Skintown wins £50,000 at Edinburgh International Film Festival

Skintown has won the £50,000 Sean Connery Prize for Feature Filmmaking Excellence at the 79th Edinburgh International Film Festival.

The film was selected to have its world premiere at the 2026 festival on August 16 and won the prize today, following a vote by the festival audience.

The prize was presented at Edinburgh's Cameo Cinema by Jason Connery, the former James Bond star's son, on behalf of The Connery Foundation.

Skintown was one of ten competing for this year's award from the festival, which ran from August 13 to 19.

The film, based on Enniskillen author Ciarán McMenamin’s bestselling novel, was directed by Kieron J Walsh and produced by Yvonne Donohoe of Keeper Pictures.

Set during the Summer of 1994, with Northern Ireland on the brink of the IRA ceasefire, the film follows friends Vinny and Jonty, who are determined to escape their conflict-scarred hometown of Enniskillen. However, their plans are thrown into turmoil when they are confronted with a life-changing turn of events.

The Northern Irish drama stars Derry Girls' Jamie Lee O'Donnell, Peaky Blinders' Jack Rowan, Young Offenders Chris Walley and Top Boy's Hope Ipoku Jnr.

"Well, we only won Edinburgh," McMenamin wrote on Instagram.

"My word. Thanks to the punters who voted. This is for the people of Northern Ireland, and the people from the North of Ireland. I f***ing love ya, one and all."

Also launched this year was the honorary Outstanding Contribution to Cinema Award, which was presented to Belfast-born actor and director Kenneth Branagh.

Watch a clip from Skintown: