Kneecap and Say Nothing lead IFTA Awards nominations
The Irish Film & Television Academy (IFTA) has unveiled the nominees for the 2025 IFTA Awards, celebrating outstanding achievements in Irish film and television drama across 29 categories. The grand ceremony is set to take place on February 14 at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre, where the winners will be announced.
Leading the pack in film categories is Kneecap with 17 nominations, including Best Film, Acting, and Directing. Other prominent films include Small Things Like These with nine nominations, Kathleen Is Here with seven, and Spilt Milk and The Apprentice, both with four.
In television drama, Say Nothing has secured 10 nominations, followed closely by Bad Sisters with eight and both The Dry and Bodkin with seven each. A new award category for Casting recognizes the contributions of Ireland’s casting directors, with notable nominees like Lucy Amos and Nina Gold for Say Nothing, Emma Gunnery for Baltimore, and Maureen Hughes for Small Things Like These.
One of the highlights of the ceremony will be the presentation of the Lifetime Achievement Award to Colm Meaney, honoring his decades-long contribution to the Irish and international screen industries. Academy CEO Áine Moriarty praised the 2025 nominees as "an incredible showcase of skill and talent," highlighting the continued excellence of Irish acting, filmmaking, and storytelling.
The event will welcome Irish and international stars to celebrate the achievements of Ireland’s screen industry. Further details, including the ceremony host, guest presenters, and Rising Star nominees, will be announced in the coming weeks.
Film Categories
Table of Contents
Table of Contents
Best Film
- Kathleen Is Here
- King Frankie
- Kneecap
- Small Things Like These
- Spilt Milk
- The Apprentice
Director – Film
- Eva Birthistle – Kathleen Is Here
- John Crowley – We Live in Time
- Brian Durnin – Spilt Milk
- Damian McCarthy – Oddity
- Christine Molloy and Joe Lawlor – Baltimore
- Rich Peppiatt – Kneecap
Script – Film
- Eva Birthistle – Kathleen Is Here
- Cara Loftus – Spilt Milk
- Christine Molloy and Joe Lawlor – Baltimore
- Rich Peppiatt – Kneecap
- Stephen Shields – Abigail
- Enda Walsh – Small Things Like These
Drama Categories
Best Drama
- Bad Sisters
- Say Nothing
- The Dry
- Bodkin
- Blue Lights
- Crá
Director – Drama
- Paddy Breathnach – The Dry
- Brian Kirk – The Day of the Jackal
- Michael Lennox – Say Nothing
- Lisa Mulcahy- Sanctuary
- Hannah Quinn – The Boy That Never Was
- Dearbhla Walsh – Bad Sisters
Script – Drama
Baz Ashmawy – Faithless
Ronan Bennett – The Day of the Jackal
Nancy Harris – The Dry
Sharon Horgan – Bad Sisters
Adam Patterson, Declan Lawn – Blue Lights
Kirsten Sheridan, Joshua Zetumer – Say Nothing
International Film Award Categories
Best International Film
Anora
Conclave
Dune Part Two
The Brutalist
The Outrun
The Substance
Beat International Actor
Adrien Brody – The Brutalist
Timothée Chalamet – A Complete Unknown
Kieran Culkin – A Real Pain
Ralph Fiennes – Conclave
Sebastian Stan – The Apprentice
Denzel Washington – Gladiator II
Best International Actress
Cynthia Erivo – Wicked
Angelina Jolie – Maria
Mikey Madison – Anora
Demi Moore – The Substance
Florence Pugh – We Live in Time
Emily Watson – Small Things Like These
Other Award Categories
George Morrison Feature Documentary
Face Down: The Disappearance of Thomas Niedermayer
Don’t Forget to Remember
Blue Road: The Edna O’Brien Story
The Flats
Mrs Robinson
Brendan Gleeson’s Farewell to Hughes’s
Live – Action Short Film
Clodagh
Farmers!?
Room Taken
Turnaround
Two Mothers
We Beg to Differ
Wife of the Future
Wrecker
Animated Short Film
Dembaya
Every Other Weekend
Homebird
Nightpay
Craft Categories
Casting
Baltimore – Emma Gunnery
Bodkin – Louise Kiely
Kneecap – Carla Stronge
Say Nothing – Lucy Amos, Nina Gold
Small Things Like These – Maureen Hughes
Cinematography
Bird – Robbie Ryan
Frewaka – Narayan Van Maele
Kneecap – Ryan Kernaghan
Say Nothing – Stephen Murphy
The Penguin – Darran Tiernan
Costume Design
Abigail Gwen Jeffares Hourie
House of the Dragon Caroline McCall
Kneecap Zjena Glamocanin
Spilt Milk Gwen Jeffares Hourie
Vikings Valhalla Susan O’Connor-Cave
ProductionDesign
Abigail Susie Cullen
Bodkin Paki Smith
Kneecap Nicola Moroney
The Tourist Philip Murphy
Hair & Makeup
Abigail Linda Gannon, Liz Byrne
Kneecap Liz Boston
Small Things Like These Lorraine Glynn, Lynn Johnston
The Apprentice Sandra Kelly, Tom McInerney
Sound
Abigail Hugh Fox
Blackshore John ‘Bob’ Brennan, Mark Henry, Fionan Higgins
Kneecap Aza Hand, Brendan Rehill, Chris Woodcock
Oddity Aza Hand, Hugo Parvery
Small Things Like These Hugh Fox, Senjan Jansen
Original Music
Frewayka Die Hexen
The Apprentice David Holmes
The Dry Sarah Lynch
The Magic Reindeer: Saving Santa’s Sleigh Eimear Noone, Craig Stuart Garfinkle
The Song Cycle Ray Harman
Editing
Bad Sisters Derek Holland
Kathleen Is Here Colin Campbell
Kneecap Julian Ulrichs & Chris Gill
Paddington in Peru Úna Ní Dhonghaíle
Say Nothing Edel McDonnell
VFX
3 Body Problem Ed Bruce, Liam Neville
Bodkin John Kennedy, Lisa Maher
Sanctuary Dan Cullen
Shōgun Ed Bruce, Andrew Barry
As the curtains rise on the anticipation-filled journey towards the 2025 IFTA Awards, it becomes clear that this year’s nominees represent an remarkable ensemble of talents within Ireland’s vibrant film and television landscape. With 29 categories recognizing excellence across various domains, this year’s nominees underscore the profound evolution and resilience of Irish storytelling.
In the film categories,Kneecap stands as a grand champion,boasting a staggering 17 nominations,including top-tier accolades in acting,directing,and screenplay. Other notable contenders such as Small Things like These, Kathleen Is Here, and Spilt Milk each garner meaningful recognition, reflecting the versatility and depth of contemporary Irish filmmaking. The diversity in these nominations—ranging from best film to directorial prowess—highlights the academy’s commitment to celebrating all facets of cinematic excellence.
Television drama also enjoys a deserving spotlight, with Say Nothing leading the pack with an impressive 10 nominations. This strategic direction underscores the robust presence of TV in contemporary entertainment, offering nuanced narratives that captivate audiences worldwide. The introduction of a new casting category further emphasizes the importance of casting directors in shaping Ireland’s screen industries, recognizing the foundational roles of Lucy Amos, Nina Gold, and Maureen Hughes.
Perhaps the most poignant moment of the gala will be the Lifetime Achievement Award bestowed upon Colm Meaney. His unparalleled contribution to both local and international screens serves as a testament to Ireland’s enduring impact on global cinema. Academy CEO Áine Moriarty encapsulates the essence of this year’s nominees eloquently,describing them as “an incredible showcase of skill and talent” that continues to elevate Irish filmmaking and storytelling to unprecedented heights.
As we eagerly anticipate the grand ceremony on February 14 at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre, we are reminded of the profound influence these awards have on fostering creative excellence. This year’s celebration promises not only to honour outstanding achievements but also to forge a path forward, inspiring future generations of storytellers within Ireland’s thriving entertainment industry.
The IFTA Awards 2025 are more than just an annual ceremony; they represent a celebration of irish talent that resonates globally. Amidst this narrative tapestry, we are reminded that excellence is not just a destination but a continuous journey that inspires and transforms us all. As the spotlight shines brightly on the esteemed nominees,we await with bated breath the declaration of the winners,knowing that their work will leave an indelible mark on the cinematic universe.
Award categories in Film
- best Film
– Examples of nominated films include “Kathleen Is Here,” “King Frankie,” “kneecap,” “small Things Like These,” and “The Dry” (as seen in the IFTA 2025 nominations)[4].
- Director – Film
– Nominated directors include Eva Birthistle for “Kathleen Is Here,” John crowley for “We Live in Time,” Brian Durnin for “Spilt Milk,” and Rich Peppiatt for “kneecap”[4].
- Script – Film
– Nominated screenwriters include Eva Birthistle for “Kathleen Is Here,” cara Loftus for “Spilt Milk,” christine Molloy and Joe Lawlor for “Baltimore,” and Rich Peppiatt for “Kneecap”[4].
Drama Categories
- Best Drama
– Nominated dramas include “Bad Sisters,” “Say Nothing,” “The Dry,” “Bodkin,” “Blue Lights,” and “Crá” (as seen in the IFTA 2025 nominations)[4].
- Director – Drama
– Nominated directors include Paddy Breathnach for “The Dry,” Brian Kirk for “The Day of the Jackal,” and Michael Lennox for “say Nothing”[4].
- Script – Drama
– Nominated screenwriters include Baz Ashmawy for “Faithless,” ronan Bennett for “The Day of the Jackal,” Nancy Harris for “The Dry,” Sharon Horgan for “Bad Sisters,” adam Patterson and Declan Lawn for “Blue Lights,” and Kirsten Sheridan and Joshua Zetumer for “Say Nothing”[4].
International Film Award Categories
- Best International Film
– Nominated films include “Anora,” “Conclave,” “Dune Part Two,” “The Brutalist,” “The Outrun,” and “The Substance”[5].
- Best International Actor
– Nominated actors include Adrien Brody for “The Brutalist,” Timothée Chalamet for “A Complete Unknown,” Kieran Culkin for “A Real Pain,” Ralph Fiennes for “Conclave,” Sebastian Stan for “The Apprentice,” and Denzel Washington for “Gladiator II”[5].
- Best International Actress
– Nominated actresses include Cynthia Erivo for “Wicked,” Angelina Jolie for “Maria,” Mikey Madison for “Anora,” Demi Moore for “The Substance,” Florence Pugh for “We Live in Time,” and Emily Watson for “Small Things Like These”[5].
Other Award Categories
- George Morrison Feature Documentary
– Nominated documentaries include “Face Down: The Disappearance of Thomas Niedermayer,” “Don’t Forget to Remember,” and “Blue Road: The Edna O’Brien Story” (as seen in the IFTA 2025 nominations)[4].
- Live-Action Short Film
– Nominated short films include “Clodagh,” “Farmers!?,” “Room Taken,” and “Two Mothers” (as seen in the IFTA 2025 nominations)[4].
- Craft Categories
– Categories such as casting, cinematography, costume design, production design, hair and makeup, sound, and original music are also recognized (as seen in the IFTA 2025 nominations)[4].