Celtic Media Festival unveils nominees for the Torc Awards
Date Posted: March 12, 2024
Taking place from the 4th to 6th of June 2024 at the Marriott Hotel in Cardiff’s city centre, the Celtic Media Festival’s annual three-day celebration will see nominees come together to celebrate the diverse body of work from creatives across Scotland, Ireland, Wales, the Isle of Man, Cornwall, Brittany and Galicia. Among the nominees are a number of Northern Ireland projects, some of which have been supported by the Northern Ireland Screen Fund and the Irish Language Broadcast Fund respectively.
This year’s shortlist in the Feature Documentary category includes Lyra, an intimate journey through post-conflict Northern Ireland, authored by journalist Lyra McKee, who was shot dead by the New IRA in April 2019. Lyra was made by her close friend, BAFTA-winning Alison Millar (Erica Starling Productions), executively produced by Hillary Rodham Clinton’s Hidden Light Productions, and funded by Northern Ireland Screen.
In the Arts (Screen) category, My Name Is Ottilie has been nominated. This documentary is about the story of Ottilie Patterson, a pioneer of British music from County Down, who gained widespread fame in the late 1950s and early 1960s. The film was produced by DoubleBand Films and received funding from Northern Ireland Screen.
In the Comedy Category, the Sky Original Drama, The Lovers is nominated. Filmed on location in Belfast and written and created by award winning Belfast playwright David Ireland the series was commissioned by Sky Studios for Sky Atlantic.
Bantracht, a Macha Media production for Raidió Fáilte, has been nominated in the Factual Series (Sound) category. The show received support from Northern Ireland Screen’s Irish Language Broadcast Fund. Bantracht follows the lives of two friends, Méabh Nic Alastair and Milène Fegan, as they navigate the highs and lows of motherhood and family life with their young children.
M’Ainm Mo Scéal, from Ronin Films, has received a nomination in the Children’s Programme (Screen) category. The show was funded by Northern Ireland Screen’s Irish Language Broadcast Fund and combines live action with animation and dramatic re-enactments to help children explore their personal stories and the meanings behind their names. The series was filmed all over Ireland and showcases the next generation of Gaeilgeoirí.
A number of radio projects from Northern Ireland also feature in the shortlist. The full list of nomineescan be found here.
