Galway Film Fleadh winners announced as 34th festival ends

The 34th Galway Film Fleadh ended on Sunday after yet another outstanding festival featuring the best of Irish and international cinema.

The Fleadh moved back indoors at the Town Hall Theatre and the Pálás, with those in attendance able to see the best of Irish and international film premieres back where they belong.

The annual awards ceremony took place before the closing film Ukrainian-made Carol of the Bells.

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.

The film 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.

It features 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 and directed by Michael Kinirons and 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 18-year-old brother Robbie’s shadow, so he is surprised when 16-year-old Hanna, 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.

Winners

BEST INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION SHORT   

Zoon 

Directed by Jonathan Schwenk  

BEST INTERNATIONAL FICTION SHORT  

Too Rough

Directed by Sean Lionadh

BEST INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY SHORT   

Nuisance Bear 

Directed by Jack Weisman & Gabriela Oslo Vanden 

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 

BEST IRISH FIRST SHORT FICTION 

Homebird

Directed by Caleb J. Roberts

Produced by Brian J. Falconer, Callum Harrison and Jonathan Beer

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

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY IN AN IRISH FILM in association with Teach Solais – presented BY CIAN DE BUTLÈIR   

Tarrac 

Cinematography by Patrick Jordan  

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM   

The Score

Written & Directed by Malachi Smyth

BEST INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY   

The Job of Song

Directed by Lila Schmitz

Produced by Fengy Xu and Anika Kan Grevstad

PERIPHERAL VISIONS AWARD   

Bad Women 

Directed by Niklas Lindgren 

Written by Niklas Lindgren and Karolina Lindgren  

Produced by Mila Haavisto 

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 

YOUNG AUDIENCE AWARD 

Stay Awake

Director: Jamie Sisley

Writer: Jamie Sisley

Producers: Shrihari Sathe, Eric Schultz, Kelly Thomas & David Ariniello

PITCHING AWARD  

Haven by Maureen O’Connell

BEST MARKETPLACE PROJECT AWARD in association with Bankside Films 

Shoal

Clare Strong, Director

Jeanie Igoe, Producer

THE BIGHAM RAY NEW TALENT AWARD: in association with Magnolia Pictures PRESENTED BY KATE O’TOOLE

Joint Winners: Éanna Hardwicke and Danielle Galligan, Lakelands

BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY in association with TG4 Presented by – 

Winner: Call Me Mommy

Directed by Tara O’Callaghan

Produced by Aaron McEnaney, Louise Byrne and Ross Killeen

Best short documentary special mentions 

Where Do All the Old Gays Go directed by Cathy Dunne and produced by Maggie Ryan and Cathy Dunne.

For the Birds directed by Ciarán O’ Connor, produced by Nuala Cunningham and Jen Dunbar

THE JAMES HORGAN AWARD FOR SHORT ANIMATION    

Soul Office 

Directed by Ryan Loughran 

Produced by Fiona McLaughlin, Tom Getty and Grace Loughrey 

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

BEST IRISH DOCUMENTARY  

Nothing Compares

Director: Kathryn Ferguson

Writers: Kathryn Ferguson, Eleanor Emptage & Michael Mallie

Producers: Eleanor Emptage & Michael Mallie

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

BEST IRISH FILM in association with Danu Media – PRESENTED BY SIOBHAN NI GHADHRA

Lakelands

Written, Directed and Produced by Robert Higgins & Patrick McGivney