The comedic horror parody from Irish directing duo Enda Loughman and Mike Ahern won the Best Irish Film award at the 31st Galway Film Fleadh.
On Sunday July 14, the 31st Galway Film Fleadh came to a close after another outstanding year of Irish and international film premieres, screenings, workshops and discussions. The annual awards ceremony took place before the screening of the closing film Never Grow Old.
After screening at a packed Town Hall Theatre on Saturday night to high acclaim, the debut feature from writer/directors Mike Ahern and Enda Loughman (aka Team D.A.D.D.Y.) won the Best Irish Film award in association with Danu Media.
Starring comedian/writer/actress Maeve Higgins ('Naked Camera', 'Inside Amy Schumer'), Barry Ward (Jimmy’s Hall, MAZE), Will Forte (Nebraska, Run & Jump), and Claudia O’Doherty (Trainwreck, Love, Inside Amy Schumer), Extra Ordinary tells the story of a driving instructor who must use her other-wordly gifts to save a lonely man's daughter from a rock star looking to use her for Satanic purposes.
The film is produced by Katie Holly (Citadel, Love & Friendship), Mary McCarthy (Mr Foley, Six Shooter), Yvonne Donohoe (Striking Out) and Ailish Bracken (The Queen of Ireland) for Blinder Films, in co-production with Umedia with funding from Screen Ireland, UMedia and Inevitable Pictures.
Derry-based feature A Bump Along the Way picked up the Best Irish First Feature in association with Saffrey Champness. Starring Bronagh Gallagher (The Commitments, Pulp Fiction) and Lola Petticrew (Come Home) A Bump along the Way tells the story of fun-loving, 44-year-old single mum Pamela (Gallagher) who becomes pregnant following a one-night-stand, much to the shame of her buttoned-up teenage daughter Allegra (Petticrew).
Filmed entirely in Derry and led by an all-female creative team, A Bump Along The Way is directed by Shelly Love, written by Tess McGowan, produced by Louise Gallagher and executive produced by Roma Downey. The film was funded by Northern Ireland Screen and Yellowmoon. Lola Petticrew also won the Bingham Ray New Talent Award for her performance in the film.
Elsewhere, other winners included Cynthia, which won the Tiernan McBride Award for Best Short Drama, while Irish actor Jack Reynor’s directorial debut Bainne starring Will Poulter (The Little Stranger, The Revenant), picked up Best First Short Drama. Ross McClean’s HYDEBANK and Shannon Egan’s Archie’s Bat won the Best Short Documentary Award and The Best First Short Animation Award respectively.
Breaking Out directed by Michael McCormack, won Best Irish Documentary and recipients for The Galway Hooker Award for Outstanding Achievement were James Schamus, Ros Hubbard and Jon Hubbard. Meanwhile at the Marketplace Roisin Jones won the Pitching Award in association with 101 Films for What Would Rocky Do? and Kate Swan won the Best Marketplace Project Award in association with Bankside Films with Watermelon Seeds.
See below for full list of winners at the 31stGalway Film Fleadh
Best Irish Film in Association with Danu Media
Extra Ordinary
Best Irish First Feature in Association with Saffrey Champness
A Bump Along The Way
Director: Shelly Love
Producer: Louise Gallagher
The Tiernan McBride Award for Best Short Drama in association with Network Ireland Television
Cynthia
Director: Jack Hickey
Producer: Lara Hickey
The Donal Gilligan Award for Best Cinematography in a Short Film in association with Irish Society of Cinematographers
Rip to the Rescue!
Director of Photography: Robin Whenary
The Best Short Documentary Award in association with Gresan na Mean Skillnet Training
HYDEBANK
Director: Ross McClean
Producers: Noe Mendelle, Flore Cosquer, Christine Morrow & Chris Kelly
The Best First Short Drama in association with Mazars
Bainne
Director: Jack Reynor
Producers: Lara Hickey & Emer O’Shea
The Best First Short Animation Award
Archie’s Bat
Directed & Produced by Shannon Egan
The James Horgan Award for Best Animation
Streets of Fury
Directed & Produced by Aidan McAteer
Best Cinematography in an Irish Feature in association with Teach Solais
Finky
Director of Photography Cathal Watters
Pitching Award in association with 101 Films
What Would Rocky Do?
Pitcher: Roisin Jones
Best Marketplace Project Award in association with Bankside Films
Watermelon Seeds
Project Owner: Kate Swan (Bonnie Film)
Best Irish Documentary
Breaking Out
Director: Michael McCormack
Producer: Aideen O’Sullivan & Michael McCormack
Best International First Feature
The Best of Dorien B.
Director: Anke Blonde
Producers: Dries Phylpo, Jean Claude Van Rijckeghem, Marien Slot
Best International Documentary
Stage
Director: Abbie Ainsworth
Producer: Jamie Kastner & Lindsey Kutner
Best International Film
A Bread Factory
Director: Patrick Wang
Producer: Daryl Freimark, Matt Miller, Patrick Wang
Best International Short Documentary
After the Silence
Directed & Produced by Sonam Larcin
Best International Short Animation
Roadkill
Directed & Produced by Leszek Mozga
Best International Short Fiction
Brotherhood
Director: Joobeur Meryam
Producers: Maria Gracia Turgeon & Habib Attia
Best Human Rights Film in association with Amnesty International
For Sama
Director: Waad al-Kateab & Edward Watts
Producer: Waas Al-Kateab
Don Quijote Award for Best Animated Short Film
Featherweight
Director: Kayleigh Gibbons
Producer: Richard Gordon
The FICC jury awarded the Don Quijote prize to Featherweight for its touching storytelling style and expressive animation dealing with the universal theme of grief.
Best Animated Sequence in A Short Film in Association with Brown Bag Films
Abe’s Story
Director: Adam H Stewart
Producer: Eilish Kent
The Bingham Ray New Talent Award in Association with Magnolia Pictures
The nominees are:
Mike Ahern - Extra Ordinary
Enda Loughman - Extra Ordinary
Lola Petticrew - A Bump Along The Way
Lauryn Canny - Darlin’
Tristan Heanue - Ciúnas (Silence)
Winner Lola Petticrew (A Bump Along The Way)
The Galway Hooker Award for Outstanding Achievement
The recipients are:
James Schmaus
Ros Hubbard
Jon Hubbard