Cork Film Festival win 'will help to amplify Lyra McKee’s work further'
Lyra, directed by Alison Millar, claimed the Feature Audience Award
The 66th Cork International Film Festival (CIFF) wrapped up on Sunday evening and it has announced its Audience Award winners.
Lyra, directed by Alison Millar, claimed the Feature Audience Award. The documentary celebrated the life and work of journalist Lyra McKee.
"My amazing team and I are absolutely thrilled to receive Cork International Film Festival's very special Audience Award for our feature documentary, ‘Lyra’," said Millar.
"Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to vote. The film’s purpose was always to share Lyra McKee’s voice and words far and wide, and for the public to have voted for us to win such an incredible accolade within such a strong field means so much and will help to amplify Lyra’s work further."
The Short Audience Award went to Seanie Barron: Only in Askeaton, from director Michael Holly.
“Seanie will be as pleased with this Cork Film Festival Audience Award for Short Film as I am," said Holly.
"I would like to say a huge thank you to Michele Horrigan and Sean Lynch of Askeaton Contemporary Arts who commissioned and produced this short film as part of a series named Only in Askeaton about artists and creatives who have been a part of their annual artists residency programme. Also a huge thank you to the legend that is Seanie Barron, and the wonderful audience of the Cork International Film Festival."
The festival included in-cinema screenings from November 5 to 12, followed by a nine-day digital programme available nationwide until November 21.
The programme showcased 85 features, including four world premieres, alongside 131 Irish and international shorts, and a series of industry and special events, including the stunning cine-concert of Metropolis with commissioned score, the world premiere of Patrick Hough’s The Two Faces of Tomorrow, and major retrospective programme, Female Visions.
Visitors to Cork city centre also enjoyed treasures from CIFF Digital Archive and Irish Costume Archive Project on the Trail of Discovery at four venues, sponsored by Murphy’s, supported by the Gate Cinemas, The River Lee and Metropole Hotel.
"We were thrilled to welcome audiences safely and comfortably back into cinemas in Cork city and county, and to extend our exciting programme of films across Ireland via our online Festival," says Fiona Clark, CIFF Festival Director and CEO.
"Over 17 packed days, we were able to share the magic of cinema again, hosting filmmakers and guests in Cork and connecting audiences with filmmakers from across the world online. As Ireland’s premier film festival, we congratulate all the CIFF award winners for 2021. I am particularly pleased to see our audiences responding to powerful documentaries in their Audience Award choices; Cork prides itself on being a destination for cinematic documentary, and a Festival to discover film, and reimagine the world.”
Three Gala presentations represented the best of Irish and international filmmaking. Opening the Festival with contemporary love story, Ali & Ava, by acclaimed director Clio Barnard, the physical part of the Festival concluded on Friday 12th November with the Awards Gala, Blue Bayou, Justin Chon’s moving story about family, identity and belonging in contemporary USA.
Pat Collins’ mesmeric The Dance was this year’s Documentary Gala which followed the creative process of the world-renowned choreographer Michael Keegan-Dolan.
- The Gradam Spiorad na Féile (Spirit of the Festival Award) was awarded to Blue Moon (Crai Nou), directed by Alina Grigore.
- The Gradam na Féile do Scannáin Faisnéise (Award for Cinematic Documentary) was awarded to This Rain Will Never Stop, directed by Ukrainian documentary filmmaker Alina Gorlova. There was a special mention in this category for A Night of Knowing Nothing directed by Payal Kapadia.
- The winner of the Cork International Film Festival Youth Jury Award was awarded to Women Do Cry, directed by Mina Mileva and Vesela Kazakova. There was a special mention in this category for Wood and Water directed by Jonas Bak.
- The Grand Prix Irish Short was awarded to An Encounter by Kelly Campbell with a special mention for Fall Of The Ibis King by Josh O’Caoimh and Mikai Geronimo.
- The Grand Prix International Short was awarded to Fireflies (Vagalumes) by Léo Bittencourt.
- The Grand Prix Documentary Short was awarded to The Eternal Springtime (Mùa Xuân Vĩnh Cửu) by Viêt Vū with special mention for Some Kind Of Intimacy by Toby Bull].
Winners in Cork are Academy Award-qualifying, ensuring that they automatically join the Oscars’ long-list.
