop Motion Biscuit Cake
The International Federation of Film Societies is proud to award the Don Quijote Prize in the animation short film category presented by Alberto Lacasa
Winner: Here To Fall
Director: Kris Kelly
Producer: Evelyn McGrath
Special Mention: Learning to Fish
Director: Teemu Auersalo
Producer: Nicky Gogan
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The Huston School of Film and Digital Media's Cinema, Human Right and Advocay Award is presented to the film that shows the importance of cinema as a means of raising awareness about human right issues presented by Dee Quinn
Winner: Give Up Tomorrow
Directed: Michael Collins
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The Donal Gilligan Award for Best Cinematography in a short film:
The Galway film Fleadh in association with the Irish society of cinematographers are proud to present an award commemorating the distinguished work of the Irish cinematographer Donal Gilligan presented by : Charlotte Sommers, Michael, Joe & Finn Gilligan
AND THE AWARD GOES TO: James Mather for The Hatch
SHORTS JURY AWARDS
The James Horgan Award for Best Animation in association with Telegael
***Winner eligible to enter Short Film competition for Academy Award ****
Special Mention: Irish Folk Furniture
Director: Tony Donoghue
Producer: Cathal Black
Winner: Fear of Flying
Director: Conor Finnegan
Producer: Brunella Cocchigila
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The Tiernan McBride Award for Best Short Drama in association with Network Ireland Television presented by Derry O'Brien ***Winner eligible to enter Short Film competition for Academy Award ****
Special Mention: Joy
Director: Colm Quinn
Producer: Neil Wallace, Emmet Fleming
Winner: The Girl with the Mechanical Maiden
Director: Andrew Legge
Producer: Ciara Whelan
Cartoon Saloon Best First Animation Award
Winner: Head Over Heels
Director: Timothy Reckart
Producer: Fodhla Cronin O' Reilly
The Best First Short Drama in association with Mazars presented by Paul Mee
Winner: Toy Soldiers
Director: Mike Hayes
Producer: Ciara Gillan
The Best Short Documentary Award in association with Teach Solas
Special Mention: Off the Board
Director: Siobhan Perry
Producer: Roisin Linnie
Special Mention: Saving Turf
Director: Gearoid Hayes
Producer: Gearoid Hayes
Winner: The Hood and the Collar
Director: Paddy Hayes
Producer: Ciara Ni Chormaic
FEATURES AUDIENCE AWARDS:
The Best Irish Feature Award:
Second place: Stalker
Director: Mark O Connor
Producer: TJ O Grady Peyton
Winner: Good Vibrations
Director : Glenn Lyburn, Lisa Barros D'Sa
Producer : Chris Martin, Andrew Eaton, David Holmes
Best International Feature
Second Place: Baikonur
Director: Veit Helmer
Winner: The Parade
Director: Srdjan Dragojevic
Producer: Biljana Prvanovic
The Best First Irish Feature
Joint award:
Winner: Citadel
Director: Ciaran Foy
Producer : Katie Holly & Brian Coffey
Winner: Earthbound
Director : Alan Brennan
Producer: Heidi Karin Madsen, Jacqueline Kerrin, Dominic Wright
The Best International First Feature
In Second Place: In the Family
Director: Patrick Wang
Winner: Perfect Strange
Directed: Toni Bestard
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Best Irish Feature Documentary
Second Place: Lon Sa Speir
Director: Sean O Cualain
Producer: Eamonn O Cualain
Winner: Natural Grace
Director: Art O Briain
Producer:Art O Briain, Aileen McDonagh
Best International Feature Documentary
Second Place: The Swell Season
Director: Nick August-Perna, Chris Dapkins, Carlo Mirabella-Davis
Winner: Four Horsemen
Director: Ross Ashcroft
Producer: Megan Ashcroft
The Galway Film Fleadh Pitching Award
Winner: Hannah Patterson for RESISTANCE
The Bingham Ray New Talent Award in association with Magnolia Pictures presented by Annabelle Ray
Winner: PILGRIM HILL
Directed by: Gerard Barrett
Produced by: Gerard Barrett
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