Film And TV
05 Jul 21

IFTAs 2021: Nicola Coughlan, Paul Mescal, Gabriel Byrne and Nika McGuigan among winners

Normal People picked up awards across nine categories.

Gabriel Byrne, Nika McGuigan, Paul Mescal, Nicola Coughlan and Wolfwalkers were among the winners at last night's IFTA Awards, hosted by the Irish Film & Television Academy.

The virtual award ceremony featured appearances from Mark Hamill, Colin Farrell, Olivia Coleman, Travis Fimmel and Josh Brolin.

Normal People took home nine awards, including: Best Drama; Best Actor in a Lead Role in Drama for Paul Mescal; Best Director Drama for Lenny Abrahamson; Best Script Drama for Sally Rooney; Best Actor in a Supporting Role in Drama for Fionn O'Shea; Best Actress in a Supporting Role in Drama for Sarah Greene; Best Sound for Steve Fanagan, Niall Brady, & Niall O Sullivan; Best Production Design for Lucy van Lonkhuyzen; and Best Cinematography for Kate McCullough.

Lenny Abrahamson joined from the set of Conversations with Friends to receive his award from Deirdre O’Kane, while last year’s winner of Best Actor Film, Tom Vaughan-Lawlor, presented producers Catherine Magee and Emma Norton with the award for Best Drama.

Wolfwalkers won Best Film – the second time in the history of the IFTAs that an animated movie has won the category, following Song of the Sea in 2015, also from Kilkenny’s Cartoon Saloon.

Josh Brolin presented the award for Best Film, and reflected on the impact Ireland has had on him:

“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 said. "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.”

Connecting from Los Angeles Colin Farrell presented the award for Best Director Film to Cathy Brady for Wildfire. Nika McGuigan won Best Actress Film for Wildfire, which was in post-production when the actress sadly passed away. Accepting the award on her behalf, Nika’s father, Olympic boxer Barry McGuigan, and mother Sandra said they were “very proud and overwhelmed.”

The Crown star Olivia Colman, connecting from Kerry where she is shooting Emer Reynold’s Film Mully, presented Gabriel Byrne with the awards for Best Actor film for his role in Death of a Ladies Man.

Nicola Coughlan won the IFTA Rising Star award – presented by Mark Hamill – for her standout performance in Netflix’s Bridgerton.

“Hearing Luke Skywalker say my name is such a shock!" she said. "I’m so proud to be an Irish actor, I’m so proud to be so proud of that! This is so special because all you really want is people at home to be happy with what you are doing. I was at the BAFTAs when Paul [Mescal] won and it felt like a win for everybody. So to be recognised at home is really so special, it's so amazing and I am so grateful, thank you so much.”

See the full list of winners below:

BEST FILM: Wolfwalkers

DIRECTOR FILM: Cathy Brady - Wildfire

SCRIPT FILM: Clare Dunne & Malcolm Campbell - Herself

SCREEN IRELAND IFTA RISING STAR: Nicola Coughlan

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

SHORT FILM: Rough

GEORGE MORRISON FEATURE DOCUMENTARY: Breaking Out

CINEMATOGRAPHY: Kate McCullough - Normal People