The 35th edition of the Galway Film Fleadh has come to an end after another outstanding year. With sold out screenings across the festival programme the Fleadh featured 95 feature films and 102 short films featuring the best of Irish and World cinema.
The annual awards ceremony took place on Sunday 16th of July before the closing film, Let the Canary Sing which chronicled Cyndi Lauper’s meteoric ascent to stardom and her profound impact that extends across her music, ever-evolving punk style.
The winner of Best Irish Film, in association with Danu Media was Apocalypse Clown, directed by George Kane, written by Demian Fox, George Kane, Shane O’Brien and James Walmsley and produced by Morgan Bushe and James Dean. Apocalypse Clown follows a troupe of failed clowns as they embark on a chaotic road trip of self-discovery after a mysterious solar event plunges the world into anarchy.
Winning Best Irish First Feature was Lie of The Land directed by John Carlin, written by Tara Hegarty and produced by Chris Patterson and Margaret McGoldrick. A tense drama unfolds in this first feature as the Wards prepare to abandon their lives, escaping a dire financial situation, a last-minute change of heart leaves them fighting for survival
The Graceless Age – The Ballad of John Murry, won the best Irish documentary award on the night, written and directed by Sarah Share and produced by Nuala Cunningham, John Galway, Aeschylus Poulos. This is the story of American singer songwriter John Murry who was on the cusp of greatness after the release of his highly acclaimed album The Graceless Age (2013) when his world fell apart. This beautiful documentary charts his journey from near death to redemption and a new zest for life and art.
Awards are as follows:
Generation Jury Award
SCRAPPER
Best International Short Fiction
LAST CALL
Best International Short Animation
GLOBBY THE DRAGON
Best International Short Documentary
MARUNGKA TJALATJUNU (Dipped In Black)
Donal Gilligan Award for Best Cinematography in a Short Film with the Irish Society Cinematographers (ISC) supported by Celtic Grips
Cinematographer, Eoin McLoughlin for TWO FOR THE ROAD |
Accepting for Two for the Road: Lochlainn Mckenna
Best First Short Animation Award with Brown Bag Films
PINOKIDOKI
Best Cinematography in an Irish Film with Teach Solais
Cinematographer, Eleanor Bowman for LIES WE TELL
World Cinema Competition
PAST LIVES
Peripheral Visions Award with Galway Cultural Company
THE LAND WITHIN
Best International Film
HERE
Best International Documentary
ONE BULLET
Accepting for One Bullet: Carol Dysinger
The Pitching Award with Wild Atlantic Pictures
The winner is Eimear Morgan with her project ‘Billy Ruben + The Shunts’
Accepting the award is Eimear Morgan
The Galway Film Fair, in association with Bankside Films – Best Marketplace Project
BARFLY
Best Irish Documentary
THE GRACELESS AGE – THE BALLAD OF JOHN MURRY
Accepting the Award: Nuala Cunningham & John Galway
James Flynn Award for Best First Short Drama
BABY STEPS
Accepting the Award: Hannah Mamalis
James Horgan Award for Best Animation (short) with Animation Ireland
WORRY WORLD
Accepting the award: Jessica Patterson & Shauna Cullen
Accepting the Award: Jessica Patterson & Shauna Cullen
Best Short Documentary with TG4
BEING PUT BACK TOGETHER
Tiernan McBride Award for Best Short Drama
TWO FOR THE ROAD
Accepting the Award: Lochlainn Mckenna & crew
Best Independent Film Award
VERDIGRIS
Accepting the Award: Paul Fitzsimons and Patricia Kelly
Bingham Ray New Talent Award with Magnolia Pictures
AGNES O’CASEY
Best Irish First Feature with Element Pictures
LIE OF THE LAND
Best Irish Film with Danu Media
APOCALYPSE CLOWN
Principal funder
