THE GUARD scoops Best Irish Feature Award as Nine IFB Funded Films Win Prizes at the Galway Film Fleadh
There were nine 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.John Michael McDonagh's comedy-thriller THE GUARD scooped the Best Irish Feature Award following its acclaimed Irish premiere in Galway last week. The film which stars Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle went on to have a very busy weekend at the Irish box office after it went on release nationwide on July 7th.
The Best First Feature was jointly won by two very different films - the festival's opening film PARKED and CHARLIE CASANOVA. PARKED, directed by Darragh Byrne and starring Colm Meaney is a wonderful tale of an unlikely friendship between the unemployed middle-aged Fred and the dope smoking Cathal while Terry McMahon's CHARLIE CASANOVA is a jet-black examination of the legacy of the Celtic Tiger and its dehumanizing effect on people like the titular Charlie, a monstrous caricature of unstable Irish masculinity.
Shorts from the IFB schemes Frameworks, Gearrscannain, Virtual Cinema, Signatures and Reality Bites picked up awards.
Kealan O'Rourke's amazing Framework short THE BOY WHO LIVED IN A BUBBLE which features the voice talent of Alan Rickman picked up two prizes: the James Horgan Award for Best Animation and the Don Quijote Award. The animation tells the whimsical tale of a 10 year old boy, who after having his heart broken turns to an ancient book of magic and invokes a powerful spell to rid him of his heartache and shield himself from all emotion forever. The Frameworks scheme is funded by the IFB, RTE and the Arts Council.
The Tiernan McBride Award for Best Short Drama was a joint win for the Gearrscannain short ASAL and Phil Harrison's EVEN GODS. Tom Sullivan's ASAL was the debut short from the IFB's new short film scheme Gearrscannain which aims to produce Irish language shorts suitable for a general audience.
The Signature short PENTECOST directed by Peter McDonald won the Best First Short Drama and the Reality Bites short NEEDLE EXCHANGE directed by Colm Quinn picked up the Best Short Documentary award.
The Best First Animation Award went to the Virtual Cinema short SIGNS directed and produced by Vincent Gallagher.
The Winners in Full:
SHORTS JURY AWARDS
The Best First Animation Award in association with the Cartoon Saloon - Presented by Paul Young
Winner: SIGNS
Directed & Produced by Vincent Gallagher
Second Place: The Art of Making Friends
Directed & Produced by Paul McNulty
The James Horgan Award for Best Animation in association with Telegael
Winner: THE BOY WHO LIVED IN A BUBBLE
Director: Kealan O'Rourke
Producer: Brian Willis
Second Place: The Gentleman's Guide to Villainy
Director: Aidan Mcteer
Producer: Aurelie Gauthier
Special Mention: Children in Direct Provision
Director - Galway Refugee Support Group
Producer - Sharon Lynch and children resident in Direct Provision Centre's
The Tiernan McBride Award for Best Short Drama sponsored by Waveform Studios:
THIS IS JOINTLY AWARD TO :
ASAL
Director: Tom Sullivan
Producer: Aislinn Ni Chuinneagain
and
EVEN GODS
Director: Phil Harrison
Producer: Lisa Barros D'Sa, & Phil Harrison
The Best First Short Drama in association with Mazars presented by Paul Mee:
Winner: PENTECOST
Direcctor: Peter Mc Donald
Producer: Eimear O'Kane
The Best Short Documentary Award in association with Studio Solas Teo
Winner: NEEDLE EXCHANGE
Director - Colm Quinn
Producer - Andrew Freedman
Special Mention: Halls Without Walls
Directed & Producer by Mia Mullarkey
Donal Gilligan Award for Best Cinematography in a Short Film
presented by Charlotte Sommers, Michael, Joe & Finn Gilligan
MICHAEL LAVELLE for Mummy's Little Helper
The International Federation of Film Societies Don Quijote Award:
Winner: THE BOY WHO LIVED IN A BUBBLE
Director: Kealan O'Rourke
Producer: Brian Willis
Special Mention: Cured
Director: Mary Redmond
Producer: Laura Ní Cheallaigh
30 Second Film Festival Judges Award
Winner: RUTH MEEHAN
FEATURES AUDIENCE AWARDS
The Best Irish Feature Award:
Winner THE GUARD
Director John Michael McDonagh
Producer Andrew Lowe & Ed Quiney
The Best Feature Documentary in association with Eugene F. Collins presented by Andrea Martin
Winner: BERNADETTE NOTES ON A POLITICAL JOURNEY
Directed & Produced by Lelia Doolan
In Second Place: Don't Ask Don't Tell
Director: John C Walsh
Producer: Tara Power, Joselyn Allen, Daryl Roth
The Best First Feature as been awarded to joint winners
PARKED
Directed by Darragh Byrne
Produced by Jacqueline Kerrin & Dominic Wright
CHARLIE CASANOVA
Directed & Produced by Terry McMahon
Winner of the Galway Film Fleadh Pitching Award
Rioghach Ni Ghrioghair DEATH RATTLE