The Academy Award-nominated animated feature “Wolfwalkers,” from Kilkenny-based studio Cartoon Saloon, has won Best Film at the Irish Film and Television Awards this evening.
It is the second time an animated feature has won in the category, the first being Cartoon Saloon’s “Song of the Sea” in 2015.
“Avengers: Endgame” star Josh Brolin presented the award for Best Film. “My own story with Ireland is that at 20 years old I was in Dublin, and I blindly walked into a theatre on a movie called ‘My Left Foot,’ and left a changed man,” he recalled. “With the rest of my very little money that same trip, I saw the Cusack’s do ‘The Three Sisters’ at the Gate Theatre and was again changed. I also read ‘A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man’ that same trip. Ireland has had a massive impact on me, so I just wanted to say congratulations to all the nominees because I know how tough it is to manifest an idea into film.”
“Normal People” was the big winner of the evening after racking up a total of nine awards, including for Best Drama. Paul Mescal scooped up the Best Actor in a Lead Role – Drama while Lenny Abrahamson won for Best Director – Drama.
“Bridgerton’s” Nicola Coughlan was presented the award for Rising Star.
Read the full list of winners below:
Best Film
Wolfwalkers
Director Film
Cathy Brady – Wildfire
Script Film
Clare Dunne & Malcom Campbell – Herself
Actor in a Lead Role – Film
Gabriel Byrne – Death of a Ladies’ Man
Actress in a Lead Role – Film
Nika McGuigan – Wildfire
Actor in a Supporting Role – Film
Barry Ward – Dating Amber
Actress in a Supporting Role – Film
Sharon Horgan – Dating Amber
Rising Star
Nicola Coughlan
George Morrison Feature Documentary
Breaking Out
Drama
Normal People
Director – Drama
Lenny Abrahamson – Normal People
Script – Drama
Sally Rooney – Normal People
Actor in a Lead Role – Drama
Paul Mescal – Normal People
Actress in a Lead Role – Drama
Dervla Kirwan – Smother
Actor in a Supporting Role – Drama
Fionn O’Shea – Normal People
Actress in a Supporting Role – Drama
Sarah Greene – Normal People
Short Film
Rough
Short Animation
Her Song
Cinematography
Kate McCullough – Normal People
Editing
Úna Ní Dhonghaíle – Misbehaviour
Production Design
Lucy van Lonkhuyzen – Normal People
Costume
Leonie Prendergast – Gretel & Hansel
Hair & Makeup
Linda Gannon Foster & Liz Byrne – Gretel & Hansel
Original Score
Aza Hand – Son
Sound Design
Steve Fanagan, Niall Brady, & Niall O Sullivan – Normal People
VFX
Ed Bruce & Robert Hartigan – Kidding