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Galway Film Fleadh Announce Award Winners of 34th Edition

14 July 2022 - On Sunday July 10th, 2022, the 34th edition of the Galway Film Fleadh ended after another outstanding year. This year’s Fleadh moved back indoors at the Town Hall Theatre and the Pálás, festival goers were also able to see the best of Irish and international film premieres back where they belong in cinema. The annual awards ceremony took place before the closing film Ukrainian-made Carol of the Bells. Carol of the Bells is the story of three families – Ukrainian, Polish, and Jewish – who lived in the same building in Stanislaviv in Ukraine between 1938 and 1944. All three families disappeared one by one, leaving their children in the building. The last one to disappear was a Ukrainian woman who was a teacher of music.


Photo by Claire Sheehan & Lorg Media The winner of Best Irish Film, in association with Danu Media was Lakelands, written, directed and produced by Robert Higgins & Patrick McGivney. Lakelands won the Fleadh’s Best Marketplace Project Award in 2021 and returned to the Fleadh this year for its World Premiere. Lakelands follows Cian, a young Gaelic footballer who struggles to comes to terms with a career-ending injury after an attack on a night out. Cian undertakes a search for his own identity in a small town where Gaelic football is a religion, and identity is defined by what you can do on the pitch. Featuring the directorial debuts of Robert Higgins and Patrick McGivney, and a cast of emerging Irish stars including Éanna Hardwicke (Vivarium, Normal People) and Danielle Galligan (Netflix’s Shadow and Bone). Winning Best Irish First Feature was The Sparrow, written & directed by Michael Kinirons produced by Alicia Ní Ghráinne. The Sparrow follows KEVIN COYNE (15) who lives in a dysfunctional household where grieving the death of his mother is forbidden by his father LARRY, an ex-soldier. Kevin is also used to living in his brother ROBBIE’s (18) shadow, so he is surprised when HANNA (16), a newcomer to this West Cork parish, seems to prefer his company.

Nothing Compares, won the best Irish documentary award on the night, directed by Kathryn Ferguson. The film charts Sinéad OʼConnorʼs phenomenal rise to worldwide fame and examines how she used her voice at the height of her stardom. Focusing on Sinéad’s prophetic words and deeds across a five-year period (1987–1992), Nothing Compares presents an authored, cinematic portrait of a musical icon through a contemporary feminist lens.

The winners are as follows –

1. BEST INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION SHORT

Zoon Directed by Jonathan Schwenk


2. BEST INTERNATIONAL FICTION SHORT

Too Rough Directed by Sean Lionadh 3. BEST INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY SHORT

Nuisance Bear Directed by Jack Weisman & Gabriela Oslo Vanden 4. BEST FIRST ANIMATION SHORT in association with Brown Bag Films

Soul Office Directed by Ryan Loughran Produced by Fiona McLaughlin, Tom Getty and Grace Loughrey 5. BEST IRISH FIRST SHORT FICTION

Homebird Directed by Caleb J. Roberts Produced by Brian J. Falconer, Callum Harrison and Jonathan Beer 6. THE DONAL GILLIGAN AWARD FOR CINEMATOGRAPHY IN A SHORT FILM in association with the Irish Society Cinematographers (ISC) supported by Celtic Grips presented by JOHN LEAHY

Burn It All Directed by Jack Hickey Produced by Lara Hickey Cinematography by Phillip Blake 7. BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY IN AN IRISH FILM in association with Teach Solais – presented BY CIAN DE BUTLÈIR Tarrac Cinematography by Patrick Jordan 8. BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM

The Score Written & Directed by Malachi Smyth 9. BEST INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY

The Job of Songs Directed by Lila Schmitz Produced by Fengy Xu and Anika Kan Grevstad 10. PERIPHERAL VISIONS AWARD

Bad Women Directed by Niklas Lindgren Written by Niklas Lindgren and Karolina Lindgren Produced by Mila Haavisto 11. BEST HUMAN RIGHTS FILM in association with Amnesty international Presented BY Siddhi Joshi

Afghan Dreamers Directed by David Greenwald Produced by Beth Murphy & David Cowan 12. YOUNG AUDIENCE AWARD

Stay Awake Director: Jamie Sisley Writer: Jamie Sisley Producers: Shrihari Sathe, Eric Schultz, Kelly Thomas & David Ariniello 13. PITCHING AWARD

Haven by Maureen O’Connell 14. BEST MARKETPLACE PROJECT AWARD in association with Bankside Films Shoal Clare Strong, Director Jeanie Igoe, Producer 15. THE BIGHAM RAY NEW TALENT AWARD: in association with Magnolia Pictures PRESENTED BY KATE O’TOOLE Joint Winners: Éanna Hardwicke and Danielle Galligan, Lakelands 16. BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY in association with TG4 Presented by – Special Mentions: Where Do All the Old Gays Go Directed by Cathy Dunne Produced by Maggie Ryan and Cathy Dunne For the Birds Directed by Ciarán O’ Connor Produced by Nuala Cunningham and Jen Dunbar

Winner: Call Me Mommy Directed by Tara O’Callaghan Produced by Aaron McEnaney, Louise Byrne and Ross Killeen 17. THE JAMES HORGAN AWARD FOR SHORT ANIMATION Soul Office Directed by Ryan Loughran Produced by Fiona McLaughlin, Tom Getty and Grace Loughrey 18. THE TIERNAN MCBRIDE AWARD FOR BEST FICTION SHORT Drama in association with Network Ireland Television PRESENTED BY DERRY O’BRIEN Wednesday’s Child Directed by Laura O’Shea Produced by Caroline Harvey and Charleigh Baileigh 19. BEST IRISH DOCUMENTARY Nothing Compares Director: Kathryn Ferguson Writers: Kathryn Ferguson, Eleanor Emptage & Michael Mallie Producers: Eleanor Emptage & Michael Mallie 20. BEST IRISH FIRST FEATURE in association with Saffery Champness – PRESENTED BY John Gleeson The Sparrow Written & Directed by Michael Kinirons Produced by Alicia Ní Ghráinne 21. BEST IRISH FILM in association with Danu Media – PRESENTED BY SIOBHAN NI GHADHRA Lakelands Written, Directed and Produced by Robert Higgins & Patrick McGivney

 

Article via Galway Film Fleadh, July 2022

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