On Sunday July 10^th, 2022, the annual awards ceremony took place at 34^th edition of the Galway Film Fleadh.

The winner of Best Irish Film was Lakelands, written, directed and produced by Robert Higgins & Patrick McGivney. Lakelands follows Cian, a young Gaelic footballer who struggles to comes to terms with a career-ending injury after an attack on a night out. Cian undertakes a search for his own identity in a small town where Gaelic football is a religion, and identity is defined by what you can do on the pitch.

Winning Best Irish First Feature was The Sparrow, written and directed by Michael Kinirons and produced by Alicia Ní Ghráinne. The Sparrow follows Kevin Coyne (15) who lives in a dysfunctional household where grieving the death of his mother is forbidden by his father Larry, an ex-soldier. Kevin is also used to living in his brother Robbie’s (18) shadow, so he is surprised when Hanna (16), a newcomer to this West Cork parish, seems to prefer his company. 

Wednesday’s Child, written by Charleigh Bailey with additional writing by Caroline Harvey, won the Tiernan McBride Award for Best Short Drama,

Homebird, written and directed by Caleb J. Roberts, won Best Irish First Short Fiction.

Maureen O’Connell won the Best Pitching Award for Haven.

The winners are as follows –

BEST INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION SHORT  

Zoon

Directed by Jonathan Schwenk

BEST INTERNATIONAL FICTION SHORT  

Too Rough

Directed by Sean Lionadh

BEST INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY SHORT  

Nuisance Bear

Directed by Jack Weisman & Gabriela Oslo Vanden

BEST FIRST ANIMATION SHORT in association with Brown Bag Films  

Soul Office

Directed by Ryan Loughran

Produced by Fiona McLaughlin, Tom Getty and Grace Loughrey

BEST IRISH FIRST SHORT FICTION

Homebird

Directed by Caleb J. Roberts

Produced by Brian J. Falconer, Callum Harrison and Jonathan Beer

THE DONAL GILLIGAN AWARD FOR CINEMATOGRAPHY IN A SHORT FILM in association with the Irish Society Cinematographers (ISC) supported by Celtic Grips presented by  JOHN LEAHY  

Burn It All

Directed by Jack Hickey

Produced by Lara Hickey

Cinematography by Phillip Blake

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY IN AN IRISH FILM in association with Teach Solais – presented BY CIAN DE BUTLÈIR  

Tarrac

Cinematography by Patrick Jordan

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM  

The Score

Written & Directed by Malachi Smyth

BEST INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY  

The Job of Song

Directed by Lila Schmitz

Produced by Fengy Xu and Anika Kan Grevstad

PERIPHERAL VISIONS AWARD  

Bad Women

Directed by Niklas Lindgren

Written by Niklas Lindgren and Karolina Lindgren  

Produced by Mila Haavisto

BEST HUMAN RIGHTS FILM in association with Amnesty international Presented BY Siddhi Joshi  

Afghan Dreamers

Directed by David Greenwald

Produced by Beth Murphy & David Cowan

YOUNG AUDIENCE AWARD

Stay Awake  

Director: Jamie Sisley

Writer: Jamie Sisley

Producers: Shrihari Sathe, Eric Schultz, Kelly Thomas & David Ariniello

PITCHING AWARD  

Haven by Maureen O’Connell  

BEST MARKETPLACE PROJECT AWARD in association with Bankside Films  

Shoal

Clare Strong, Director

Jeanie Igoe, Producer  

15.  THE BIGHAM RAY NEW TALENT AWARD: in association with Magnolia Pictures PRESENTED BY KATE O’TOOLE  

Joint Winners: Éanna Hardwicke and Danielle Galligan, Lakelands

BEST SHORT DOCUMENTARY in association with TG4 Presented by –  

Special Mentions:

Where Do All the Old Gays Go

Directed by Cathy Dunne

Produced by Maggie Ryan and Cathy Dunne

For the Birds

Directed by Ciarán O’ Connor

Produced by Nuala Cunningham and Jen Dunbar

Winner:  

Call Me Mommy

Directed by Tara O’Callaghan

Produced by Aaron McEnaney, Louise Byrne and Ross Killeen

17.  THE JAMES HORGAN AWARD FOR SHORT ANIMATION  

Soul Office

Directed by Ryan Loughran

Produced by Fiona McLaughlin, Tom Getty and Grace Loughrey

Wednesday’s Child

THE TIERNAN MCBRIDE AWARD FOR BEST FICTION SHORT Drama in association with Network Ireland Television PRESENTED BY DERRY O’BRIEN  

Directed by Laura O’Shea

Produced by Caroline Harvey and Charleigh Baileigh

BEST IRISH DOCUMENTARY  

Nothing Compares

Director: Kathryn Ferguson

Writers: Kathryn Ferguson, Eleanor Emptage & Michael Mallie

Producers: Eleanor Emptage & Michael Mallie

BEST IRISH FIRST FEATURE in association with Saffery Champness – PRESENTED BY John Gleeson  

The Sparrow

Written & Directed by Michael Kinirons

Produced by Alicia Ní Ghráinne

BEST IRISH FILM in association with Danu Media – PRESENTED BY SIOBHAN NI GHADHRA  

Lakelands

Written, Directed and Produced by Robert Higgins & Patrick McGivney