The Writers Guild of Ireland have announced the winners of the 2017 ZeBBie Awards at their Awards Ceremony at The Sugar Club in Dublin this evening:

Best Television Script

• Sharon Horgan for Divorce (Pilot ep.)

Best Radio Script

• Kate Gilmore for The Wickedness of Oz

Best Theatre Script

• Margaret McAuliffe for The Humours of Bandon

Best Feature Film Script

• Colin Thornton & Darren Thornton for A Date for Mad Mary

Best Short Film Script

• Natasha Waugh for Terminal

Best Game Script

• Christopher Conlan for The Little Acre

Congratulations to the winners!

Best wishes to all the nominees on being acknowledged for their hard work in the industry. We appreciate the help of all the theatre companies, production companies, producers, agents, and helpful admin who have aided us in bringing the event together.

Our thanks to Senator David Norris for his ebullient hosting of the event, and to the presenters for their contribution to the ceremony.

Plus, a big cheer to our staff and volunteers for all their hard effort!

About the ZeBBie Awards

The ZeBBie Awards are annual awards created by the WGI — named in honour of O. Z. Whitehead — to acknowledge the best script(s) written by Irish playwrights and screenwriters during the previous year.

The Writers Guild of Ireland has announced the winners of the 2015 ZeBBie Awards at its awards ceremony in The Sugar Club, 8 Lower Leeson Street, Dublin 2, hosted by Senator David Norris.

Best Television Script

• Stuart Carolan for Love/Hate – Series 5, Episode 4

Best Radio Script

• Louise Lewis & Simon Manahan for The Churching of Happy Cullen

Best Theatre Script

• Mark O’Rowe for Our Few And Evil Days

Best Feature Film Script

• John Michael McDonagh for Calvary

Best Short Film Script

• Ronan Blaney for Boogaloo and Graham

Best Game Script

• Llaura McGee for Curtain

Honorary Services to Writers Award

• Michael Judge & James Douglas, co-founders of the Society of Irish Playwrights

Congratulations to the winners, and well done to all the nominees.

Thanks to poet Martin Dyar for his recitations before the ceremony, and to Dominos Pizza for their much-welcomed delivery after the winners were announced.

Plus, bualadh bos to our members for turning up and celebrating the best in Irish writing tonight!

We’d also like to express our appreciation to our staff, volunteers, and committee members who worked so hard to create a memorable event.

And once again a huge thank you to Senator David Norris for his entertaining hosting of the ZeBBie Awards Ceremony.

Senator David Norris hosts the 2015 ZeBBie Awards

]]> http://script.ie/2015/05/2015-zebbie-award-winners/feed/ 0 http://script.ie/2015/05/on-winning-a-zebbie-claire-dix/ http://script.ie/2015/05/on-winning-a-zebbie-claire-dix/#comments Mon, 18 May 2015 10:57:55 +0000 Maura McHugh http://script.ie/?p=6287 A writer and director of music videos and short films, Claire Dix won her first ZeBBie Award in 2012 for her short film Downpour. Claire took home the ZeBBie for Best Short Film Script.

“Winning the ZeBBie was a fantastic boost to my confidence as a filmmaker and scriptwriter,” Claire said. “Downpour had been doing well on the festival circuit, but, selfishly, this felt like a particularly special award as it was a nod to the script by other writers.”

A celebration of Irish rain, Downpour recalls pivotal moments in a bride-to-be’s relationship which all took place under rainfall. In addition to the ZeBBie, Downpour also took home Best Irish Short at Fastnet Short Film Festival and Best Irish Short at Foyle Film Festival along with many other accolades.

Following her success with Downpour, Claire went back to work the next year, creating another award-winning short entitled Alia, winner of the Best Irish Short at the Kerry Film Festival in 2013.

Aside from short films, Claire has also been working on two feature documentaries, the first of which, Broken Song, premiered at Jameson Dublin International Film Festival in 2013. The second film is currently being shot and will be released in 2015.

“The ZeBBies is a great event, as it is the one forum for celebrating the work of writers in Ireland,” Joe said. “Through the process of organising the awards and the event it is also a great resource as it is the most systematic tool for gathering information about who is writing and what is being written across a number of media.”

Centered around Hubert and Rose Derdon, this story depicts the struggle of a married man when he is unable to grieve for his wife after she passes away. The Blue Hyacinth is a beautiful creation broaching ideas on life, death, and above all, grief.

Joe has written a number of radio plays for RTÉ which include A Snail Called Sam, What Next for Hedy Lamarr, and Crash Course on Earth. He has also written and directed the stage play McKeague and O’Brien Present the Rising.

Aside from his work on the airwaves, Joe is also a playwright, screenwriter, and a director. He has been the artistic director of Co-motion Theatre Company and has written many of his own plays, including Departed, The Ghost of Saint Joan, and The Man in the Iron Mask, among others.

Currently, Joe is writing a number of episodes of the TV series Rare Earth. Additionally, he is working on a feature film called Killing Mammy.

‘Winning the ZeBBie to me was huge, at the time Rúbaí was my only project and at the time I was working in Penneys in Galway,’ Antoin said. ‘In fact, on the day of the ZeBBies I was up at half five in the morning to do a half six to three shift, I then went home, showered, changed and straight up to Dublin for the ZeBBies at about seven or eight.

‘It was really overwhelming to be in this room with a bunch of really great working writers. I felt quite intimidated, and like I was going to be found out at any moment for being an impostor.’

Antoin’s Irish-language production focuses on 8-year-old Rúbaí’s refusal to fast in preparation for her First Holy Communion. A self-pronounced atheist, Rúbaí faces intolerance from all around, engaging in philosophical and religious debate and falling prey to emotional blackmail. The film leaves viewers questioning the perceived “modern” Irish culture.

‘The ZeBBie has given me a confidence that I haven’t had before,’ Antoin said. ‘When people ask me what I do, I used to say I work in a shop, but since the ZeBBies I now say proudly that I’m a writer.

‘When I’m doubting myself as a writer and wanting to take a risk in my scripts, I do see the ZeBBie and it just makes me say to myself “go for it.” Just trust your instincts and go for it.’

Aside from the ZeBBie, Rúbaí also received honors as the Best First Short Drama at the Galway Film Fleadh along with Best of Drama and Best of Festival awards at the Corona Fastnet Short Film Festival.

Since his ZeBBie win, Antoin has taken a position in the script department at Red Rock, pitching story ideas and characters and creating a shadow episode soon. Additionally, he is developing his own show for TG4: the world’s first Irish-language sex comedy. Six months in the making, Antoin is hoping to make it back to screen soon.