Where to watch all the Irish Oscar nominated films this weekend

When this year’s Oscar nominees were announced, many of us were swept up in the excitement of seeing so many Irish connections in the running that we disregarded the fact that we may not have even seen half the films up for award.

While some of the links may be more tenuous than others, here are six of the Oscar-nominated films available to stream or watch in cinemas this weekend.

The Banshees of Inisherin

Up for a whopping nine nominations across a number of different categories including Colin Farrell’s first ever nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role, Banshees of Inisherin is also nominated for Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay. Brendan Gleeson and Barry Keoghan are each up for the title of Best Actor in a Supporting Role, and Kerry Condon is hotly tipped to take home the Best Actress in a Supporting Role award. Director Martin McDonagh is up for Best Director, and with additional nominations for music and film editing, the film has taken the baton from Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast for the most nominations for an Irish film.
The Banshees of Inisherin is currently available for streaming on Disney+, and is playing in Pálás cinema in Galway, and Light House cinema in Dublin.

Aftersun

Also receiving a first time Oscar nomination for Best Actor in a Leading Role is the one and only Mr Paul Mescal. Playing the role of a loving father plagued by internal anguish, Mescal’s role in Aftersun is inspired by writer-director Charlotte Wells’ own experiences, and is a searingly emotional coming-of-age tale. Painting an intimate family portrait against a fading vacation resort in the late 1990s, 11-year-old Sophie (played by Frankie Corio) treasures this rare time with her dad, and later attempts to reconcile the father she knew with the man she didn’t. Prepare to sob.

Aftersun is currently playing in both Pálás and Light House cinemas.

An Cailín Ciúin

Making Irish cinema history in becoming the first Irish language film to be nominated for an Oscar in the International Feature Film category, An Cailín Ciúin tells the story of Cáit — Catherine Clinch — a nine year-old girl from an overcrowded, dysfunctional family who is sent away to live with her mother’s relatives for the summer. She is welcomed with open arms by Eibhlín, — Carrie Crowley — but her husband (Andrew Bennett) keeps Cáit at arms length. Slowly, but surely a warmth grows within this makeshift family and Cáit blossoms in their care. But in this house where there are meant to be no secrets, she discovers one painful truth.

An Cailín Ciúin is currently playing in cinemas nationwide.

Avatar: The Way of Water

Irish animator and visual effects supervisor Richard Baneham received a Visual Effects nomination for his work on blockbuster ??Avatar: The Way of Water. The film follows Jake Sully, who lives with his newfound family formed on the planet of Pandora. Once a familiar threat returns to finish what was previously started, Jake must work with Neytiri and the army of the Na’vi race to protect their planet.

Avatar: The Way of Water is currently playing in cinemas nationwide.

An Irish Goodbye

Nominated for Best Live Action Short Film, Tom Berkeley and Ross White’s An Irish Goodbye is set on a farm in rural Northern Ireland, where estranged brothers Turlough (Seamus O’Hara) and Lorcan (James Martin) are forced to reunite following the untimely death of their mother (Michelle Fairley). However, when the pair discover an unfulfilled bucket list belonging to their late mum, their painful reunion takes an altogether different course.

Though the film isn’t available to stream just yet, the Floodlight website has a mailing list that will make sure you’re the first to know about any screenings, events or wider public release of An Irish Goodbye.

Elvis

Irish editor Jonathan Redmond received a Film Editing nominated for his work on Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis, and if you haven’t already seen this biopic, you need to get to it. Starring Austin Butler, Tom Hanks, and Olivia DeJonge, the film naturally tracks the life and times of Elvis Presley.

Elvis is available to be streamed on AppleTV.