How the Irish fared: Branagh pays tribute to 'people of Belfast' in Oscars acceptance speech

Branagh won best original screenplay for Belfast, his first Oscar win after being nominated across seven different categories during his career – itself an Oscars record

Kenneth Branagh accepts the award for best original screenplay for Belfast at the Oscars. Picture: AP Photo/Chris Pizzello

It was not to be for most of the Irish stars nominated for many Oscars but actor and director Kenneth Branagh collected his first Academy Award in a decades-long career.

Branagh won best original screenplay for Belfast, his autobiographical coming-of-age film set at the advent of the Troubles. He described the film as “the search for hope and joy in face of violence and loss”.