Irish Stars Triumph at IFTAs, Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal Vie for BAFTA

The Irish film industry capped off a successful year at the ceremonial Irish Film & Television Awards (IFTA) gala, held on Friday at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre. The Cork drama 'Christy', directed by Brendan Canty, was honored with the Best Film award, confirming its status as one of the most significant domestic projects. The film also collected accolades in technical categories, including editing and casting. The main winners of the evening in the acting categories were Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, awarded for their roles in the international co-production 'Hamnet'. Buckley, hailing from Kerry, received the statuette for Best Actress, portraying the character Agnes Hathaway, wife of William Shakespeare. In an emotional speech, the actress emphasized what a great honor it is for her to return home and share this success. „It's really such an honour to come home and share this with you all.” — Jessie Buckley Among other award winners were Éanna Hardwicke for his role in the film 'Saipan' and international productions such as the series 'Blue Lights'. The gala, hosted by Kevin McGahern, was graced by the presence of the most important representatives of Irish and world cinema, including Cillian Murphy, Steve Coogan, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, and Alison Oliver. The event was an opportunity to celebrate achievements in as many as 29 categories. The Irish Film & Television Awards (IFTA) are the most important Irish film and television awards, presented since 2003 by the Irish Film & Television Academy. Their goal is to promote and honor the achievements of Irish creators on the national and international stage. Success on the national stage now opens the path to international laurels for Irish actors. Jessie Buckley and Paul Mescal, fresh IFTA winners, are nominated for the prestigious British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards. The ceremony for these awards will take place on Sunday at London's Royal Festival Hall. Buckley, nominated in the Best Actress category, made history during Saturday's ceremony as the first Irish performer to win this prestigious award. Meanwhile, Mescal is vying for the statuette for Best Supporting Actor. Their nominations, coming right after their national victories, underscore the growing strength and recognition of Irish acting talent on the global film scene. Awaiting the BAFTA results, the industry looks with hope at the chances of its representatives.