Northern Ireland projects and talent nominated for the 2024 IFTA Film and Drama Awards
Date Posted: March 14, 2024
The Irish Film & Television Academy (IFTA) has announced the 2024 IFTA Nominations for the Irish Academy Awards across 28 categories in Film & Drama.
Projects made in Northern Ireland and homegrown talent feature heavily across the various categories in Film and Drama, securing nominations across 20 categories.
Several projects funded by Northern Ireland Screen have received nominations, among them critically acclaimed Belfast-based police drama Blue Lights from Two Cities Television which has secured four nominations, including Best Drama. Martin McCann’s performance secured a nomination in the Lead Actor-Drama category, and co-star Richard Dormer earned a nomination in the Supporting Actor-Drama category. Writers Declan Lawn and Adam Patterson also received a nod for Script – Drama.
Terry Loane’s The Last Rifleman, which was filmed on location in Northern Ireland and was produced by Wee Buns received nominations in the Lead Actor-Film category for Pierce Brosnan as well as a nomination in the Editing category.
Margo Harkin’s documentary Stolen has been nominated for George Morrison Feature Documentary where it will face competition from In the Shadow of Beirut, produced by Brendan Byrne at Belfast-based Cyprus Avenue Films.
The Women in the Wall, filmed in Northern Ireland, has also secured four nominations, including Best Drama and Script-Drama. Hilda Fay was nominated for her role as Supporting Actress -Drama, with lead Daryl McCormack also earning a nomination for his performance in Lead Actor- Drama.
The Golden West, written and directed by Oscar-winning Ross White and Tom Berkeley has secured a nomination for Live Action Short. Wind and the Shadow from Out of Orbit and EnterYes is nominated in the Animated Short Film category.
Paramount’s Dungeons and Dragons: Honour Among Thieves, which was shot in Northern Ireland and funded by Northern Ireland Screen, received a nomination in the VFX category.
That They May Face The Rising Sun received nominations across six categories, including Best Film and local actor Lalor Roddy, who secured a nomination for Supporting Actor- Film. It also received notable nominations across multiple craft categories, including Original Music, Cinematography, Costume Design, Production Design and Hair & Make-Up.
As previously announced legendary, Oscar-nominated actor Stephen Rea will be honoured with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Nominated talent from Northern Ireland includes Northern Ireland Screen’s Honorary President Kenneth Branagh who secured a nomination for Supporting Actor- Film for his role Oppenheimer. Armagh actress Geraldine McAlinden has been nominated for Leading Actress-Film for her role in Verdigris. Michael Smiley secured a nomination for Lead Actor- Drama in the TV series Obituary whilst Derry born actress, Bronagh Gallagher was nominated for Supporting Actress for her performance in Dance First. Lorna Marie Mugan, from Derry, has been nominated for Costume Design for her work on The Pope’s Exorcist.
Die Hexen from Northern Ireland was nominated for Original Music for the 2024 horror Double Blind, where she is joined by Neil Hannon, for his musical work on the science-fiction film Lola.
Award winners will be announced at the 21st Anniversary IFTA Awards Ceremony taking place on Saturday, April 20th at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre. The Awards will be hosted for the first time by Emmy-winning broadcaster Baz Ashmawy. The Northern Ireland projects and talent nominated include:
BEST FILM
That They May Face The Rising Sun
LEAD ACTOR – FILM
Pierce Brosnan – The Last Rifleman
LEAD ACTRESS – FILM
Geraldine McAlinden – Verdigris
SUPPORTING ACTOR – FILM
Kenneth Branagh – Oppenheimer
Lalor Roddy – That They May Face The Rising Sun
SUPPORTING ACTRESS – FILM
Bronagh Gallagher – Dance First
BEST DRAMA
Blue Lights
The Woman in the Wall
SCRIPT – DRAMA
Blue Lights – Declan Lawn & Adam Patterson
LEAD ACTOR – DRAMA
Martin McCann – Blue Lights
Michael Smiley – Obituary
SUPPORTING ACTOR – DRAMA
Richard Dormer – Blue Lights
SUPPORTING ACTRESS – DRAMA
Hilda Fay – The Woman in the Wall
GEORGE MORRISON FEATURE DOCUMENTARY
In the Shadow of Beirut
Stolen
LIVE-ACTION SHORT FILM
The Golden West
ANIMATED SHORT FILM
Wind and the Shadow
CINEMATOGRAPHY
That They May Face The Rising Sun – Richard Kendrick
COSTUME DESIGN
That They May Face The Rising Sun – Louise Stanton
The Pope’s Exorcist – Lorna Marie Mugan
PRODUCTION DESIGN
That They May Face the Rising Sun – Padraig O’Neill
HAIR & MAKE-UP
That They May Face the Rising Sun – Sandra Dunne, Edwina Kelly
ORIGINAL MUSIC
Double Blind – Die Hexen
LOLA – Neil Hannon
That They May Face the Rising Sun – Irene Buckley, Linda Buckley
EDITING
The Last Rifleman – John Walters
VFX
Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves – Kev Cahill, Diana Giogiutti
Click HERE to view the full list of nominations.
