IFTA Nominations Announced for the 2017 IFTA Film Drama Awards

IFTA Nominations Announced for the 2017 IFTA Film Drama Awards The Academy will welcome 500 guests from across the world of Film Drama, all coming together to celebrate the continued great work and success of Ireland home industry and to celebrate Michael Gambon Lifetime Achieve Award. Nominations have been shortlisted by Irish Academy Members alongside a specialist Jury panel of industry experts from around the world. Academy CEO, Aine Moriarty stated that: great Irish Nominees are a testament to the hard work and achievements by Irish creative talent within the film and television industry, delivering world class standards of work and we look forward to showcasing and celebrating their achievements at the Awards Ceremony NOMINEE LIST AT BOTTOM OF RELEASE The Best Film Nominees this year are A Date For Mad Mary, Darren Thornton touching tale of the troubled but endearing Mary McArdle; Whit Stillman drama Love Friendship, which perfectly blends period drama with comedy led by the vivacious Lady Susan Vernon; The Siege of Jadotville from Richie Smyth, with its stunning exploration of the long ignored and brave Irish troops in the Congo; the delicate portrait of the one hundred year old Roseanne McNulty as she reflects on her life in Jim Sheridan The Secret Scripture; Juanita Wilson Tomato Red, with its look at the forceful voice of prejudice amidst the lives of small town drifters and Peter Foot feature debut The Young Offenders, the hysterical Cork comedy based on the cocaine seizure of 2007. Three of the Best Films are feature debuts for their directors, including Darren Thornton for A Date for Mad Mary, Peter Foott for The Young Offenders (who are both also nominated for Best Script); Richie Smyth for The Siege of Jadotville. They are joined by veteran Irish filmmaker Jim Sheridan, for The Secret Scripture. In the Actor in a Leading Role Film category, Jamie Dornan is nominated for his performance leading the small Irish UN troop in the Congo in The Siege of Jadotville; Michael Fassbender is shortlisted for his skilful turn in The Light Between Oceans; Colm Meaney for his sharp and engaging depiction of Martin McGuinness in The Journey (opposite Timothy Spall Dr Ian Paisley), Mark http://www.hookeygin.uk O for his brilliant portrayal of one man struggles with his own mind and a wiped memory in History Future; and Alex Murphy for his breakout and endearing performance in The Young Offenders. For Actress in A Leading role Film, Caoilfhionn Dunne is shortlisted for the dark drama In View and Seana Kerslake gets her first nomination for her turn in Date for Mad Mary and Aisling Loftus also gets her first nomination for her breakout performance in of the State Ruth Negga receives her first of two nominations, for her performance in Catherine Walker for her performance in the occult drama Dark Song Actors in Supporting Role in Film are Colin Farrell for Fantastic Beasts Where to Find Them, Brendan Gleeson for Trespass Against Us, Ciaran Hinds for his performance in Bleed for This, Jason O for The Siege of Jadotville, and newcomer Chris Walley for The Young Offenders. Charleigh Bailey is nominated for Supporting Actress in Film for A Date for Mad Mary alongside Susan Lynch for her performance as the ruthless baddie in Bad Day for the Cut; Simone Kirby for her insightful performance in Notes on Blindness; Hilary Rose as the exasperated mam in The Young Offenders, and Fiona Shaw for Kerry Babies drama Out of Innocence. Television Drama being produced across Ireland north and south, continues to enthral both Irish and International audiences with compelling scripts, great direction and performances all round. In the Best Drama category, the second season of the Galway based Irish language drama An Klondike with its daring and gritty world of the late 1800s gold rush; the lonely rural drama delicately handling emigration, death and loss; The Fall continues the tense standoff between a cold and calculating serial killer and the female detective superintendent pursing him; fellow Northern Irish epic fantasy http://www.amateurpin.org series of Thrones brings to life the epic battles and fight for the throne of Westeros; new legal drama Out set in the cutting and conflict driven lives of a group of Dublin solicitors; historical action series follows the legendary and epic battles of Ragnar Lothbrok. Nominations in Best Director Drama are Anthony Byrne for Ripper Street, Neasa Hardiman for Z: The Beginning of Everything, Datha Keane for An Klondike, and Ciaran Donnelly for Vikings. The nominations across all four Drama acting categories show just how well Irish actors are being received for their Irish and international work. The strongly contested Actor in a Leading Role in Drama category sees Dara Devaney (last year winner) nominated for An Klondike, Cillian Murphy for Peaky Blinders, Aidan Turner for season two of Poldark, James Nesbitt for The Secret and Tom Vaughan Lawlor for Trial of the Century. In the Actress in a Leading Role category, Caitriona Balfe has been shortlisted for her role as US show Outlander, Amy Huberman for Striking Out, Elaine Cassidy for No Offence, Anne Marie Duff for Murder, and Ruth Negga receives her second IFTA nomination this year, for her performance in cult US show Preacher. Liam Cunningham is shortlisted for his role in Game of Thrones, in the Actor in a Supporting Role Drama category along with Ned Dennehy for An Klondike, Moe Dunford for Vikings, Andrew Scott, for The Hollow Crown and Robert Sheehan for Fortitude. Ruth Bradley is nominated for Humans for the Actress in a Supporting Role Drama category, alongside Sinead Cusack for Call the Midwife; Dominique McElligott for Netflix show House of Cards, Charlene McKenna for Ripper Street, and Charlie Murphy for Happy Valley. George Morrison Feature Documentary The strongly contested Feature Documentary category sees Risteard O Atlantic, offering an alarming yet picturesque look at the impact of fish and oil consumption; the poetic portrait of the determined Irish Republican who became a leading figure of the 1980s hunger strike, in Brendan J. Byrne Bobby Sands: 66 Days; the charming In Loco Parentis from Neasa N Chian and David Rane, taking a look at the colourful and caring world of Ireland last remaining boarding school for primary students; It Not Yet Dark from first time feature director Frankie Fenton, an awe inspiring look at fellow filmmaker Simon Fitzmaurice stamina as he continues to direct with MND; Colm Quinn Mattress Men following eccentric persona Mick who has reinvented himself in an attempt to save his business.