Martin Scorsese praises Irish storytelling at the virtual IFTAs

“There’s something about Ireland and Irish storytelling that is universal that connects with everyone in the world,” said Martin Scorsese

The first virtual IFTA were held on Sunday night on Virgin Media Television, hosted by Deirdre O’Kane, where a number of international guests awarded Irish filmmakers for their extraordinary work.

Director Martin Scorsese presented the awards to Ordinary Love for Best Film 2020 and Black ‘47 for Best Film 2019.

“Little did we know what strange times lay ahead that we are witnessing now, and it appears to me that we are all having to reinvent cinema now, and that’s a good thing, it is,” said Martin Scorsese. “Because now, more than ever, we need the moving image. We need vision, creativity and storytelling that takes us on a journey and opens us, enlightens us, opens our hearts and our minds, and there’s something about Ireland and Irish storytelling that is universal that connects with everyone in the world. John Ford knew that, and I know that”.

Other winners include Andrew Scott, who won Best Actor in a Drama for his role in Black Mirror: Smithereens and made a plea for the Irish Arts. “Hello, Ireland. I miss you an incredible amount. I feel bereft for not having been home for such a long time. This really makes me feel connected. Let’s keep the arts going in whatever way we can and try and support it whenever we feel it’s safe enough to do so. Because the arts are the most wonderful thing about our lives. And I’m so proud to be an Irish artist. So thank you and have a great night, people, wherever you are.”

Liam Neeson also sent a message to the Irish filmmaking industry saying, “I’m thinking of you all back home right now and I know we are going through hard times, cruel times. Many industries have been hurt, especially the film industry, but we will get through it; we must get through it. As a famous politician once said, ‘when you’re going through hell, keep going’. To all our film-makers, young actors and actresses try and stay strong, stay creative. The work will come back again, and tonight we are going to celebrate how cool and how great a film industry we have in Ireland.”

See the full list of winners below.

BEST FILM 2020 BEST FILM 2019
Ordinary Love Black ‘47

DIRECTOR FILM 
Paddy Breathnach – Rosie 

SCRIPTWRITER FILM
Mark O’Halloran – Rialto

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE – FILM
Tom Vaughan-Lawlor – Rialto

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE – FILM
Jessie Buckley – Wild Rose 

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – FILM
David Wilmot – Ordinary Love

ACTRESS SUPPORTING ROLE – FILM
Niamh Algar – Calm with Horses

GEORGE MORRISON FEATURE DOCUMENTARY
The Lonely Battle of Thomas Reid

IRISH FILM BOARD RISING STAR
Aisling Franciosi

SHORT FILM – LIVE ACTION
Welcome to a Bright White Limbo

ANIMATED SHORT FILM
The Dream Report

DRAMA
Blood

DIRECTOR – DRAMA
Dearbhla Walsh – The Handmaid’s Tale

SCRIPTWRITER – DRAMA
Mark O’Rowe – Temple

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE – DRAMA
Andrew Scott – Black Mirror: Smithereens

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE – DRAMA
Niamh Algar – The Virtues

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – DRAMA
Mark O’Halloran – The Virtues

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE – DRAMA
Jessie Buckley – Chernobyl

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Piers McGrail – Never Grow Old

COSTUME DESIGN
Eimer Ni Mhaoldomhnaigh – The Rhythm Section

EDITING
Mick Mahon – Gaza 

MAKEUP & HAIR
Liz Byrne & Linda Gannon – Black ‘47

ORIGINAL MUSIC
Kíla – Arracht

PRODUCTION DESIGN
John Leslie – Never Grow Old

SOUND
Brendan Rehill, Alan Scully & Peter Blayney  – Arracht

VFX
Ed Bruce & Nicholas Murphy – We Have Always Lived in the Castle

Photography by the IFTAs on YouTube.

Read more: Meet Jessie Buckley, the Killarney-born star of Netflix’s new psychological horror film

Read more: An open letter to Paul Mescal (and a polite request to just stop it)

Read more: “Actors are kind of like crap psychologists”: Irish actress Niamh Algar talks about her latest film