The posthumous prize for “searing” Nika McGuigan is the moment of the night

The winners of the Iftas 2021 – the Irish Film and Television Academy Awards – in the film and television drama categories were announced at a virtual ceremony broadcast on Virgin Media One.

Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart’s Wolfwalkers, recently nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Oscars, took home the award for Best Picture.

Unsurprisingly, Normal People, the successful adaptation of Sally Rooney’s novel, has dominated the television section, converting nine of its 15 nominations to Iftas.

But the most emotional moment of the evening was the awarding of Best Motion Picture Actress to the late Nika McGuigan for her dazzling performance in Cathy Brady Wildfire’s border drama. McGuigan, daughter of former boxer Barry McGuigan, died in 2019 at the age of just 33.

“Nika tirelessly grafted herself on to become the best actress she can be,” said her brother Blane McGuigan. “And in Wildfire, she found a vehicle that allowed her to express herself artistically in ways that she had never been able to do before.” Barry McGuigan added, “It’s a testament to the special and sacred bond Nika had with her mother that transcends all of life’s challenges.”

Nika McGuigan stars alongside Nora-Jane Noone in a drama about two sisters uncovering secrets in the wake of their mother’s mysterious death.

Paul Mescal, who recently won a Bafta for his performance in Normal People, took home the award for best actor in a television series at the National Awards. “I am absolutely delighted,” Mescal said. “It’s amazing to be nominated with such fantastic actors. It has been over a year since this trip completely changed my life.

He went on to describe Rooney as “the most incredible artist and novelist working in the world right now”.

Fionn O’Shea and Sarah Greene won the respective Supporting Actor Awards for the same series.

Lenny Abrahamson received the award for Best Director of Television Fiction in Conversations with Friends, the upcoming adaptation of Rooney’s debut novel. Irish production company Element Pictures produced both series.

In the midst of all the celebrations for Normal People, Dervla Kirwan won the award for Best TV Actress for the famous crime series Smother.

Presented by Gráinne Seoige, the show drew a remarkably star-studded line-up. Colin Farrell came from Los Angeles to present best director to Cathy Brady. “I am so proud to see such a great talent as an Irish director nominated here tonight,” he said.

Mark Hamill, the Star Wars veteran who fell in love with Ireland while filming the most recent films in the west of the country, was there to present the Rising Star Award to Derry Girls and Bridgerton star Nicola Coughlan. “I’m really shocked – oh my god I’m so shocked,” Coughlan said. “Hearing Luke Skywalker say my name is such a shock! I’m so proud to be an Irish actor, I’m so proud to be so proud of it.

Other honored films included David Freyne’s comedy Dating Amber, with Barry Ward and Sharon Horgan picking up the supporting actor and actress, and Phyllida Lloyd’s Herself, which earned Clare Dunne, also the film’s star, the award. best scenario.

Gabriel Byrne won the Best Motion Picture Actor award for his dissolute speaking tour in Death of a Ladies’ Man. The Dubliner paid tribute to the musician whose songs inspired the film. “I also want to thank Leonard Cohen himself for his beautiful music and lyrics,” Byrne said. “One of the things that always stood out to me was something he said, ‘there’s a crack in everything – that’s how the light comes in.’ Thank you very much to all. “

The range of presenters also included Olivia Colman, Bob Geldof and Josh Brolin. Presenting Best Film to Wolfwalkers, Brolin recalled his early experiences in the host country. “My own history with Ireland is that when I was 20 I was in Dublin, and I blindly walked into a cinema on a movie called My Left Foot, and I left a man changed,” he said. he declares.

“With the rest of my very little money on that same trip, I saw the Cusacks do The Three Sisters at the Gate Theater and got changed again. I also read A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man during this same trip.

With Wolfwalkers, the Cartoon Saloon in Kilkenny landed its second best Ifta image. Animation is often overlooked by award juries, but Ifta voted the studio’s Song of the Sea as his favorite film in 2015.

Brendan Gleeson, named Best Supporting TV Actor for his role as Donald Trump in The Comey Rule, didn’t triumph, but he did pull off a few impressive jokes. When asked if there had been a presidential response from the famous TV stations, he replied that he had “no interest in” Donald Trump TV stations. “

Complete list of the 2021 IFTA Film & Drama Awards winners

Best Film: Wolf Walkers

Director: Cathy Brady, Wildfire

Screenplay: Clare Dunne and Malcolm Campbell, Herself

Actor in a Leading Role – Film: Gabriel Byrne, Death of a Ladies’ Man

Actress in a Leading Role – Film: Nika McGuigan, Wildfire

Supporting Actor – Film: Barry Ward, Dating Amber

Supporting Actress – Film: Sharon Horgan, Dating Amber

Rising star: Nicola Coughlan

George Morrison’s Feature Documentary: Breaking Out

Drama: Normal people

Dramatic Director: Lenny Abrahamson, Normal People

Dramatic Script: Sally Rooney, Normal People

Actor in a Leading Role – Drama: Paul Mescal, Normal People

Actress in a Leading Role – Drama: Dervla Kirwan, Smother

Supporting Actor – Drama: Fionn O’Shea, Normal People

Supporting Actress – Drama: Sarah Greene, Normal People

Short film: Rough

Short animation: his song

Cinematography: Kate McCullough, Normal People

Editing: Úna Ní Dhonghaíle, Bad conduct

Scenography: Lucy van Lonkhuyzen, Normal People

Costume: Léonie Prendergast, Gretel and Hansel

Hair & Makeup: Linda Gannon Foster & Liz Byrne, Gretel & Hansel

Original music: Aza Hand, Son

Sound Design: Steve Fanagan, Niall Brady and Niall O Sullivan, Normal People

VFX: Ed Bruce & Robert Hartigan, joke