The 21st annual IFTA Awards take place tonight at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre, with the ceremony hosted for the first time by Emmy-winning broadcaster Baz Ashmawy. Ireland’s biggest stars like Paul Mescal, Andrew Scott, Saoirse Ronan, Cillian Murphy, Pierce Brosnan and Sharon Horgan to name a few are set to appear on the red carpet. Check out the full list of nominees across 28 categories in Film and Drama below.
Teenage actress Alisha Weir has spoken about the duality of playing a “sweet, innocent girl” who is also a bloodthirsty vampire in her new horror film ABIGAIL. The Dublin-born actress, best known for her starring role in the big screen version of Matilda The Musical, plays the 12-year daughter of a powerful underworld figure who is kidnapped by a group of would-be criminals. ABIGAIL is in Irish theatres Apr 19, watch the trailer below!
Most recently seen opposite Paul Mescal in Garth Davis sci-fi thriller FOE, Saoirse Ronan is now heading for the world of education. She’ll play a teacher dealing with a very disruptive student in a new satirical pic BAD APPLES that marks the English-language debut of Swedish writer/director Jonatan Etzler. The plan is to shoot the movie this coming spring. Ronan, meanwhile, will next be seen in Steve McQueen’s BLITZ and addiction drama THE OUTRUN.
THE LAST RIFLEMAN star Pierce Brosnan has been slated to portray Dublin native and Irish boxing training legend Brendan Ingle in GIANT, an upcoming biopic about former world featherweight champion ‘Prince’ Naseem Hamed whom Ingle trained. The film follows the true story of Naseem Hamed’s tough working-class upbringing in Sheffield and his discovery by Brendan Ingle, himself a steel industry worker turned boxing trainer and begins shooting in Leeds later this month.
BANSHEES OF INISHERIN star Colin Farrell’s new Apple TV show SUGAR is now the most watched show on the streaming platform. The plot revolves around John Sugar, an outgoing detective, known for his kindness and patience. With a luxurious lifestyle and a perfect job for him, he finds himself at a crossroads when summoned by a prestigious film producer. Three episodes of SUGAR are available now while new episodes will be added on successive Fridays.
Hard-hitting Irish crime drama KIN, described as “the best Irish drama series in years”, will begin streaming on Netflix from May 1. The show, which won four Irish Film and Television Awards in 2022, initially aired on Irish channel RTÉ in 2021, for series one, and in 2023, for series two. KIN stars a plethora of Irish acting talent including Ciaran Hinds (BELFAST), Clare Dunne, Emmett J. Scanlan (FOOL ME ONCE) and Charlie Cox.
Eagle-eyed fans have caught BANSHEES OF INISHERIN star Brendan Gleeson in the new trailer for THE JOKER: FOLIE A DEUX. The official trailer for the upcoming filming, in which Lady Gaga stars opposite Joaquin, debuted at ComicCon in Las Vegas earlier this week. Gleeson is heard hollering ‘Wakey, wakey!’ in the opening scene of the trailer, suggesting he’ll portray a guard in Arkham Asylum where Joker and Harley Quinn are housed.
Next month’s 77th Cannes Film Festival will feature an unprecedented Irish presence with three films produced by Dublin’s Element Pictures to form part of the official selection. KINDS OF KINDNESS reunites Element Pictures with POOR THINGS director Yorgos Lanthimos, THE APPRENTICE, a biopic about the early years of Donald Trump by Iran-born director Ali Abbasi, includes the Dublin-based Tailored Films among its producers and BIRD, starring SALTBURN star Barry Keoghan, will also receive its world premiere and screen in competition at the festival.