Brendan Canty’s ‘Christy’ Wins Best Film at Irish Film & Television Academy Awards

The Cork-based drama Christy won Best Film, along with Director – Film for Brendan Canty at the Irish Film & Television Academy IFTA Awards 2026.

The film, starring Daniel Power and Diarmuid Noyes, follows a young Cork man who leaves the foster system and seeks independence as he discovers his calling as a hairdresser.

Chloé Zhao’s Hamnet won multiple awards, including Lead Actress for Jessie Buckley and Best Supporting Actor for Paul Mescal.

Éanna Harwicke won the Award for Actor in a Lead Role for his performance in Saipan, and Kerry Condon won Actress in a Supporting Role for her role opposite Brad Pitt in F1.

International Actress went to Emma Stone for Bugonia, and International Actor went to Leonardo Di Caprio for One Battle After Another.

Irish actor Ciarán Hinds was presented with the Irish Academy’s Lifetime Achievement Award for his outstanding contribution to the Irish and international screen industry, across both film and television.

Full List of Winners of 2026 IFTA Awards

LIFETIME ACHIEVEMENT AWARD
Ciarán Hinds

SCREEN IRELAND – IFTA RISING STAR
Louisa Harland

FILM CATEGORIES

BEST FILM
Christy

DIRECTOR – FILM
Brendan Canty – Christy

SCRIPT – FILM
Maggie O’Farrell, Chloé Zhao – Hamnet

LEAD ACTOR – FILM
Éanna Hardwicke – Saipan

LEAD ACTRESS – FILM
Jessie Buckley – Hamnet

SUPPORTING ACTOR – FILM
Paul Mescal – Hamnet

SUPPORTING ACTRESS – FILM
Kerry Condon – F1

DRAMA CATEGORIES

COIMISIÚN NA MEÁN BEST DRAMA
Blue Lights

DIRECTOR – DRAMA
Rachel Carey – Obituary

SCRIPT – DRAMA
Ailbhe Keogan – Trespasses

LEAD ACTOR – DRAMA
Anthony Boyle – House of Guinness

LEAD ACTRESS – DRAMA
Lola Petticrew – Trespasses

SUPPORTING ACTOR – DRAMA
Chris Walley – The Young Offenders

SUPPORTING ACTRESS – DRAMA
Alison Oliver – Task

INTERNATIONAL FILM AWARD CATEGORIES

BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM
Hamnet

BEST INTERNATIONAL ACTOR
Leonardo DiCaprio – One Battle After Another

BEST INTERNATIONAL ACTRESS
Emma Stone – Bugonia

OTHER AWARD CATEGORIES

GEORGE MORRISON FEATURE DOCUMENTARY
A Want in Her

Redbreast Unhidden SHORT FILM
Nostalgie

ANIMATED SHORT FILM
Retirement Plan

CRAFT CATEGORIES

CASTING
Christy – Amy Rowan

CINEMATOGRAPHY
Die My Love – Seamus McGarvey

COSTUME DESIGN
Blue Moon – Consolata Boyle

PRODUCTION DESIGN
Wednesday – Philip Murphy, Neville Gaynor

Sculpted by Aimee MAKEUP & HAIR
Trespasses – Natalie Reid

SOUND
Anemone – Steve Fanagan, Stevie Haywood

ORIGINAL MUSIC
Báite – Eimear Noone, Craig Stuart Garfinkle

EDITING
Christy – Allyn Quigley

VFX
House of Guinness – Eoin O’Sullivan, David Sewell