Derry-shot ‘An Irish Goodbye’ wins BAFTA award as Oscar excitement builds
‘An Irish Goodbye’, which was partly shot in Derry, has has won a British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) award for Best British Short Film.
The Tom Berkeley and Ross White-directed film about two estranged brothers was partly shot in the Sperrins near Dungiven with Sawel Mountain visible amid some of the stunning landscapes that appear on screen.
The short stars Seamus O’Hara (The Northman, Game of Thrones), James Martin (Marcella, Ups and Downs), Paddy Jenkins (Hunger) and Michelle Fairley (Game of Thrones, Fortitude).
The black comedy, following the reunion of estranged brothers Turlough and Lorcan after the untimely death of their mother, has also been nominated for an Academy Award.
Chairman of Northern Ireland Screen David Sterling said: “Everyone at Northern Ireland Screen is delighted for the entire team behind ‘An Irish Goodbye’.
"A BAFTA win is a tremendous endorsement for Ross and Tom to receive from industry, especially at this early stage in their careers and is testament to the incredible work both on camera and behind the scenes from local creatives and crew.
“Awards matter not only for individual development but for sectoral development too and this BAFTA win along with the Oscar nomination puts out a strong message that Northern Ireland is bursting with talent. We wish the team the best of luck as they head to LA for the Oscars next month.”
‘An Irish Goodbye’ is a Floodlight Pictures film produced in association with First Flights and NI Screen.
NI Screen’s purpose is committed to maximising the economic, cultural, and educational value of the screen industries for the benefit of the north.