WIFTA AWARDS 2009
The results for the inaugural West of Ireland Film & Television Awards (WIFTA) were announced last night at a glitzy ceremony in the fashionable Cluain Mhuire building in Galway. The event was a massive success and there's already a buzz about next year's WIFTAs. Yes, we can confirm, this will become an annual event.
The Fashion Award goes to Nicky Fennell aka Ratboy for his pioneering hobo chic look, combining mohair sweater with tattered jeans to create a unique effect which shook the fashion industry to its core.
Best Education Officer goes to Linda O'Sullivan, affectionately known to many as the 're-education officer' for her unique combination of Mao Tse Tung's teachings and use of Eisensteinian propaganda techniques in the inculcation of students.
The Diplomacy Award. Inspired by the Nobel Peace prize, this award aims to encourage greater understanding amongst the contrary group known as Irish film-makers. For his tireless efforts to promote peace within the film-making community, his exemplary and oft-noted lightness of touch in dealing with tense situations in the editing room, his diplomatic and philosophical approach to the art of film-making, the 2009 WIFTA diplomacy award goes to Paddy O'Connor.
The Diligent Worker Award. What we look for in this category is excellence in the field of showing up for work day after day, someone who's not in the habit of pulling hangover-induced sickies on a regular basis. And the winner is Jean Maxwell.
The 'Twinkliest Eyes' Award should have gone to Johhny White but compere James Finlan controversially took it for himself when Johnny was a no-show. This is currently the subject of an internal inquiry.
The George Mitchell Award for most successful ex Film & Video Co-op worker honours Senator George Mitchell's tireless efforts to bring together the Film Centre with the radical and left-leaning Film & Video Co-op. And the winner is Nuala Broderick.
The Cultural Diversity Award aims to promote a greater understanding with our neighbours in developing regions. This year it goes to Pat Collins from the People's Republic of Cork.
The Hunkiest Filmmaker Award honours Galway's hunkiest filmmaker. This year it goes to local filmmaker (and part-time hunk) Pat Comer.
If you'd like to be considered for next year's hunkiest filmmaker award, contact us atgfcparty@gmail.com. If you are under 5'10”, please do not apply as rejection may cause offence.
Just to express my thanks to all involved in organising Saturday's trip down memory lane - it was great to see so many old faces and try to remember what they looked like when they were young...
ReplyDeleteFor those of you still in need of nostalgia, can I offer as a thank you the below link which proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that when, as Claire Scally reminded me, Pat Collins wasn't locked comatose overnight in the gents toilet in the Galway Arms he was active producing the fine organ that was Film West. Needless to say all e-mail links on the page are defunct, but its a good reminder of the hard work that so many put in.
So all the best GFC and again, mucho thanks to Declan, Paddy, James, Celine, Lelia and anyone else I left out. See ye at next year's WIFTA's when I hope to see Jean Maxwell nominated for Most Dramatic Change in Hair Style...
http://www.iol.ie/~galfilm/filmwest/
Thanks for coming Nicky and thanks to everyone else who came. There will definitely be more WIFTAs and I'm working on eliminating the height restriction in the 'hunkiest filmmaker' category, so you never know, we could be in with a chance...
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