On Sunday July 10th, 2022, the 34th edition of the Galway Film Fleadh ended after another outstanding year.  This year’s Fleadh moved back indoors at the Town Hall Theatre and the Pálás, festival goers were also able to see the best of Irish and international film premieres back where they belong in cinema.  

The annual awards ceremony took place before the closing film Ukrainian-made Carol of the Bells. Carol of the Bells is the story of three families – Ukrainian, Polish, and Jewish – who lived in the same building in Stanislaviv in Ukraine between 1938 and 1944. All three families disappeared one by one, leaving their children in the building. The last one to disappear was a Ukrainian woman who was a teacher of music.

The winner of Best Irish Film, in association with Danu Media was Lakelands, written, directed and produced by Robert Higgins & Patrick McGivney. Lakelands won the Fleadh’s Best Marketplace Project Award in 2021 and returned to the Fleadh this year for its World Premiere. 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. Featuring the directorial debuts of Robert Higgins and Patrick McGivney, and a cast of emerging Irish stars including Éanna Hardwicke (Vivarium, Normal People) and Danielle Galligan (Netflix’s Shadow and Bone).

Winning Best Irish First Feature was The Sparrow, written & directed by Michael Kinirons 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

Nothing Compares, won the best Irish documentary award on the night, directed by Kathryn Ferguson. The film charts Sinéad OʼConnorʼs phenomenal rise to worldwide fame and examines how she used her voice at the height of her stardom. Focusing on Sinéad’s prophetic words and deeds across a five-year period (1987–1992), Nothing Compares presents an authored, cinematic portrait of a musical icon through a contemporary feminist lens.

 

The winners are as follows –

  1. BEST INTERNATIONAL ANIMATION SHORT  

Zoon 

Directed by Jonathan Schwenk 

 

  1. BEST INTERNATIONAL FICTION SHORT  

Too Rough 

Directed by Sean Lionadh 

 

  1. BEST INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY SHORT  

Nuisance Bear 

Directed by Jack Weisman & Gabriela Oslo Vanden 

 

  1. 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 

 

  1. BEST IRISH FIRST SHORT FICTION

Homebird

Directed by Caleb J. Roberts 

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

  1. 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

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

Tarrac 

Cinematography by Patrick Jordan 

 

  1. BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM  

The Score 

Written & Directed by Malachi Smyth 

  1. BEST INTERNATIONAL DOCUMENTARY  

The Job of Songs 

Directed by Lila Schmitz 

Produced by Fengy Xu and Anika Kan Grevstad 

  1. PERIPHERAL VISIONS AWARD  

Bad Women 

Directed by Niklas Lindgren 

Written by Niklas Lindgren and Karolina Lindgren  

Produced by Mila Haavisto 

 

  1. 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 

  1. YOUNG AUDIENCE AWARD 

Stay Awake  

Director: Jamie Sisley 

Writer: Jamie Sisley 

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

 

  1. PITCHING AWARD  

Haven by Maureen O’Connell  

14. BEST MARKETPLACE PROJECT AWARD in association with Bankside Films 

Shoal 

Clare Strong, Director 

Jeanie Igoe, Producer

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

Joint Winners: Éanna Hardwicke and Danielle Galligan, Lakelands

16. 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 

 

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

Wednesday’s Child 

Directed by Laura O’Shea

Produced by Caroline Harvey and Charleigh Baileigh

 

19. BEST IRISH DOCUMENTARY  

Nothing Compares 

Director: Kathryn Ferguson

Writers: Kathryn Ferguson, Eleanor Emptage & Michael Mallie 

Producers: Eleanor Emptage & Michael Mallie 

 

20. 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

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

Lakelands 

Written, Directed and Produced by Robert Higgins & Patrick McGivney  

Photos by Claire Sheehan & Lorg Media