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The nominees for the 2022 Irish Film and Television Academy (Ifta) awards in film and in TV drama have been announced. Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast, also a competitor at the Oscars, and Colm Bairéad’s An Cailín Ciúin, set to open this week’s Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival, scored the most mentions with 10 each. The crime drama Kin, competing in 13 categories, scored top of the television charts.
Áine Moriarty, chief executive of Ifta, commented: “What a spectacular line-up of nominees who have been shortlisted for Irish Academy awards this year, after a record-breaking production year for the Irish industry.  The work being recognised this year showcases to the world what our small but talented industry has to offer.”
Belfast, a semi-autobiographical study of life in that city, has been a competitor for awards since its buzzed-about premiere last September at the Telluride Film Festival. Ciarán Hinds, who plays the young protagonist’s grandfather, follows through on his Oscar nomination with a place in the race for best supporting actor at the domestic awards. Caitríona Balfe and Jamie Dornan, touching as the hero’s mum and dad, missed out at the American academy, but secure places here in best supporting actress and best supporting actor. Jude Hill, who plays a stand-in for the director in this semi-autobiographical tale, is nominated in best lead actor.

Caitríona Balfe and Jamie Dornan in Belfast


“We all feel very proud and honoured by this recognition,” Branagh commented. “Cinema-goers across the whole of Ireland have been incredibly supportive of our film, and it’s wonderful that a story designed for the big screen has been met by such a massive return of audiences to their local cinemas across the island. Thank you!”
Colm Bairéad’s delicate, beautifully composed An Cailín Ciúin has been drawing attention since becoming the first Irish-language feature to play at the Berlin Film Festival. Based on Claire Keegan’s story Foster, the film stars Catherine Clinch as a young girl who learns life lessons when sent to stay with relatives in the country during the early 1980s. Clinch, just 12-years-old, is nominated in lead actress alongside talent such as Angeline Ball, star of Deadly Cuts, and Niamh Algar, searing in the horror film Censor. Carrie Crowley, superb as the heroine’s foster mother in An Cailín Ciúin, competes in best supporting actress.
Six titles jostle for best film. An Cailín Ciúin and Belfast are joined by Rachel Carey’s Deadly Cuts, a raucous hairdressing comedy, Benjamin Cleary’s Swan Song, a science fiction film starring Mahershala Ali, Graham Cantwell’s Who We Love, a coming-of-age story, and Kate Dolan’s horror film You Are Not My Mother, a hit at the recent Toronto International Film Festival. “Absolutely delighted to see our film get six Ifta noms this morning,” Dolan said. “The film was made by such a hard-working cast and crew and I couldn't be more grateful for them.”
Jessie Buckley, Oscar-nominated for The Lost Daughter, scores again with Ifta in the best supporting actress category. Ruth Negga, who unexpectedly missed at the American awards, is mentioned against Buckley for her role in Rebecca Hall’s Passing.
The other series competing for best TV drama are Smother, Hidden Assets and Vikings: Valhalla.
The Ifta awards have had an irregular history in recent years. They did not happen in 2019. Awards for titles released in 2018 and 2019 were presented at a virtual ceremony in October 2020. A virtual event for 2020 film and TV drama occurred last July. “This year, as we move out of restrictions and hopefully leave the pandemic behind us, the Irish academy will host both virtual and physical events,” a press statement explained. “A virtual awards event in March which will be followed by a physical industry gathering in April, for the presentation of awards in Dublin.”
Deirdre O’Kane will host the virtual awards ceremony on Virgin Media One on Saturday, March 12th. The academy will “shortly announce” details of the event in April.  
IFTAS 2022 – THE NOMINEES
FILM CATEGORIES
Best film
An Cailín Ciúin Belfast Deadly Cuts Swan Song Who We Love You Are Not My Mother
Director film
Benjamin Cleary – Swan Son Colm Bairéad – An Cailín Ciúin Graham Cantwell – Who We Love Kate Dolan – You Are Not My Mother Kenneth Branagh – Belfast
Script film
Kenneth Branagh – Belfast Philip Doherty – Redemption of a Rogue Benjamin Cleary – Swan Song Graham Cantwell & Katie McNeice – Who We Love Kate Dolan – You Are Not My Mother
Lead actor film
Aaron Monaghan – Redemption of a Rogue Dónall Ó Héalai – Foscadh Jude Hill – Belfast Moe Dunford – Nightride Peter Coonan – Doineann
Lead actress film
Angeline Ball – Deadly Cuts Catherine Clinch – An Cailín Ciúin Gemma-Leah Devereux – The Bright Side Hazel Doupe – You Are Not My Mother Niamh Algar – Censor
Supporting actor film
Ciarán Hinds – Belfast Cillian O Gairbhí – Foscadh Dean Quinn – Who We Love Jamie Dornan – Belfast Tom Vaughan-Lawlor – The Bright Side
Supporting actress film
Amy-Joyce Hastings – Who We Love Caitríona Balfe – Belfast Carrie Crowley – An Cailín Ciúin Jessie Buckley – The Lost Daughter Ruth Negga – Passing
The George Morrison feature documentary award
Castro’s Spies Love Yourself Today Lyra Pure Grit The Dance Young Plato
Short film
A White Horse Best Foot Forward Debutante Harvest Nothing to Declare Scrap Ship of Souls Silence The Colour Between The Passion
Short animation
Bardo Da Humbug Fall of the Ibis King Memento Mori
DRAMA CATEGORIES
Best drama
Hidden Assets Kin Smother Vikings Valhalla
Director drama
Ciaran Donnelly – The Wheel of Time Dathaí Keane – Smother Diarmuid Goggins – Kin Hannah Quinn – Vikings: Valhalla Lisa Mulcahy – Ridley Road
Script drama
Declan Croghan – Vikings: Valhalla Kate O’Riordan – Smother Morna Regan – Hidden Assets Peter McKenna – Hidden Assets Peter McKenna – Kin
Lead actor drama
Aidan Gillen – Kin Jimmy Nesbitt – Stay Close Liam Cunningham – Domina Sam Keeley – Kin
Lead actress drama
Angeline Ball – Hidden Assets Clare Dunne – Kin Dervla Kirwan – Smother Niamh Algar – Deceit Sinead Keenan – Three Families
Supporting actor drama
Andrew Scott – The Pursuit of Love Ciarán Hinds – Kin Emmett J Scanlan – Kin Owen McDonnell – Three Families Peter Coonan – Hidden Assets
Supporting actress drama
Cathy Belton – Hidden Assets Justine Mitchell – Smother Lola Petticrew – Three Families Maria Doyle-Kennedy – Kin Simone Kirby – Hidden Assets
CRAFT CATEGORIES
Cinematography
Burschi Wojnar – Redemption of a Rogue James Mather – Kin Kate McCullough – An Cailín Ciúin Narayan Van Maele – You Are Not My Mother Peter Robertson – Vikings: Valhalla
Editing
Dermot Diskin – Kin John Murphy – An Cailín Ciúin Nathan Nugent – Swan Song Tony Cranstoun – Zone 414 Úna Ní Dhonghaíle – Belfast
Production design
Derek Wallace – Kin Emma Lowney – An Cailín Ciúin Joe Fallover – Wolf Tamara Conboy – Deadly Cuts Tom Conroy – Vikings: Valhalla
Costume design
Eimear Ní Mhaoldomhnaigh – Foundation Kathy Strachan – Deadly Cuts Louise Stanton – An Cailín Ciúin Susan O’Connor Cave – Vikings: Valhalla Susan Scott – Zone 414
Makeup & hair
Sian Wilson – Belfast Lyndsey Herron and Edwina Kelly – Deadly Cuts Linda Gannon and Clare Lambe – Foundation Eileen Buggy, Audrey Doyle and Barrie Gower – The Green Knight Dee Corcoran, Joe Whelan and Thomas McInerney – Vikings: Valhalla
Sound
Aza Hand and Alan Scully – Boys From County Hell John “Bob” Brennan, Fionan Higgins, Nikki Moss, Mark Henry and Andrew Kirwan – Smother Karl Merren and Johnny Marshall – The Green Knight Steve Fanagan – Swan Song Steve Fanagan, John “Bob” Brennan and Brendan Rehill – An Cailín Ciúin
Original music
David Holmes – Kin Die Hexen – You Are Not My Mother Joseph Conlan – Who We Love Stephen Rennicks – An Cailín Ciúin Van Morrison – Belfast
VFX
Ed Bruce and Andrew Barry – Spider-Man: No Way Home Ed Bruce and Andrew Barry – The Nevers Ed Bruce and Manuel Martinez – Swan Song Ed Bruce and Sam Johnston – The Book of Boba Fett Kevin Cahill and Eric Saindon – The Green Knight