36th Galway Film Fleadh Awards: Wins for Kneecap, Fidil Ghorm, Kathleen is Here, Housewife of the Year and Turnaround
Posted: 15th July 2024
Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland is delighted to congratulate all of the projects and filmmakers awarded at the 36th Galway Film Fleadh, which came to an end yesterday after a packed programme of sold out screenings, short films and industry events. This year's Fleadh featured 94 feature films and over 100 short films featuring the best of Irish and World cinema. A number of Screen Ireland projects were recognised at the festival's annual awards ceremony, including Kneecap, Fidil Ghorm, Kathleen is Here, Housewife of the Year and Turnaround.
The winner of the Best Irish Film Award was Kneecap, written and directed by Rich Peppiatt and produced by Trevor Birney, Jack Tarling and Patrick O’Neill. The film, based on the origin story of the riotous and ground-breaking Irish-language rap trio, opened this year's festival, and also picked up the Audience Award and Best Irish Language Feature Film Award - a first in the history of the Galway Film Fleadh. After an exceptional festival run, where it became the first Irish language film to screen at and win the Audience Award in the NEXT section of the Sundance Film Festival and screened across the world at the Tribeca Film Festival, Sundance London, Sydney Film Festival and more, the film will open in cinemas in Ireland on 8th August. Book tickets now.
Fidil Ghorm won the Best Irish First Feature award. Following the story of 10-year-old Molly, who believes that she can wake her dad from his coma if she learns to play the fiddle like him, the film is directed by Anne McCabe, written by Patricia Forde and produced by Pierce Boyce and Bríd Seoighe for Abú Media. Fidil Ghorm was produced under the Cine4 scheme, supported by TG4, Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland and Coimisiún na Meán.
Ciaran Cassidy's Housewife of the Year won the Best Irish Documentary award. The unique documentary tells the story of Ireland’s treatment of women through the prism of a unique, surreal, live-televised competition, that had to be seen to be believed. Housewife of the Year is produced by Maria Horgan and Colum McKeown for Little Wing Films. The film has been acquired by Wildcard Distribution for a theatrical distribution later this year.
The Academy Award qualifying Tiernan McBride Award for Best Short Drama went to Turnaround, which follows Mags as she navigates the fast-paced pressures of a West of Ireland tourist property turnaround. When she uncovers a tightly held secret, she must decide if she will risk everything to help a friend. Produced through Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland's flagship Focus Shorts scheme, the short film was written and directed by Aisling Byrne and produced by Killian Coyle, with Kilian Walters (Editor) and Daniel Keane (DOP) working across production for Arcade Film.
This year's Bingham Ray New Talent Award, spotlighting exceptional emerging talent in the fields of directing, acting and producing, went to Eva Birthistle for her feature directorial debut Kathleen is Here. The film follows Kathleen, 18, as she leaves foster care and returns to her hometown after her mother's death. Realising the emptiness of her life can't be filled by social media and reality shows, she sets out on a destructive path to find connection.
The Galway Film Fleadh is supported by the Arts Council, Screen Ireland, Creative Europe Media, TG4, Coimisiún na Meán, Northern Ireland Screen, Failte Ireland and Galway City Council.