Ireland at The BAFTAs
The 2026 BAFTA Film Award nominations, unveiled on January 27, 2026, marked a watershed moment for Irish cinema, with talent from the island securing recognition across multiple categories in what has become one of the strongest showings in recent memory. At the heart of this success stands HAMNET, Chloé Zhao’s adaptation that has emerged as the dominant force of the awards season, carrying Irish performers Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal to career-defining nominations while simultaneously breaking records for the sheer volume of nods it received.
Buckley’s Leading Actress nomination for her portrayal of Agnes represents a culmination of years of critically acclaimed work, while Mescal’s Supporting Actor recognition for his turn as William Shakespeare confirms his rapid ascent from breakthrough star to established force in contemporary cinema. The film’s reach extends beyond its headliners, with writer Maggie O’Farrell landing on the longlist for Adapted Screenplay, demonstrating how Irish creative voices have penetrated every level of the production. According to The Irish Times, HAMNET‘s nomination haul has shattered previous benchmarks, transforming what might have been a modest costume drama into an awards juggernaut that has elevated Irish participation across the board.
The Irish presence radiates outward from HAMNET into other productions that showcase the depth of talent the country continues to produce. Andrew Scott earned a Supporting Actor longlist mention for BLUE MOON, a production that not only filmed on Irish soil but was developed in association with Dublin-based Wild Atlantic Pictures, as noted by IFTN. Cinematographer Robbie Ryan received longlist recognition for his work on BUGONIA, another project produced by Dublin’s Element Pictures, while visual effects artist Richard Baneham made the longlist for AVATAR: FIRE AND ASH. Even Cillian Murphy, fresh from his recent Oscar triumph, appears among the producers listed on the Outstanding British Film longlist for STEVE, extending his influence beyond performance into the realm of production.
What emerges from these nominations is not merely a roster of individual achievements but evidence of an ecosystem that has matured over decades of strategic investment in film infrastructure, training, and international co-production treaties. The February 22, 2026 ceremony in London will serve as the culmination of this recognition, but the nominations themselves already tell a story of Irish cinema at a peak moment, with performers, craftspeople, and production companies all operating at the highest levels of international filmmaking and reaping the rewards that sustained excellence inevitably brings.
THE MUMMY is coming to theaters Fri Apr 17.
Lee Cronin—the visionary behind THE HOLE IN THE GROUND and EVIL DEAD RISE—is back with an audacious, twisted retelling that`s already getting rave reviews. A young girl vanishes for eight years. When she finally returns, what should be a joyful reunion becomes a living nightmare.
Watch trailer now at irishfilmtv.com.
SNL UK IS BACK AND WE`RE LIVING FOR IT 🚨✨
Nicola Coughlan (yes, THAT Nicola Coughlan) is hosting on April 25th with the absolute legends that are @foofighters taking the stage 🎸
DERRY GIRLS fans, BRIDGERTON obsessives, this is your moment!
More Nicola at irishfilmtv.com.
Graham Norton is stepping into uncharted territory with THE NEIGHBOURHOOD—an ITV gameshow that`s about to flip the reality TV script entirely.
What happens when you put everyday people in extraordinary circumstances and ask them to compete against their neighbors for serious money?
More at irishfilmtv.com.
17 years old. A trip to Holland. Two Irish lads with big dreams and zero idea what was coming.
That`s where Ciarán Hinds and Liam Neeson bonded—and it changed everything. 🎬
In a beautiful moment on the Late Late Show, Hinds reflected on the power of those formative years—and why family, not accolades, is what truly matters. 💫
Watch now at irishfilmtv.com.
72 hours. One decision. Everything on the line.
Andrew Scott is stepping into one of WWII`s most untold stories in the upcoming film PRESSURE—where a meteorologist`s weather forecast became the most consequential prediction in history.
Watch new trailer at irishfilmtv.com.
🎬 THE YEAR OF ÉANNA HARDWICKE 🎬
From SAIPAN to THE PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD to NO ORDINARY HEIST—this is the actor`s defining moment. An IFTA winner. A West End star. Now a desperate man caught in a heist like no other.
In cinemas THIS WEEK: a gripping true story of the infamous Northern Bank robbery. £26.5 million. Two families held hostage. No way out.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
BELFAST`s Jamie Dornan will host SNL UK this weekend.
Dornan, known for his role in FIFTY SHADES OF GREY and THE TOURIST, will front the program alongside Brit-award winning band Wolf Alice.
The show marks the first British incarnation of the sketch series, which was created by Lorne Michaels and first launched in the US in 1975.
Watch now at irishfilmtv.com.
In a brand-new interview, OUTLANDER star/executive producer, Caitríona Balfe, discusses THAT pivotal Season 8, Episode 3 scene where Claire saves a baby.
A must-watch for OUTLANDER fans!
More at irishfilmtv.com.
✨ Brendan Gleeson just reminded us why he`s one of the greats ✨
Yesterday at the London Standard Theatre Awards, Gleeson took the night for his performance in THE WEIR—and honestly? there`s no one else who could have done it quite like him.
This is an actor who doesn`t perform. he breathes into the role. he becomes it. soul-deep, nuanced, the kind of characterisation that makes you forget you`re watching acting at all.
More at irishfilmtv.com.
