Music
10 Apr 16

Room The Big Winner At 2016 IFTAs

Liam Neeson, Saoirse Ronan, Ruth Bradley, Jack Reynor and Leonardo Di Caprio were also among the winners at the Irish Film and Television Awards, held in Dublin last night

Lenny Abrahamson’s Oscar-winning film Room was the big winner at the Irish Film and Television Awards, which took place at the Mansion House, in Dublin, last night. Room won seven awards in all, including Best Film.

Having scooped an Oscar earlier in the year, with Brie Larsson’s selection as Best Lead Actress at the Hollywood extravaganza, here – in addition to Best Film – the movie, produced by Element Pictures, stole the honours for Best Director (Lenny Abrahamson, pictured above), Best Script (Emma Donoghue), Best International Actress (Brie Larsson), Best Editing (Nathan Nugent), Best Sound and Best Original Music (Stephen Rennicks).

The event was hosted by Chief Executive of the Irish Film and Television Academy, Áine Moriarty, who congratulated all the winners and the nominees, working in the Irish film and drama industry. Celebrating the very best of Irish screen talent across film and television, the IFTA Awards are among the highlights of Ireland’s film and drama calendar.

Hosted by actress and comedienne, Deirdre O’Kane, the Awards Ceremony was recorded by the IFTA's official media partner, TV3, and will be televised on Sunday, April 10.

The great Irish actor Liam Neeson received the IFTA Outstanding Contribution to Cinema Award – recognition for his celebrated 30 year career in film. Neeson was presented with the award by President Michael D. Higgins, with tributes flowing in for Liam from Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg, amongst others.

There were two awards for John Crowley’s Brooklyn, with the wonderfully talented Saoirse Ronan scooping the Best Lead Actress (Film) award. Among those likely to be disappointed at the outcome is John Carney, whose superb musical Sing Street picked up just one award – with Jack Reynor taking the Best Supporting Actor award. It is a result that is hard to fathom, given the film’s wonderful feelgood quality, emotional heft and superb soundtrack.

Guests who walked the red carpet to attend the event included Chris O’Dowd, Mia Goth, Jack Reynor, Natalie Dormer, Sarah Greene, Ruth Bradley, Martin McCann, Neil Jordan, Moe Dunford, Van Morrison, Amy Huberman, Andrew Scott, Barry Keoghan, Miriam O’Callaghan, Cathy Belton, Panti Bliss, Clive Standen, Charlie Murphy, Victoria Smurfit, Orla Brady, Mary McGuckian, Eva Birthistle, Evanna Lynch, Paddy Breathnach, Simon Fitzmaurice, John Crowley, Ben Cleary, Catherine Walker, Dara Devaney, Seán T Ó Meallaigh, Barry Ward, Mark O’Halloran, Emma Donoghue and Stephen Fingleton.

The Irish actress, producer and humanitarian Roma Downey received the Irish Diaspora Award, which was presented to her by musician and fellow humanitarian Bob Geldof. The award is presented by the Academy in partnership with the Ministry of Diaspora Affairs within the Department of an Taoiseach. Tributes paid to Downey – best known for playing Monica in Touched By An Angel and for producing the epic mini-series The Bible (watched by over 100 million people) as well as for her humanitarian work – came from US Television Presenter Regis Philbin and actor Jack Huston.

On the drama side, Abú Media’s Irish language series An Klondike snapped up four awards in total, including Best Drama and Best Actor for Dara Devaney. Director of The Survivalist Stephen Fingleton won the Irish Film Board Rising Star IFTA Award while the George Morrison Feature Documentary IFTA went to Ken Wardrop’s Mom & Me. Ben Cleary’s stunning short Stutterer won Best Short Film.

The full list of IFTA award winners 2016 is as follows:

Best Film: Room

Best Director Film: Lenny Abrahamson for Room

Best Script Film: Emma Donoghue for Room

Irish Film Board Rising Star: Stephen Fingleton

Best Lead Actor Film: Michael Fassbender for Steve Jobs

Best Lead Actress Film: Saoirse Ronan for Brooklyn

Best Supporting Actor Film: Jack Reynor for Sing Street

Best Supporting Actress Film: Jane Brennan for Brooklyn

George Morrison Feature Documentary: Mom & Me

Best Animated Short: Geist

Best Short Film: Stutterer