Top award at IFTAs for story of soldiers’ struggle, The Siege of Jadotville

A moving story about a troop of heroic Irish soldiers on a mission in the Congo was the big winner at this year’s Irish Film and Television Awards, scooping three prestigious gongs.

Mon, 10 Apr, 2017 - 01:00

Kelly O'Brien

The Siege of Jadotville, a straight-to-Netflix movie which is based on real events, tells of how Commander Pat Quinlan, played by Hollywood heartthrob Jamie Dornan, led his men into a battle against French and Belgian mercenaries in the Congo.

While the soldiers survived their siege, against all odds, and fought back without losing a single man, they were eventually forced to surrender. When they were released and returned to Ireland, they were shunned as the Jadotville Jacks.

Thanks to the feature-length movie about their efforts, however, the real story of what happened on their African mission is now being told. It even prompted Defence Minister Paul Kehoe to present the soldiers with military citations in September last year.

This does not go far enough, however, according to The Siege of Jadotville actor Jason O’Mara, who won an IFTA this weekend for his supporting role in the flick.

Jason O’Mara, who won an IFTA for his supporting role in ‘The Siege of Jadotville’, with his mother Veronica O’Mara.

“Those men, they were all amazing. Some of them truly deserve medals for what they did, and they have yet to receive any. They’ve received a citation, which is great, but men like Sergeant Jack Prendergast, Commander Pat Quinlan, and many of the regular soldiers… they deserve medals,” he said.

Class act @jason_omara dedicates his award to the memory of Irish soldier Jack Prendergast who he played in The Siege of Jadotville #IFTA17 pic.twitter.com/V4MQW5e9NM
— Ceallach Ní Bhriain (Kelly O'Brien) (@Kellingtondawg) April 8, 2017

“I do feel like the film in some part helped the Government and the Defence Forces to realise how important it was to recognise the men. I just think there’s more to go, more that can be done.”

O’Mara, who is originally from Dublin but now lives in the US and is currently filming for Marvel’s Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. television series, dedicated his best supporting actor (film) award to the memory of Sgt Jack Prendergast, who he played in The Siege of Jadotville.

“He passed away a few years ago but I have spoken to his family and to those who were in the Congo with him. He really was just a leader of men. His men would go anywhere for him.

“I did my best to imbue him with a much energy and passion as I could. I hope that this somehow helps bring even more attention to the fact that these men are and were heroes.”

It seems that films based on true stories were the main focus of this year’s IFTAs, which took place in Dublin’s Mansion House on Saturday night.

While The Siege of Jadotville took home three awards — Actor in a Supporting Role (Film) for O’Mara, Director (Film) for Richie Smyth, and best visual effects — accolades were also showered on The Young Offenders, The Journey, and Loving.

The Young Offenders, which is set and filmed in Cork and features a predominantly Corkonian cast and crew, is based upon the biggest ever drugs seizure in Irish history which saw €440m worth of cocaine wash up on West Cork shores in 2007.

Peter Foott backstage at #IFTA17 talking about how surprised he was to win best script in film for The Young Offenders @TYOMovie 😱😱😱 pic.twitter.com/KvEWOG5vQ4
— Ceallach Ní Bhriain (Kelly O'Brien) (@Kellingtondawg) April 8, 2017

Writer and director Peter Foott took home the award for having the best script in film this year.

Peter Foott: The writer and director took home the award for having the best script for ‘The Young Offenders’.

“I’m over the moon. I genuinely was not expecting it. I actually wasn’t. I had no speech ready, no nothing, so I was terrified going up there to collect the award,” said Foott, speaking backstage after Saturday’s ceremony.

“I might have to rotate the award between houses. It’s an award for everybody, not just for me. We’ll be sharing it.

“Genuinely, I was not expecting it, swear to God. We just wanted to make a movie that we would be proud of and that Cork could be proud of as well. So to be able to bring this home to Cork… it’s an amazing feeling.”

Limerick woman Ruth Negga was awarded the Actress in a Lead Role (Film) award for her role in Loving, a film based on a true story about an interracial couple living in the US in the 60s, while Dubliner Colm Meaney took home the Actor in a Lead Role (Film) award for his role playing the late Martin McGuinness in The Journey, a political drama set in Northern Ireland in the time leading up to the Good Friday Agreement.

Colm Meaney, who picked up the Best Actor in a Lead Role (Film) IFTA award for his role in ‘The Journey’.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was to go to veteran actor Michael Gambon, but had to be postponed after the Harry Potter star took ill and was unable to attend the ceremony.

[social=twitter]https://twitter.com/Kellingtondawg/status/850785737360502787[social]

Best film went to A Date for Mad Mary, best drama went to History production Vikings, Actor in a Lead Role (Drama) went to Cillian Murphy for his role in Peaky Blinders while Actress in a Lead Role (Drama) went to Amy Huberman for Striking Out.

Amy Huberman won the award for Actress in a Lead Role (Drama) for ‘Striking Out’ at the IFTA Awards 2017 at The Mansion House, Dublin, Ireland.

On the red carpet before the ceremony, Huberman could be heard proclaiming how she “absolutely, definitely” wasn’t going to win, but that it was an honour to be nominated.

“Do you know what, and I’m not just saying this, but I’m not going to win. But to be nominated with those other actresses, I felt really proud of that. I’m really glad to be here. Because the industry is so up and down. You never know if you’re going to get a job, let alone be nominated for anything. I was just really chuffed to be nominated with those other actresses who I really admire,” she said.

Speaking after the win, she said she was “just shocked, really shocked”.

“I wasn’t expecting that at all. It’s very surreal.”