The Irish Film & Television Academy (IFTA) has announced the nominations for the 2026 IFTA Awards, honouring excellence in Irish film and drama across 29 categories, with Cork-set drama Christy leading the film field on 14 nominations. The 23rd anniversary ceremony will take place on Friday, February 20th, 2026, at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre, hosted for the second year in a row by comedian, actor and broadcaster Kevin McGahern.
The awards celebrate outstanding work across film, drama, documentary, shorts and craft, with Deloitte again acting as official vote scrutineer.
Ciarán Hinds will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of his extraordinary contributions to cinema and television.
What a superb lineup of Nominees this year shortlisted for Irish Academy Awards. This incredible showcase of work reinforces the fact that Irish talent is truly amongst the best in the world, working both in front and behind the camera across the globe. We look forward to rewarding their work and achievements at the Ceremony on February 20th.
Áine Moriarty, CEO – Irish Film and Television Academy
The event is funded by Screen Ireland and Coimisiún na Meán and will welcome Irish and international guests, with full ceremony details, presenters and Rising Star nominees to follow.
Best Film and leading titles
The six Best Film nominees are Aontas, Blue Moon, Christy, Four Mothers, Saipan and Steve.
Christy, set in Cork and following a young man finding independence after leaving the foster system, scores 14 nominations, including Best Film, debut feature director Brendan Canty, first-time screenplay nominee Alan O’Gorman, and first-time acting nominees Daniel Power, Emma Willis and Jamie Forde.
Saipan, dramatising the infamous clash in Irish soccer history, earns 12 nominations, including Lead Actor nods for Éanna Hardwicke and Steve Coogan as Roy Keane and Mick McCarthy, and recognition for directors Lisa Barros D’Sa and Glenn Leyburn and composers David Holmes and Brian Irvine.
Richard Linklater’s Ireland-shot Blue Moon, set around the Broadway opening night of Oklahoma and following songwriter Lorenz Harte, receives 8 nominations, with Irish talent recognised in costume, production design and other crafts, plus a Supporting Actor nomination for Andrew Scott and international nods for Ethan Hawke and Margaret Qualley.
Four Mothers lands 7 nominations as Darren and Colin Thornton return to IFTA with a touching and comic family drama, featuring a Lead Actress nomination for Fionnula Flanagan and an International Actor nomination for James McArdle.
Irish-language heist drama Aontas secures 6 nominations, including Best Film and acting nods for Carrie Crowley, Brid Brennan and Seán T. Ó Meallaigh, as well as recognition for writer-director Sarah Gordon, co-writer Damian McCann and composer Daithí Ó Drónaí.
Drama, international and first-time nominees
Best Drama nominees are Blue Lights, Leonard and Hungry Paul, Trespasses, The Walsh Sisters, Wednesday Season 2 and The Young Offenders.
Lead Actor – Drama nominees are Anthony Boyle (House of Guinness), Pierce Brosnan (MobLand), Domhnall Gleeson (The Paper), Martin McCann (Blue Lights), Aaron Monaghan (Hidden Assets) and Alex Murphy (The Young Offenders).
Lead Actress – Drama nominees are Niamh Algar (The Iris Affair), Caitríona Balfe (Outlander), Siobhán Cullen (Obituary), Louisa Harland (The Walsh Sisters), Nora-Jane Noone (Hidden Assets) and Lola Petticrew (Trespasses).
International Film nominees are Bugonia, Hamnet, One Battle After Another, Palestine ’36, Sentimental Value and Sinners.
International Actor nominees: Leonardo DiCaprio (One Battle After Another), Ethan Hawke (Blue Moon), Michael B Jordan (Sinners), James McArdle (Four Mothers), Sean Penn (One Battle After Another) and Jesse Plemons (Bugonia).
International Actress nominees: Chase Infiniti (One Battle After Another), Jennifer Lawrence (Die My Love), Margaret Qualley (Blue Moon), Renate Reinsve (Sentimental Value), Emma Stone (Bugonia) and Teyana Taylor (One Battle After Another).
Seven first-time IFTA acting nominees are recognised: Daniel Power, Emma Willis and Jamie Forde (Christy), Cal O’Driscoll (Video Nasty), Louisa Harland (The Walsh Sisters), Eleanor O’Brien (Báite) and Katherine Devlin (Blue Lights).
Writing, directing and craft highlights
There is a record number of women nominated in directing categories, including Rachel Carey (Obituary), Megan K Fox (Video Nasty), Oonagh Kearney (The Au Pair), Mia Mullarkey (Hidden Assets), Aisling Walsh (Showkids), debut feature director Myrid Carten (A Want in Her), and Lisa Barros D’Sa, who co-directs Saipan with Glenn Leyburn.
Male directing nominees include debut filmmakers Brendan Canty (Christy) and Edwin Mullane & Adam O’Keeffe (Horseshoe), alongside Lorcan Finnegan (The Surfer), Ruán Magan (Báite) and Hugh O’Conor (Showkids).
Feature script nominees are Sarah Gordon & Damian McCann (Aontas), Maggie O’Farrell & Chloé Zhao (Hamnet), Alan O’Gorman (Christy), Sheena Lambert (Báite), Darren Thornton & Colin Thornton (Four Mothers) and Enda Walsh (Die My Love).
Key craft races include:
- Cinematography: Robbie Ryan (Bugonia), Colm Hogan (Christy), Seamus McGarvey (Die My Love), Piers McGrail (Saipan), Suzie Lavelle (Severance).
- Editing: Helen Sheridan (Blue Lights), Allyn Quigley (Christy), Ben Yeates (House of Guinness), John Murphy & Gavin Buckley (Saipan), Tony Cranstoun (The Surfer).
- Costume Design: Consolata Boyle (Blue Moon), Hannah Bury (Christy), Joan O’Cleary (Four Mothers), Lara Campbell (Saipan), Joanne O’Brien (Video Nasty).
- Original Music: Daithí Ó Drónaí (Aontas and Christy), Eimear Noone & Craig Stuart Garfinkle (Báite), David Holmes & Brian Irvine (Saipan), Die Hexen (Video Nasty).
- Production Design: Susie Cullen & Kevin Downey (Blue Moon), Martin Goulding (Christy), John Leslie (Saipan), Philip Murphy & Neville Gaynor (Wednesday), Tara O’Reilly (Video Nasty).
George Morrison Feature Documentary nominees are A Want in Her, The Essence of Eva, Listen To The Land Speak, Sanatorium, Testimony and Útoipe Cheilteach.
Short film nominees for the Redbreast Short Film Award are The Ban, No Mean City, No Time Wasters, Nostalgie, Punt and Three Keenings, with animated shorts Éiru, Inside, The Valley Sings, Rerooted and Retirement Plan also recognised.
FULL LIST OF NOMINEES
FILM CATEGORIES
BEST FILM
- Aontas
- Blue Moon
- Christy
- Four Mothers
- Saipan
- Steve
DIRECTOR – FILM
- Lisa Barros D’Sa, Glenn Leyburn – Saipan
- Brendan Canty – ChristyMyrid Carten – A Want in Her
- Lorcan Finnegan – The Surfer
- Ruán Magan – Báite
- Edwin Mullane, Adam O’Keeffe – Horseshoe
SCRIPT FILM
- Sarah Gordon, Damian McCann – Aontas
- Maggie O’Farrell, Chloé Zhao – Hamnet
- Alan O’Gorman – Christy
- Sheena Lambert – Báite
- Darren Thornton, Colin Thornton – Four Mothers
- Enda Walsh – Die My Love
LEAD ACTOR – FILM
- Steve Coogan – Saipan
- Daniel Day-Lewis – Anemone
- Colin Farrell – Ballad of a Small Player
- Éanna Hardwicke – Saipan
- Cillian Murphy – Steve
- Daniel Power – Christy
LEAD ACTRESS – FILM
- Jessie Buckley – Hamnet
- Carolyn Bracken – Horseshoe
- Carrie Crowley – Aontas
- Fionnula Flanagan – Four Mothers
- Eleanor O’Brien – Báite
- Fiona Shaw – Hot Milk
SUPPORTING ACTOR – FILM
- Liam Cunningham – Palestine 36
- Jamie Forde – ChristyPaul Mescal – Hamnet
- Diarmuid Noyes – Christy
- Seán T. Ó Meallaigh – Aontas
- Andrew Scott – Blue Moon
SUPPORTING ACTRESS – FILM
- Brid Brennan – Aontas
- Kerry Condon – F1
- Sarah Greene – Trad
- Dearbhla Molloy – Four Mothers
- Kerry Condon – Train Dreams
- Emma Willis – Christy
DRAMA CATEGORIES
BEST DRAMA
- Blue Lights
- Leonard and Hungry Paul
- Trespasses
- The Walsh Sisters
- Wednesday S2
- The Young Offenders
DIRECTOR DRAMA
- Rachel Carey – Obituary
- Megan K Fox – Video Nasty
- Oonagh Kearney – The Au Pair
- Mia Mullarkey – Hidden Assets
- Hugh O’Conor – Showkids
- Aisling Walsh – Miss Austen
SCRIPT DRAMA
- Peter Foott – The Young OffendersAilbhe Keogan – Trespasses
- Declan Lawn, Adam Patterson – Blue Lights
- Cara Loftus – Hidden Assets
- Stefanie Preissner – The Walsh Sisters
- Hugh Travers – Video Nasty
LEAD ACTOR – DRAMA
- Anthony Boyle – House of Guinness
- Pierce Brosnan – MobLand
- Domhnall Gleeson – The Paper
- Martin McCann – Blue Lights
- Aaron Monaghan – Hidden Assets
- Alex Murphy – The Young Offenders
LEAD ACTRESS – DRAMA
- Niamh Algar – The Iris Affair
- Caitriona Balfe – Outlander
- Siobhán Cullen – Obituary
- Louisa Harland – The Walsh Sisters
- Nora-Jane Noone – Hidden Assets
- Lola Petticrew – Trespasses
SUPPORTING ACTOR – DRAMA
- Jack Gleeson – House of Guinness
- Cal O’Driscoll – Video Nasty
- Dónall Ó Héalai – Hidden Assets
- Fionn O’Shea – House of Guinness
- Aidan Quinn – The Walsh Sisters
- Chris Walley – The Young Offenders
SUPPORTING ACTRESS – DRAMA
- Cathy Belton – Hidden Assets
- Ruth Bradley – Slow Horses
- Katherine Devlin – Blue Lights
- Danielle Galligan – House of Guinness
- Alison Oliver – Task
- Genevieve O’Reilly – Andor
INTERNATIONAL CATEGORIES
INTERNATIONAL FILM
- Bugonia
- Hamnet
- One Battle After Another
- Palestine ’36
- Sentimental Value
- Sinners
INTERNATIONAL ACTOR
- Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another
- Ethan Hawke – Blue Moon
- Michael B Jordan – Sinners
- James McArdle – Four Mothers
- Sean Penn – One Battle After Another
- Jesse Plemons – Bugonia
INTERNATIONAL ACTRESS
- Chase Infiniti – One Battle After Another
- Jennifer Lawrence – Die My Love
- Margaret Qualley – Blue Moon
- Renate Reinsve – Sentimental Value
- Emma Stone – Bugonia
- Teyana Taylor – One Battle After Another
DOCUMENTARY & SHORT FILM CATEGORIES
GEORGE MORRISON FEATURE DOCUMENTARY
- A Want in Her
- The Essence of Eva
- Listen To The Land Speak
- Sanatorium
- Testimony
- Útoipe Cheilteach
- Redbreast
SHORT FILM AWARD
- The Ban
- No Mean City
- No Time Wasters
- Nostalgie
- Punt
- Three Keenings
ANIMATED SHORT
- Éiru
- Inside, The Valley Sings
- Rerooted
- Retirement Plan
CRAFT CATEGORIES
CINEMATOGRAPHY
- Bugonia – Robbie Ryan
- Christy – Colm Hogan
- Die My Love – Seamus McGarvey
- Saipan – Piers McGrail
- Severance – Suzie Lavelle
CASTING
- Christy – Amy Rowan
- Four Mothers – Louise Kiely
- The Rainmaker – Emma Gunnery
- Ready Or Not – Maureen Hughes
- Saipan – Aine O’Sullivan
COSTUME DESIGN
- Blue Moon – Consolata Boyle
- Christy – Hannah Bury
- Four Mothers – Joan O’Cleary
- Saipan – Lara Campbell
- Video Nasty – Joanne O’Brien
EDITING
- Blue Lights – Helen Sheridan
- Christy – Allyn Quigley
- House of Guinness – Ben Yeates
- Saipan – John Murphy, Gavin Buckley
- The Surfer – Tony Cranstoun
Sculpted by Aimee MAKE-UP & HAIR
- Blue Moon – Linda Gannon, Liz Byrne
- Christy – Jennie Readman, Edwina Kelly
- Saipan – Polly McKay
- Trespasses – Natalie Reid
- Wednesday – Lynn Johnston
ORIGINAL MUSIC
- Aontas – Daithí Ó Drónaí
- Báite – Eimear Noone, Craig Stuart Garfinkle
- Christy – Daithí Ó Drónaí
- Saipan – David Holmes, Brian Irvine
- Video Nasty – Die Hexen
PRODUCTION DESIGN
- Blue Moon – Susie Cullen, Kevin Downey
- Christy – Martin Goulding
- Saipan – John Leslie
- Wednesday – Philip Murphy, Neville Gaynor
- Video Nasty – Tara O’Reilly
SOUND
- Anemone – Steve Fanagan
- Blue Moon – Hugh Fox
- Saipan – Tim Harrison, Andrew Graham, Paul Maynes
- The Surfer – Aza Hand
- Video Nasty – Patrick Downey
VFX
- Anemone – Tom Fagan
- Foundation – Ed Bruce, Andrew Barry
- House of Guinness – Eoin O’Sullivan, David Sewell
- One Battle After Another – Ed Bruce, Amrei Bronnenmayer