John Butler’s comedy The Stag and John Michael McDonagh’s state-of-the-nation piece Calvary have topped the charts in the nominations for the upcoming Irish Film and Television Awards.
Both films received six nominations. The shortlist for best Irish film was completed by Neil Jordan’s Byzantium, Steph Green’s Run & Jump and Stephen Brown’s The Sea.
Rather neatly, Calvary, which stars Brendan Gleeson as a priest coping with a death sentence, opened the recent Jameson Dublin International Film Festival, and The Stag, an ensemble comedy based around a stag party, closed that event.
The Stag is released in cinemas next week. McDonagh’s picture will hit cinemas in early April.
To nobody’s great surprise, the gangster series Love/Hate, among the most-discussed shows of the last few years, topped the television charts with eight nominations, including mentions for best drama, best director and best script.
“This year’s nominations showcase to the world what Ireland’s small but excellent film and television community has to offer,” Aine Moriarty, the Academy’s CEO, commented.
“Their hard work over the last 12 months has delivered world-class standards with some of the most diverse and engaging Irish films, dramas and documentaries along with great entertainment and factual programmes.”
There was happy news for John Banville, the celebrated Irish novelist, with two adaptations of his work registering in the nominations.
Mr Banville received a best script nod for his own adaptation of The Sea, his 2005 Booker Prize winner, and Ciarán Hinds is shortlisted as best actor for the same film.
Quirke, the TV series derived from Banville's crime novels written under the pseudonym Benjamin Black, was nominated for best TV drama, best TV script and – acknowledging the performance of veteran Gabriel Byrne – best actor in a leading TV role.
An impressive array of stars was listed in this morning's nominations. Joining Brendan Gleeson and Ciarán Hinds in the best film actor race were Domhnall Gleeson for About Time, and Andrew Scott – Moriarty in the BBC's Sherlock – for The Stag.
The best film actress nominations are Antonia Campbell-Hughes for 3096 Days, Jane McGrath for Black Ice, Saoirse Ronan for Byzantium and Kelly Thornton for Life's a Breeze.
The Academy also reaches out to the world by honouring a best international film. Four nominees for the best picture Oscar, awarded this Sunday night, made the IFTA shortlist: 12 Years a Slave, Gravity, Philomena and The Wolf of Wall Street.
The IFTAs will take place at the DoubleTree Hotel at Hilton Burlington Road on Saturday April 5th and will be broadcast on RTÉ 1 television. Over 311 titles were submitted in 40 categories.
The full list of IFTA nominees:
FILM NOMINATIONS:
Byzantium (Alan Moloney, Stephen Woolley, Parallel Films, Number 9 Films)
Calvary (James Flynn, Chris Clark, Flora Fernandez Marengo, Octagon Films, Reprisal Films)
Run & Jump (Tamara Angie, David Collins, Martina Niland, Samson Films)
The Sea (David Collins, Samson Films)
The Stag (Robert Walpole, Rebecca O’Flanagan, Treasure Entertainment)
Director Film
John Butler, The Stag (Treasure Entertainment)
Neil Jordan, Byzantium (Parallel Films and Number 9 Films)
John Michael McDonagh, Calvary (Octagon Films and Reprisal Films)
Ruairi Robinson, The Last Days on Mars (Qwerty Films and Fantastic Films)
Script Film
John Banville, The Sea (Samson Films)
Ailbhe Keogan, Run & Jump (Samson Films)
John Michael McDonagh, Calvary (Octagon Films and Reprisal Films)
John Butler and Peter McDonald, The Stag (Treasure Entertainment)
Actor in a Lead Role Film
Brendan Gleeson, Calvary (Octagon Films and Reprisal Films)
Domhnall Gleeson, About Time (Universal Pictures)
Ciarán Hinds, The Sea (Samson Films)
Andrew Scott, The Stag (Treasure Entertainment)
Actress in a Leading Role Film
Antonia Campbell-Hughes, 3096 Days (Constantin Film)
Jane McGrath, Black Ice (Bandit Films)
Saoirse Ronan, Byzantium (Parallel Films & Number 9 Films)
Kelly Thornton, Life’s A Breeze (Fastnet Films)
Actor in a Supporting Role Film
Colin Farrell, Saving Mr.Banks (Walt Disney Studios)
Michael Fassbender, 12 Years A Slave (Entertainment One)
Edward MacLiam, Run & Jump (Samson Films)
Peter McDonald, The Stag (Treasure Entertainment)
Actress in a Supporting Role Film
Sinead Cusack, The Sea (Samson Films)
Fionnula Flanagan, Life’s A Breeze (Fastnet Films)
Amy Huberman, The Stag (Treasure Entertainment)
Orla O’Rourke, Calvary (Octagon Films and Reprisal Films)
International Film (sponsored by American Airlines)
12 Years a Slave
Gravity
Philomena
The Wolf of Wall Street
International Actor
Leonardo DiCaprio, The Wolf of Wall Street
Michael Douglas Behind the Candelabra
Chiwetel Ejiofor, 12 Years a Slave
Matthew McConaughey Dallas Buyers Club
International Actress
Amy Adams American Hustle
Cate Blanchett Blue Jasmine
Sandra Bullock Gravity
Judi Dench Philomena
Drama in association with the Broadcasting Authority of Ireland
The Fall (Stephen Wright, Allan Cubitt, BBC Northern Ireland, Artists Studio)
Game of Thrones (HBO)
Love/Hate (Suzanne McAuley, Steve Matthews, Octagon Films)
Quirke (Ed Guiney, John McColgan, Joan Egan, Element Pictures, Tyrone Productions, BBC Drama)
Vikings (Michael Hirst, Morgan O’Sullivan, James Flynn, History Channel)
Director TV Drama
David Caffrey, Love Hate (Octagon Films)
Ciaran Donnelly, Vikings (History Channel)
Ian Fitzgibbon, Moone Boy (Grand Pictures, Baby Cow Productions, Hot Cod Productions & Sprout Pictures for Sky 1)
Thaddeus O’Sullivan, Amber (Screenworks)
Script Drama
Stuart Carolan, Love/Hate (Octagon Films)
Neil Jordan, The Borgias (Octagon Films)
Nick Vincent Murphy & Chris O’Dowd, Moone Boy (Grand Pictures, Baby Cow Productions, Hot Cod Productions and Sprout Pictures for Sky 1)
Conor McPherson, Quirke (Element Pictures and Tyrone Productions)
Actor in a Leading Role Television
Gabriel Byrne, Quirke (Element Pictures and Tyrone Productions)
Jamie Dornan, The Fall (BBC Northern Ireland and Artists Studio)
Chris O’Dowd, Moone Boy (Grand Pictures, Baby Cow Productions, Hot Cod Productions & Sprout Pictures for Sky 1)
Tom Vaughan Lawlor, Love/Hate (Octagon Films)
Actress in a Leading Role Television
Eva Birthistle, Amber (Screenworks)
Charlie Murphy, Love/Hate (Octagon Films)
Mary Murray, Love/Hate (Octagon Films)
Deirdre O’Kane, Moone Boy (Grand Pictures, Baby Cow Productions, Hot Cod Productions & Sprout Pictures for Sky 1)
Actor in a Supporting Role Television
Peter Coonan, Love/Hate (Octagon Films)
Liam Cunningham, Game of Thrones (HBO)
Aidan Gillen, Game of Thrones (HBO)
Allen Leech, Downton Abbey (Carnival Films)
Actress in a Supporting Role Television
Elaine Cassidy, The Paradise (Masterpiece and BBC Productions)
Caoilfhionn Dunne, Love/Hate (Octagon Films)
Michelle Fairley, Game of Thrones (HBO)
Victoria Smurfit, Dracula (NBC/SKY)
CRAFT / TECHNICAL CATEGORIES (FILM/DRAMA)
Costume
Joan Bergin, Vikings
Consolata Boyle, Philomena
Lorna Marie Mugan, Ripper Street
Leonie Prendergast, Moone Boy
Director of Photography Film/Drama
PJ Dillon, Ripper Street
Kate McCullough, Here Was Cuba
Ruairi O’Brien, The Fall
Robbe Ryan, Philomena
Editing Film/Drama
Nick Emerson, Starred Up
Una Ni Dhonghaile, Ripper Street
Nathan Nugent, Run & Jump
Emer Reynolds, Here Was Cuba
Makeup & Hair sponsored by M.A.C.
Byzantium
The Fall
Ripper Street
Vikings
Production Design
Tom Conroy Vikings
Mark Geraghty, Ripper Street
Ton McCullough, The Fall
Donal Woods, Downton Abbey
Original Score
Liam Bates, Earthbound
Patrick Cassidy, Calvary
David Holmes, The Fall
Nick Seymour, The Summit
Sound Film/Drama
Game of Thrones
Here Was Cuba
Last Days on Mars
Ripper Street
TELEVISION PROGRAMMES
Childrens/Youth
An Ceoldrama
Doc McStuffins
Octonauts
Punky
Current Affairs
Breach of Trust (RTÉ)
Inside Irish Nationwide (Animo for RTÉ)
Spotlight Housing Whatever It Takes (BBC NI)
Vincent Browne Tonight (TV3)
Documentary
Danny Boy: The Ballad that Bewitched the World
Donal Walsh - My Story
The Disappeared
The Scholarship - Class of 2018
Documentary Series
1916 Seachtar Dearmadta
Bliain in Árainn Mhór
The Estate
John Lonergan’s Circus
Entertainment
Irish Pictorial Weekly
The Late Late Show
Moone Boy
Mrs Browns Boys
Factual
John Sheahan: A Dubliner
Nationwide
Seamus Heaney - Postscript - Imeall
The Zoo
Reality
Dúshlán 1881 - Living the Eviction
The Great Irish Bake Off
Jockey Eile
Operation Transformation
Sports
Batmen
Páidí Ó Sé - Rí an Pharóiste
R.O.G. The Ronan O’Gara Story
We Got Game
Irish Language
1916 Seachtar Dearmadta
An Ceoldrama
Scúp
Páidí Ó Sé - Rí an Pharóiste
CRAFT / TECHNICAL CATEGORIES (TELEVISION)
Director TV
Anna Rodgers, Somebody to Love
Colm Bairéad, An Ceoldráma
Tom Johnston, Áine Lawlor: Facing Cancer
Maurice Sweeney, John Sheahan: A Dubliner
Director of Photography TV
Barry Donnellan, Secrets of the Irish Landscape
Ronan Fox, John Sheahan: A Dubliner
Richard Kendrick, In Good Hands The Power of Metal
John Murray, The Secret Life of the Shannon
Editing TV
Mick Mahon, John Sheahan: A Dubliner
Mick Mahon, We Got Game
Emer Reynolds, The Secret Life of the Shannon
Ray Roantree, Looking After No. 1
Sound TV
1916 Searchtar Dearmadta
John Sheahan: A Dubliner
R.O.G. The Ronan O’Gara Story
The Secret Life of the Shannon
