Pierce Brosnan, Saoirse Ronan, Brendan Gleeson, Kim Cattrall and Joely Richardson Join Irish Film & Television Awards Celebrations

The Irish film and television industry celebrated its 8th Annual Irish Film & Television Awards at a gala ceremony held in Dublin's spectacular Convention Centre on Saturday 12th February.

In what was a glittering night for the Irish film and television industry the IFTA Awards saw a host of filmmakers, actors and producers walking the red carpet and celebrating an outstanding year of Irish creative achievements and production.

Awards were announced in 37 categories across film and television with the IFTA ceremony broadcast live on Irish television.

Bosnian war drama As If I Am Not There, received three Awards including the IFTA for Best Film, Director and Script for the film's debut writer/director Juanita Wilson.

Juanita Wilson 

Winners in the IFTA acting categories included Martin McCann (Actor Lead Film - Swansong - Story of Occi Byrne), Pierce Brosnan (Supporting Actor Film - The Ghost), Saoirse Ronan (Supporting Actress Film - The Way Back) and Amy Humberman (Lead Actress - Rewind). Stephen Rea, Domhnall Gleeson and Ruth McCabe also received IFTA statuettes.

The fourth and final series of The Tudors, which has filmed on location in Ireland since 2006, received the IFTAs for Best Drama Series, Costume Design and Make-up Hair. A highlight of the evening saw The Tudors producer Morgan O'Sullivan honoured with the Outstanding Contribution to Industry Award for his career achievements and immeasurable contribution to the Irish film and television community. Morgan, who is credited with bringing productions such as Braveheart, PS I Love You, Saving Private Ryan, Reign of Fire and Camelot to Ireland, was surrounded by hundreds of colleagues and friends from the industry which included special guests The Tudors actresses Joely Richardson, Joss Stone and Natalie Dormer.

The IFTAs for International film and International actor went to The Social Network and its star Jesse Eisenberg. Annette Bening won the International actress award for her performance in The Kids are All Right.

Other guests at IFTA 2011 included; Sex and The City star Kim Cattrall; President of Ireland Mary McAleese who gave a rousing speech to the 1,300 strong audience; leading Irish directors Jim Sheridan and Neil Jordan; and Irish actors including Brendan Gleeson, Colm Meaney, The Rite star Colin O'Donoghue, Harry Potter's Evanna Lynch and Aidan Gillen, star of The Wire.

WINNERS OF THE 8TH ANNUAL IRISH FILM & TELEVISION AWARDS (winners in bold)

Outstanding Contribution to Industry
Morgan O'Sullivan

FILM CATEGORIES

Film
As If I Am Not There - James Flynn & Nathalie Lichtenthaeler (Octagon Films)
Perrier's Bounty - Alan Moloney (Parallel Films)
Sensation - Katie Holly & Kieron J Walsh (Blinder Films)
Swansong - Story of Occi Byrne - Edwina           Forkin & Herman Florin (Zanzibar Films / Florin Films)
The Runway - Macdara   Kelleher & Ian Power (Fastnet Films)

Director Film
Juanita Wilson - As If I Am Not There (Octagon Films)
PJ Dillon - Rewind (Carbon Films)
Tom Hall - Sensation (Blinder Films)
Ian Power - The Runway (Fastnet Films)

Script Film
Juanita Wilson - As If I Am Not There (Octagon Films)
Will Collins - My Brothers (Rubicon Films)
Conor McDermottroe - Swansong - Story of Occi Byrne (Zanzibar Films / Florin Films)
Mark O'Rowe - Perrier's Bounty (Parallel Films)

Actor in a Lead Role - Film
Martin McCann - Swansong - Story of Occi Byrne (Zanzibar Films / Florin Films)
Colm Meaney - Parked (Ripple World Pictures)
Cillian Murphy - Perrier's Bounty (Parallel Films)
Liam Neeson - Chloe (Optimum Releasing)

Actress in a Lead Role - Film / Television
Amy Huberman - Rewind (Carbon Films)
Ruth Bradley - Love/Hate (Octagon Films)
Orla Brady - Mistresses (BBC)
Sarah Flood - Fair City (RTÉ)
Charlene McKenna - RAW (Octagon Films / Ecosse Films)

Actor in a Supporting Role - Film
Pierce Brosnan - The Ghost (Optimum Releasing)
Colin Farrell -The Way Back (Entertainment One Films)
Brendan Gleeson - Perrier's Bounty (Parallel Films)
Cillian Murphy - Inception (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Actress in a Supporting Role - Film
Saoirse Ronan - The Way Back (Entertainment One Films)
Kerry Condon - The Runway (Fastnet Films)
Marcella Plunkett - Swansong - Story of Occi Byrne (Zanzibar Films / Florin Films)
Eileen Walsh - Snap (Samson Films)

The George Morrison Feature Documentary Award
The Pipe - Risteard Ó'Domhnaill & Rachel Lysaght (Scannáin Inbhear in association with Underground Films & Riverside Post)
Burma Soldier - Julie leBrocquy (leBrocquy Fraser)
Pyjama Girls - Maya Derrington (Still Films)
What We Leave in Our Wake - Pat Collins (Harvest Films)

INTERNATIONAL CATEGORIES

International Film
The Social Network (Sony)
A Prophet (Optimum Releasing)
Inception (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Toy Story 3 (Walt Disney Pictures)

International Actor
Jesse Eisenberg -The Social Network (Sony)
Russell Crowe - The Next Three Days (Lionsgate Films)
Leonardo DiCaprio - Inception (Warner Bros. Pictures)
Tahar Rahim - A Prophet (Optimum Releasing)

International Actress
Annette Bening - The Kids are All Right (Universal)
Helena Bonham-Carter - The King's Speech (The Weinstein Company)
Jennifer Lawrence - Winter's Bone (Artificial Eye)
Natasha Petrovic - As If I Am Not There (Octagon Films)

TELEVISION DRAMA CATEGORIES

Single Drama / Drama Serial (supported by BAI)
When Harvey Met Bob -Catherine Magee (Great Meadow Productions)
MO - (Channel 4 / ITV Studios)
Na Cloigne - Ciarán Ó Cofaigh (ROSG)
The Silence - Eleanor Greene (Company Pictures & BBC)
Wild Decembers - Edna O'Brien, Anthony Byrne (Touchpaper Television/ Octagon Films)

Drama Series / Soap (supported by BAI)
The Tudors - Morgan O'Sullivan (World 2000 Entertainment)
Love/Hate - Suzanne McAuley (Octagon Films)
RAW - Michael Parke & Suzanne McAuley (Octagon Films / Ecosse Films)
Ros na Rún - Hugh Farley (Eo Teilifis / Tyrone Productions)
Single-Handed - Clare Alan & Owen McDonnell (Touchpaper Television for RTÉ)

Director Television
Dearbhla Walsh - The Silence (Company Pictures & BBC)
David Caffrey - Love/Hate (Octagon Films)
Thaddeus O'Sullivan - Single-Handed (Touchpaper Television for RTÉ)
Robert Quinn - Na Cloigne (ROSG)

Writer Television
Stuart Carolan - Love/Hate (Octagon Films)
Darach Ó Scolaí & Lauren Mackenzie - Na Cloigne (ROSG)
Lisa McGee - RAW (Octagon Films / Ecosse Films)
Hilary Reynolds - Fair City (RTÉ)

Actor in a Lead Role - Television
Domhnall Gleeson - When Harvey Met Bob (Great Meadow Productions)
Owen McDonnell - Single-Handed (Touchpaper Television for RTÉ)
Jonathan Rhys Meyers - The Tudors (World 2000 Entertainment)
Robert Sheehan - Love/Hate (Octagon Films)

Actress in a Lead Role - Film/Television
Amy Huberman - Rewind (Carbon Films)
Ruth Bradley - Love/Hate (Octagon Films)
Orla Brady - Mistresses (BBC)
Sarah Flood - Fair City (RTÉ)
Charlene McKenna - RAW (Octagon Films / Ecosse Films)

Actor in a Supporting Role - Television
Stephen Rea - Single-Handed (Touchpaper Television for RTÉ)
Brian Gleeson - Love/Hate (Octagon Films)
Seán McGinley - Wild Decembers (RTÉ)
Eamon Morrissy - Fair City (RTÉ)

Actress in a Supporting Role - Television
Ruth McCabe - Single-Handed (Touchpaper Television for RTÉ)
Sarah Bolger - The Tudors (World 2000 Entertainment)
Dervla Kirwan - The Silence (Company Pictures)
Ruth Negga - Love/Hate (Octagon Films)

CRAFT / TECHNICAL CATEGORIES (across film and television)

Costume Design
Joan Bergin - The Tudors (World 2000 Entertainment)
Consolata Boyle - Tamara Drewe (Ruby Films)
Joan O'Cleary - Swansong - Story of Occi Byrne (Zanzibar Films / Florin Films)
Susan Scott - Cup Cake (Wee Buns)

Director of Photography
PJ Dillon - The Runway (Fastnet Films)
Tim Fleming - As If I Am Not There (Octagon Films)
Donal Gilligan - Love/Hate (RTÉ)
Owen McPolin - The Silence (Company Pictures)

Editing
Emer Reynolds - My Brothers (Rubicon Films)
Dermot Diskin - Love/Hate (Octagon Films)
Guy Montgomery - Parked (Ripple World Pictures)
Nathan Nugent - As If I Am Not There (Octagon Films)

Make Up & Hair (Sponsored by MAC)
Tom McInerney, Dee Corcoran - The Tudors (World 2000 Entertainment)
Gill Brennan - Swansong - Story of Occi Byrne (Zanzibar Films / Florin Films)
Caroline McCurdy - Na Cloigne (ROSG)
Louise Myler - Parked (Ripple World Pictures)

Original Score
Ray Harman - Na Cloigne (ROSG)
Niall Byrne - Parked (Ripple World Pictures)
Lance Hogan - Lapland Odyssey (Ripple World Pictures)
Gary Lightbody & Jacknife Lee - My Brothers (Rubicon Films)

Production Design
Ray Ball - The Runway (Fastnet Films)
Tamara Conboy - Sensation (Blinder Films)
Tom Conroy - The Tudors (World 2000 Entertainment)
Susie Cullen - The Silence (Company Pictures)

Sound
The Silence - Karl Merren, Ken Galvin, Peter Blayney (Company Pictures)
Circus Fantasticus - Daniel Birch, Robert Flanagan (Fastnet Films)
Essential Killing - Robert Flanagan, Michelle Cunniffe, Fiadhnait McCann (Element Pictures)
Rewind - Patrick Hanlon, Ken Galvin, Niall Brady (Carbon Films)

TELEVISION CATEGORIES

Children's / Youth Programme
Big City Park - Colin Williams (Sixteen South Television/CBeebies Scotland)
The Octonauts - Darragh O'Connell (Brown Bag Films)
Primary School Musical - Ruth Meehan (GMarsh TV)
Seacht - Colin O'Donnell (Stirling Film and Television)

Current Affairs
Spotlight: The Iris Robinson Investigation - Darragh MacIntyre (BBC NI)
Prime Time Investigates - Forgotten Lives - Barry O'Kelly (RTÉ)
The Frontline - David Nally (RTÉ)
Tonight with Vincent Browne - Tom Fabozzi (TV3)

Documentary Series
Freefall: The Night The Banks Failed - Janet Traynor (Animo)
1916 Seachtar na Cásca - Pierce Boyce (Abú Media)
Ireland's Greatest - Gerry Hoban (Tyrone Productions)
The Truth about Travellers - Owen McArdle (TV3)

Documentary
Voices From The Grave - Patrick Farrelly & Ed Moloney (Deer Lake Films)
Children In Charge: Ireland's Young Carers - Ailbhe Maher (Subotica)
TK Whitaker - Seirbhíseach an Stait - Martin Dwan (Zampano Prodictions)
Vanished in the Mountains: Ireland's Missing Women - Owen McArdle (TV3)

Entertainment Programme
Your Bad Self - John Butler (Treasure Entertainment)
The Apprentice - Larry Bass (Screentime ShinAwiL)
Feirm Factor - Evan Chamberlain (Good Company Productions)
The Model Scouts - Billy            McGrath (Sideline Productions)

Factual Programme
Operation Transformation - Philip Kampf (RTÉ)
Ireland AM - Victoria O'Brien (TV3)
Reeling In The Years - John O'Regan (RTÉ)
The Eagles Return - John Murray (Crossing the Line Films)

Sports Programme
In Sunshine Or In Shadow - Andrew Gallimore & Morgan Bushe (Fastnet Films)
Graeme McDowell's Major Moment - Gary McCutcheon (BBC Northern Ireland)
Gualainn le Gualainn - Andrew Gallimore & Conor Barry (Fastnet Films)
World Cup Live - Kieran Craven (RTÉ)

OTHERS

Philips Short Film
Small Change - Cathy Brady (NFS@IADT/CherryRED Pictures LTD)Deep End Dance - Conor Horgan (Wildfire Films)
Noreen - Domhnall Gleeson & Juliette Bonass (El Zorrero Films)
Pentecost - Peter McDonald (EMU Productions) 

Rising Star Award (Sponsored by the Irish Film Board)
Domhnall Gleeson - Actor
Antonia Campbell Hughes - Actress
Ian Power  - Writer/Director
Juanita Wilson - Writer/Director

Special Irish Language Award
1916 Seachtar na Cásca - Pierce Boyce (Abú Media)
An Crisis - Martha O'Neill (Wildfire Films)
Na Cloigne - Ciarán Ó'Cofaigh (ROSG)
Ros na Rún - Hugh Farley (Eo Teilifis / Tyrone Productions)

Animation
The External World - David O'Reilly, (David O'Reilly Animation)
Anam an Amhráin - Sean O Cualain (Sónta/Cartoon Saloon)
Head Space - Barry O'Donoghue (Barley Films)
The Octonauts - Darragh O'Connell (Brown Bag Films)

PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARD

RTÉ Guide Best TV Moment of 2010 - People's Choice
The Republic of Telly premieres The Rubber Bandits Horse Outside (RTÉ)
Coronation Street - Tram Crash (ITV)
Fair City - Peak of the Suzanne and Damien domestic violence storyline (RTÉ)
Imeall - a tribute to one of our greatest actors Mick Lally (TG4)
Prime Time - Pat Rabbitte on Prime Time (RTÉ)
The Rescue of the Chilean Miners (Sky News)
Graeme McDowell winning the US Open
Tonight with Vincent Browne - Browne questioning the Taoiseach in the press conference for the IMF Deal (TV3)
Ursula Halligan asking the Taoiseach if he was drunk during the Morning Ireland interview (TV3 News)
X Factor - Mary Byrne's first audition in Dublin (ITV)