IFTAs '09

Nolanger

It's that time of year again - the Irish Film and Television Academy awards are being announced tomorrow.
Only in Ireland would there be an awards ceremony rewarding mediocrity.
Interested in the Best Film category - reckon there were about 7 Irish releases last year (plus a few more in the festivals).
Kisses is a certain for Best Film because the others were dreadful.

JP Liz

I expect Hunger and In Bruges to figure in the nominations

Hugh_C

Nolanger wrote: »

Only in Ireland would there be an awards ceremony rewarding mediocrity ...

... or have Centres of Excellence which aren't particularly excellent.

I'm on one of the jury panels and have viewed some great submissions, far from mediocre.

Nolanger

Hugh_C wrote: »

I'm on one of the jury panels and have viewed some great submissions, far from mediocre.

Well why didn't you nominate Once for best film a few years back then?

You no doubt saw A Film With Me In It which was sh*te but gets a nomination for best film. Even crap like Alarm and Anton are better than that movie.
32A was alright, well made though nothing special.
The Escapist was almost a remake of a prison movie made here a few years ago also called The Escapist!
Kisses was the best genuine Irish movie from last year but won't win now because of Hunger which is a 100% British movie.

TV3 are right to boycott the IFTAs.

the flananator

Why do TV3 boycott the IFTAs?

lostexpectation

nyoms
http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/ireland/2009/0109/1231406001751.html

plus a different irish critics award pics there will be blood as best film, nice one.

JP Liz

Film Nominations

Film
32A – Tommy Weir (Janey Pictures)
A Film With Me In It - Alan Moloney, Susan Mullen (Parallel Film Productions)
The Escapist – Alan Moloney (Parallel Film Productions)
Hunger - Laura Hastings-Smith, Robin Gutch (Blast! Films)
Kisses – Macdara Kelleher, Lance Daly (Element Pictures Distribution)

Director Film
Lance Daly, Kisses - (Element Pictures Distribution)
Ian Fitzgibbon, A Film With Me In It - (Parallel Film Productions)
Martin McDonagh, In Bruges - (Universal Pictures International)
Declan Recks, Eden - (Samson Films)

Script Film
Lance Daly, Kisses - (Element Pictures Distribution)
Mark Doherty, A Film With Me In It - (Parallel Film Productions)
Martin McDonagh, In Bruges - (Universal Pictures International)
Enda Walsh, Hunger - (Blast! Films)

Actor In a Lead Role – Film
Colin Farrell, In Bruges - (Universal Pictures International)
Michael Fassbender, Hunger - (Blast! Films)
Brendan Gleeson, In Bruges - (Universal Pictures International)
Dylan Moran, A Film With Me In It - (Parallel Film Productions)

Actress In a Lead Role – Film
Jenn Murray, Dorothy - (Octagon Films)
Kelly O'Neill, Kisses - (Element Pictures Distribution)
Saoirse Ronan, City of Ember - (Entertainment)
Eileen Walsh, Eden - (Samson Films)

Actor in a Supporting Role – Film
Liam Cunningham, Hunger - (Blast! Films)
Stuart Graham, Hunger - (Blast! Films)
Gerard McSorley, Anton - (Fox Glove Films & i4i Productions)
Peter O'Toole, Dean Spanley - (General Film Corporation)

Actress in a Supporting Role – Film
Sarah Bolger, The Spiderwick Chronicles - (Paramount)
Lesley Conroy, Eden - (Samson Films)
Saoirse Ronan, Death Defying Acts - (Lionsgate UK)
Ger Ryan, Dorothy - (Octagon Films)

Feature Documentary
Dambé - The Mali Project - Dearbhla Glynn (Luachra Productions)
Gabriel Byrne: Stories From Home – Pat Collins (South Wind Blows)
Saviours - Liam Nolan / Ross Whitaker (Street Films)
Seaview - Nicky Gogan (Still Films)
Waveriders - Margo Harkin (Element Pictures Distribution)

International Film
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
In Bruges
Man On Wire
Wall E

International Actor
Casey Affleck, Gone Baby Gone
Josh Brolin, W
Robert Downey Jr, Iron Man
Ralph Fiennes, The Duchess

Pantene Best International Actress Award – People’s Choice*
Angelina Jolie, The Changeling
Kristin Scott Thomas, I’ve Loved You So Long
Meryl Streep, Mamma Mia!
Emma Thompson, Brideshead Revisited

The ceremony is on 14th February 2009 at the Burlington Hotel and will be broadcast that night on RTÉ One at 9.30pm

Nolanger

the flananator wrote: »

Why do TV3 boycott the IFTAs?

Because they never win! RTE usually win in the TV categories due to the awards being a fix.

The IFTAs come in for a lot of criticism and rightly so. Whether it's failing to nominate Once in the Best Film category in 2007, claiming foreign-produced films to be Irish, directly copying the BAFTAs, or just awarding banality in general.

joeystrider

How come In Bruges isn't up for best film?

lostexpectation

what didn't win in tv3? that deserved too.

Nolanger

joeystrider wrote: »

How come In Bruges isn't up for best film?

Because despite the hype and the director claiming to be Irish it's a British movie.
Still haven't figured how the British movie Hunger with a (black) English director is eligible for Best (Irish) Film.

Dodge

Nolanger wrote: »

Still haven't figured how the British movie Hunger with a (black) English director is eligible for Best (Irish) Film.

Yeah, his colour (sic) was the important bit I hear :rolleyes:

joeystrider

Nolanger wrote: »

Because despite the hype and the director claiming to be Irish it's a British movie.
Still haven't figured how the British movie Hunger with a (black) English director is eligible for Best (Irish) Film.

Well now that is just silly. One of the writers of Hunger is Enda Walsh, one of Ireland's finest playwrights.

Also many of the production companies involved are Irish...

And regards to McDonagh, I suppose you would consider that he shouldn't be eligible for Best Director then..

Nolanger

Whatever Hunger is it's far more a British movie than Irish - hence the BAFTA.
It's just a shame that the 100% Irish movie Kisses won't win the Best Film IFTA now because of Hunger.
Does the multi-award winning Hunger really need an IFTA to boost its reputation?

Kat Slater

The IFTA's are a national joke and just another opportunity for backslapping.

From looking at the list above, it's clear that those nominated were the only choices that were available anyway in each category, which is totally wrong for an awards ceremony. There just isn't the pool of films available for a ceremony like this and clearly those nominated are not on merit. Shrooms was nominated for best film last year FFS.

Even in the international categories the nominations are odd and suggest that the judges are either not watching enough films, or trying to be "different" judging by a few of those nominated..

In the absence of any proper film stars you have the likes of Grainne Seoige, Rosanna Davison and others, dressing up and trying to make it into an Irish Oscars. The Film Board who are part funded by the Government should do away with this farce, it is an exercise in embarrassment.

pepsicokeacola

its grand, will have to do until 2020 when europe becomes more integrated as a whole.

Nolanger

Can't believe the recent Gooseberries awards didn't have a Worst Irish Film of 2008 category.

MementoMori

I just find it funny that it's being held on Valentine's night.

I would expect the turnout for the red carpet to be even more pathetic than usual.

Nolanger

MementoMori wrote: »

I just find it funny that it's being held on Valentine's night.

I would expect the turnout for the red carpet to be even more pathetic than usual.

Not only that but there's supposed to be a Union protest march that day in Dublin too. Bit silly having these pointless glossy awards in the middle of a recession anyway.

JP Liz

I think that guy from Ugly Betty was the only America at the show - says a lot

JP Liz

Hunger - Laura Hastings-Smith, Robin Gutch

Director Film
Lance Daly, Kisses

Script Film
Martin McDonagh, In Bruges

Actor in a Lead Role – Film
Michael Fassbender, Hunger

Actress in a Lead Role – Film
Eileen Walsh, Eden

Actor in a Supporting Role – Film
Liam Cunningham, Hunger

Actress in a Supporting Role – Film
Saoirse Ronan, Death Defying Acts

George Morrison Feature Documentary Award
Waveriders - Margo Harkin, Joel Conroy

International Film
In Bruges

International Actor
Robert Downey Jr, Iron Man

Pantene Best International Actress Award – People’s Choice
Meryl Streep, Mamma Mia