Northern Ireland projects nominated for RTS Ireland Television Awards 2023
Date Posted: March 6, 2023
Congratulations to the Northern Ireland projects nominated for this year’s RTS Ireland Television Awards 2023. The awards aim to showcase and give recognition to the Irish TV industry for achievements and excellence in creative production for the year.
Declan McGrath and Neasa Ní Chianáin’s documentary Young Plato has been nominated in Factual Single category. The funny, poignant and inspiring film is set in post-conflict Belfast’s Ardoyne, where a marginalised, working-class community has for generations been plagued by poverty, drugs and guns. This film charts the dream of Headmaster Kevin McArevey and his dedicated, visionary team illustrating how critical thinking and pastoral care can empower and encourage children to see beyond the boundaries and limitations of their own community. We see how philosophy can encourage them to question the mythologies of war and of violence, and sometimes challenge the narratives their parents, peers and socio-economic group would dictate.
Three Irish Language Broadcast Fund projects are also among the list of nominees. Doineann, the first Irish language feature film shot entirely in Northern Ireland, is up for Best Drama. Doineann, meaning ‘stormy weather’ takes viewers on a tension-filled journey to a remote Irish island where a father, Tomás returns home to find his baby son and wife have vanished. The film was produced by DoubleBand Films.
An Diabhal Inti, has been nominated for the Factual Series award. Produced by Lagan Media Productions, the series explores why many people, mostly women, were targeted during the witch hunts that swept across Europe.
Finally, An Buachaill Gealgháireach has been nominated for Specialist Factual. The film tells the remarkable untold story of an Irish song called The Laughing Boy written by a teenage rebel called Brendan Behan in memory of another iconic rebel, Michael Collins. Produced by Imagine Media, the film was written and presented by Theo Dorgan, directed by Alan Gilsenan and produced by Kathryn Baird and Sheila Friel.
Green Inc Film and Television’s Free Gaff has been nominated for the Entertainment award. Darren Conway and Joseph McGucken bring their surreal and experimental comedy style to life in this sketch comedy series featuring some of Ireland’s most well-known content creators.
The winners will be announced on the evening of Tuesday 28th March at an event in the Galmont Hotel in Galway.
The full list of nominations can be reviewed here.
