Award winners

Lists of winners from across our short & feature film programmes, pitching competition, lifetime achievement and best newcomer awards.

The Galway Film Fleadh awards laurels in:

  • 8 audience-voted feature film award categories
  • 12 jury-voted short film award categories (3 of which qualify the winner for the Oscar© longlist in that category)

Further individual awards include:

  • A script pitching award
  • The Bingham Ray New Talent Award in association with Magnolia Pictures
  • The Fleadh’s highest honour, The Galway Hooker

Feature Film

Best Irish Film

2023: Apocalypse Clown
2022: Lakelands
2021: Here Before
2020: Redemption of a Rogue
2019: Extra Ordinary
2018: The Dig
2017: Michael Inside
2016: A Date For Mad Mary & The Young Offenders
2015: Song Of The Sea
2014: Patrick’s Days and Glassland (Joint Winners)
2013: Run & Jump
2012: Good Vibrations
2011: The Guard
2010: The Runway
2009: His & Hers
2008: Kisses

Best Irish First Feature

2023: Lie of the Land
2022: The Sparrow
2021: Foscadh
2020: Redemption of a Rogue
2019: A Bump Along The Way
2018: Cellar Door
2017: The Drummer And The Keeper
2016: Sanctuary
2015: You’re Ugly Too
2014: I Used To Live Here
2013: Run & Jump
2012: Citadel and Earthbound (Joint Winners)
2011: Parked and Charlie Casanova
2010: The Double Hour
2009: Frozen River
2008: Peacefire
2007: 32A
2006: Small Engine Repair

Best Irish Documentary

2023: The Graceless Age – The Ballad of John Murray
2022: Nothing Compares
2021: Pure Grit
2020: Henry Glassie: Field Work
2019: Breaking Out
2018: Katie
2017: Rocky Ros Muc
2016: It’s Not Yet Dark
2015: Older Than Ireland
2014: Blood Fruit and One Million Dubliners
2013: Coming Home
2012: Natural Grace

Best Human Rights Film

(no longer awarded)

2022: Afghan Dreamers
2019: For Sama
2018: Women Of The Venezuelan Chaos
2017: City Of Ghosts
2016: The Wall
2015: Marzia, My Friend
2014: African Pride
2013: Coming Home

Best Cinematography in an Irish Film

2023: Lies We Tell
2022: Tarrac
2019: Finky
2018: When All Is Ruin Once Again
2017: Song of Granite
2016: It’s Not Yet Dark
2015: My Name Is Emily

Best Documentary

(no longer awarded)

2011: Bernadette (Notes On A Political Journey)
2010: The Pipe
2009: The Cove
2008: Anvil!The Story of Anvil!
2007: God Grew Tired Of Us and The Cats of Mirikitani (Joint Winners)
2006: The Trials of Darryl Hunt
2005: Highway Courtesans
2004: Cinagael Paradiso
2003: The Revolution Will Not Be Televised
2002: Ayurveda
2001: Photos To Send
2000: Fighter

Best International Film

2023: Here
2022: The Score
2019: A Bread Factory
2018: Steel Country
2017: Mad To Be Normal
2016: Hunt For The Wilderpeople
2015: Margarita, with a Straw
2014: Obvious Child
2013: Discoverdale
2012: The Parade

Best International First Feature

(no longer awarded)

2019: The Best of Dorien B.
2018: Gutland
2017: God’s Own Country
2016: Moon Dogs
2015: My Skinny Sister
2014: Still
2013: Boy Eating The Birds Food
2012: Perfect Stranger

Best International Documentary

2023: One Bullet
2022: Nuisance Bear
2019: Stage
2018: Soufra
2017: All The Wild Horses
2016: Maya Angelou: And Still I Rise
2015: Armor of Light and Touch The Light
2014: The Breach
2013: Plot For Peace
2012: Four Horsemen

Peripheral Visions Award

2023: The Land Within
2022: Bad Women Niklas Lindgren
2021: EL PLANETA Amalia ULMAN
2020: River Tales Julie Schroell

Young Audience Award

2022: Stay Awake

2021: Ride the Wave

Short Film

The James Horgan Award for Best Animation Short

2023: Worry World
2022: Soul Office
2021: Memento Mori
2020: TOT
2019: Streets of Fury
2018: The Wiremen
2017: An Island
2016: Second To None
2015: Violet
2014: Fresh Cut Grass
2013: The Missing Scarf
2012: Fear Of Flying
2011: The Boy Who Lived In A Bubble
2010: Mister Heaney – A Wee Portrait
2009: Blip
2008: Monolith
2007: The Red Ball
2006: Demon
2005: Stars
2004: Cold Pursuit
2003: Wobbly Land
2002: Padrio Pio
2001: Give Up Yer Oul Sins
2000: Paddy

Oscar qualifying

The Tiernan McBride Award for Best Fiction Short

2023: Two For the Road
2022: Wednesday’s Child; I
2021: Saul & I
2020: The Invisible Boy
2019: Cynthia
2018: Wren Boys
2017: Wave
2016: Lily
2015: North
2014: Rockmount
2013: Mechanic
2012: The Girl With The Mechanical Maiden
2011: ASAL and Even Gods
2010: Noreen
2009: The Man Inside
2008: Martin
2007: Teeth
2006: Nun More Deadly
2005: Recoil
2004: The Love Bite
2002: Innocence
2001: Coolockland
2000: Buskers

Oscar qualifying

The Best Short Documentary Award

2023: Being Put Back Together
2022: Call Me Mommy
2021: Nothing to Declare
2020: How to Fall in Love in a Pandemic
2019: HYDEBANK
2018: Inhale
2017: Throwline & Tit for Tatt
2016: Séan Hillen, Merging Views
2015: Queen Of The Plough
2014: Inez- A Challenging Woman and The Sisters (Joint Winners)
2013: The End Of The Counter
2012: The Hood and The Collar
2011: Needle Exchange
2010: Bow Street
2009: Christmas With Dad
2008: The Year I Got Younger
2007: The McDonagh Pictures
2006: Christy
2005: Idir Dha Shaol
2004: Undressing My Mother
2003: Shelter From The Storm
2002: Never Forgotten
2001: Travellers Tale
2000: Painting Politics
1997: Sonny Days

Oscar qualifying

The Donal Gilligan Award for Best Cinematography in a Short Film

2023: Two for the Road
2022: Phillip Blake, Burn It All
2021: Alba Fernandez, Faitíos (The First Fear)
2019: Robin Whenary, Rip to the Rescue!
2018: Kevin Treacy, Boy Saint
2017: Burschi Wojner, Wave
2016: Robert McKeon, Wifey Redux
2015: Tim Fleming, My Bonnie
2014: Patrick Jordan, Volkswagen Joe
2013: James Mather, The Girl
2012: James Mather, The Hatch
2011: Michael Lavelle, Mummy’s Little Helper

Best Debut Animation Short

2023: Pinokidoki
2022: Soul Office
2021: Bardo
2020: Dead Hands of Dublin
2019: Archie’s Bat
2018: The Usual
2017: An Béal Bocht
2016: Joining Dots
2015: Unhinged
2014: A Girl’s Best Friend
2013: That’s Not Supposed to Happen
2012: Head Over Heels
2011: Signs
2010: Action Evader
2009: The Polish Language
2008: Granny O’Grimms Sleeping Beauty
2007: The Red Ball
2006: Big Rock Candy Mountain
2005: What Have The Brits Ever Done For Us?
2004: The Skeleton Woman
2003: Wobbly Land
2002: From Darkness
2001: Give Up Yer Oul Sins
2000: Paddy
1999: The Last Elk
1998: Guy’s Dog
1997: Midnight Dance
1996: The Chamelion
1995: An Bonnan Bui
1994: Scéal Dha Chistin
1993: My Blue Heaven
1992: Blue Rock’
1991: Adeste Fideles
1990: Show Reel

Best Debut Fiction Short

2023: Baby Steps
2022:Homebird
2021: Bump
2020: Ballast
2019: Bainne
2018: Boy Saint
2017: The Date
2016: Groundless
2015: Today
2014: The Swing
2013: Rubai
2012: Toy Soldiers
2011: Pentecost
2010: Hoodie
2009: Thursday Afternoon
2008: Danger High Voltage
2007: Hesitation
2006: Joyriders
2005: A Taxing Night

Best International  Documentary Short

2023: Marungka Tjalatjunu (Dipped in Black)
2022: Nuisance Bear
2021: MAMA
2020: No Crying At The Dinner Table
2019: After the Silence
2018: Juck

Best International Fiction Short

2023: Last Call
2022: Too Rough
2021: Leylak
2020: White Eye
2019: Brotherhood
2018: What Happened To Evie

Best International Animation Short

2023: Globby The Dragon
2022: Nuisance Bear
2021: Homebird
2020: To the Dusty Sea
2019: Roadkill
2018: The Driver Is Red

The Don Quijote Award for Best Animated Short Film

(no longer awarded)

2019: Featherweight
2018: Yunshi
2017: An Béal Bocht
2016: Second To None
2015: Meanwhile
2014: Deadly
2013: Coda
2012: Here To Fall
2011: The Boy Who Lived In A Bubble

Best Animated Sequence in a Short Film

(no longer awarded)

2019: Abe’s Story
2018: The Overcoat
2017: Late Afternoon
2016: The Lost Letter
2015: Geist
2014: Vertical Horizons

The One Minute Film Festival

2020: Mallika Juneja, Dear Diary
2019: Rory Fitzpatrick, My Father Taught Me To Swing An Axe
2018: Jamie Sykes, Bath Mat
2017: Arjan Brentjes, Tempo
2016: Carolyn Wagner, Something Borrowed
2015: Kevin O’Brien, Luke and Roger
2013: Robert Gaynor, The Canon (Judges Award)
2013: Rory Walsh, The Bank Holiday (Audience Award)
2012: Alan Travers, Stop Motion Biscuit Cake
2011: Ruth Meehan, Lilou (Judges Award)
2011: Keith White, Got Your Nose (Audience Award)

in association with

Galway Film Centre

Individual Awards

The Bingham Ray New Talent Award

2023: Agnes O’Casey (Actress), Lies We Tell
2022: Joint Winners: Éanna Hardwicke and Danielle GalliganLakelands
2021: TJ O Grady Peyton (Director) Silence, Sentinel, Broken: A Lockdown Story
2020: Edwina Casey (Producer) Here Are The Young Men & (Director) Algorithm
2019: Lola Petticrew (Actress), A Bump Along The Way
2018: Jordanne Jones (Actor), Metal Heart
2017: Dafhyd Flynn (Actor), Michael, Inside
2016: Seana Kerslake (Actress), A Date For Mad Mary
2015: Kathryn Kennedy (Producer), My Name Is Emily
2014: Anne Marie Naughton (Producer), The Canal
2013: Kelly Thornton (Actress), Life’s A Breeze
2012: Gerard Barrett (Director), Pilgrim Hill

in association with

Magnolia Pictures

Pitching Competition

2023: Eimear Morgan, Billy Ruben & The Shunts
2022: Maureen O’Connell, Haven
2021: Giles Brody, Top Marks
2020: Alice McDowell, Rain Song
2019: Roisin Jones, What Would Rocky Do?
2018: Liam Beatty, Don’t Forget Your Dress
2017: Michelle Lehane, Against The Tide
2016: Janet Hayes, Edges
2015: Lukes Morgan, Ewetopia
2014: Cian McGarrigle, 12-Gauge Withdrawl
2013: Jacinta Owens, C-Me 2020
2012: Hannah Patterson, Resistance
2011: Rioghach Ni Ghrioghair, Death Rattle
2010: Len Collin, To Dream With Open Eyes/Chun Aisling Leis na Súile Oscailte
2009: Gary Mitchell, Get The Pope
2008: Barbara Deignan, The Sunshine Group
2007: William Collins, My Brothers
2006: Mark Wale, Physical Memory Dump
2005: Keith Brogue, Rugby Days

The Galway Hooker Award for Outstanding Achievement

(no longer awarded)

2019: James Schamus (Screenwriter, Producer, Director) and Ros Hubbard & Jon Hubbard (Casting Directors)
2018: Andrew Lowe & Ed Guiney of Element Pictures
2016: Jim Sheridan (Director)
2015: Pete Docter (Director)
2015: Jonas Rivera (Producer)
2015: Mohsen Makmalbaf (Director)
2015: Mícheál Ó Meallaigh (Former TG4 commissioning editor)
2014: Brown Bag Films (Animation Studio)
2014: Brenda Fricker (Actress)
2013: Saoirse Ronan (Actress)
2013: James Morris (Former Chair of The Irish Film Board)
2012: Frank Stapleton (Director)
2012: Isabelle Hupert (Actress)
2011: Leo Ward (Cinema Chain Founder)
2011: Martin Sheen (Actor)
2010: Lelia Doolan (Producer)
2010: Annette Bening (Actress)
2009: Anjelica Huston (Actress and Director)
2009: Redmond Morris (Producer)

Best Marketplace Project

2023: Barfly
2022: Shoal Director- Clare Strong, Producer- Jeanie Igoe
2021: Lakelands Production Company Harp Media (Ireland) – Producers Robert Higgins & Patrick McGivney

in association with

Magnolia Pictures