The shortlist for the 6th Irish Film and Television Awards [IFTA] includes best feature film nominations for Marian Quinn's coming of age drama 32A; the prison-break thriller The Escapist; Lance Daly's festival favourite Kisses; the IRA hunger strike drama Hunger; and Ian Fitzgibbon's dark comedy A Film With Me In It.
Across all categories Hunger leads with eight nominations while Kisses has seven, A Film With Me In It has six and In Bruges, which does not qualify as an 'Irish' film, has five.
In the acting categories, Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson are both nominated for their leading roles in Martin McDonagh's In Bruges. Comedian Dylan Moran is nominated for A Film With Me In It and Michael Fassbender is nominated for Hunger.
Shortlisted female actors in leading roles include Eileen Walsh (Eden), Jenn Murray (Dorothy), newcomer Kelly O'Neill (Kisses) and Saoirse Ronan (City of Ember).Ronan has also been nominated in the supporting actress category for Death Defying Acts.
Nominations have been announced in 37 award categories in film and television, marking the best work of Irish talent and technical expertise in Ireland and abroad over the past twelve months.
According to IFTA organisers the number of submissions is up on last year with more than 270 titles being submitted.
Announcing the nominations IFTA CEO, Aine Moriarty said, 'Ireland has a fantastic resource of creative talent and 2008 has been another strong year of world-class Irish production across a very interesting mix of genres and styles. The Academy is proud to give due recognition and reward to home-grown Irish talent both at home and abroad.'
Nominees in the craft categories are split between locally produced feature film and TV drama projects. The IFTA awards ceremony takes place on 14th February at the Burlington Hotel in Dublin.
The Nominees for the 6th annual IFTA Awards (Film) are:
Best 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 (Element Pictures Distribution)
Director
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
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, Steve McQueen- Hunger - (Blast! Films)
Actor In a Lead Role
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
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
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
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
Dambe - 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, Paul Rowley (Still Films)
Waveriders - Margo Harkin (Element Pictures Distribution)
International Film
The Boy in the Striped Pyjamas
In Bruges
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! The Movie
Emma Thompson, Brideshead Revisited
No comments yet