Kneecap, the Irish hip-hop comedy featuring Michael Fassbender, is leading the nominations for the movie portion of the Irish Film & Television Awards 2025, unveiled Tuesday. Rich Peppiatt’s comedy that follows the West Belfast hip-hop trio of the same name on their mission to save their mother tongue earned 17 nominations, including for best film, director, script, lead actor (a category in which all three members, namely Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh, Naoise Ó Cairealláin and JJ Ó Dochartaigh are in the running) and supporting actor for Fassbender.
Michael Fassbender is also nominated in the lead actor in a TV drama category for his role in The Agency.
Saoirse Ronan is another double 2025 IFTAs nominee. She is in contention for the leading film actress honor for her work in The Outrun, as well as for her supporting actress role in Steve McQueen’s Blitz.
Behind Kneecap in the film section, Tim Mielants’ historical drama Small Things Like These earned nine nominations, including for Cillian Murphy, who is in the running for the best film actor honor. His competition includes Paul Mescal, who earned a nom for Gladiator II, the three Kneecap guys and Peter Coonan (King Frankie).
Among the other big names looking for IFTAs acting honors are the likes of Colin Farrell, who is nominated in the best TV drama actor category for The Penguin in a showdown that also includes the likes of Fassbender (The Agency), Andrew Scott for Ripley, Ciarán Hinds (The Dry) and Rivals star Aidan Turner. Meanwhile, Jessie Buckley is up for the lead film actress honor for Wicked Little Letters, while Barry Keoghan is in contention for the best film supporting actor honor for his work in Bird.
Nicola Coughlan is up for the best TV lead actress award for Bridgerton, together with the likes of Sharon Horgan, nominated for Bad Sisters. And the best female drama lead actress race also features much star power as Eve Hewson and Fiona Shaw are both nominated for their roles in Bad Sisters, while Ruth Negga earned a nom for Presumed Innocent.
Bad Sisters earned eight TV nominations overall, just behind Irish Troubles drama Say Nothing with 10.
In the international film awards categories, the nominated movies are Anora, Conclave, Dune: Part Two, The Brutalist, The Outrun and The Substance. And the international acting nominees include such big names as Adrien Brody, Ralph Fiennes, Sebastian Stan, Denzel Washington, Cynthia Erivo, Angelina Jolie, Mikey Madison and Demi Moore.
The IFTAs ceremony will be taking place Feb. 14 at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre. Also on that night, Colm Meaney (Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, In the Land of Saints & Sinners) will receive the Irish Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement for his “outstanding contribution to the Irish and international screen industry.”
A full list of nominations for the IFTAs 2025 follows.
BEST FILM
Kathleen Is HereKing FrankieKneecapSmall Things Like TheseSpilt MilkThe Apprentice
DIRECTOR – FILM
Eva Birthistle – Kathleen Is HereJohn Crowley – We Live in TimeBrian Durnin – Spilt MilkDamian McCarthy – OddityChristine Molloy, Joe Lawlor – BaltimoreRich Peppiatt – Kneecap
SCRIPT – FILM
Eva Birthistle – Kathleen Is HereCara Loftus – Spilt MilkChristine Molloy, Joe Lawlor – BaltimoreRich Peppiatt – KneecapStephen Shields – AbigailEnda Walsh – Small Things Like These
LEAD ACTOR – FILM
Peter Coonan – King FrankiePaul Mescal – Gladiator IICillian Murphy – Small Things Like TheseNaoise Ó Caireallain – KneecapJ.J. Ó Dochartaigh – KneecapLiam Óg Ó hAnnaidh – Kneecap
LEAD ACTRESS – FILM
Carolyn Bracken – OddityJessie Buckley – Wicked Little LettersHazel Doupe – Kathleen Is HereSaoirse Ronan – The OutrunEileen Walsh – Small Things Like TheseAlisha Weir – Abigail
SUPPORTING ACTOR – FILM
Peter Coonan – Kathleen Is HereMichael Fassbender – KneecapBarry Keoghan – BirdBrían F. O’Byrne – ConclaveTom Vaughan-Lawlor – BaltimoreSteve Wall – Oddity
SUPPORTING ACTRESS – FILM
Zara Devlin – Small Things Like TheseClare Dunne – Kathleen Is HereFionnuala Flaherty – KneecapSimone Kirby – KneecapSaoirse Ronan – BlitzJessica Reynolds – Kneecap
BEST DRAMA – TV
Bad SistersSay NothingThe DryBodkinBlue LightsCrá
DIRECTOR, DRAMA – TV
Paddy Breathnach – The DryBrian Kirk – The Day of the JackalMichael Lennox – Say NothingLisa Mulcahy – SanctuaryHannah Quinn – The Boy That Never WasDearbhla Walsh – Bad Sisters
SCRIPT, DRAMA (TV)
Baz Ashmawy – FaithlessRonan Bennett – The Day of the JackalNancy Harris – The DrySharon Horgan – Bad SistersAdam Patterson, Declan Lawn – Blue LightsKirsten Sheridan, Joshua Zetumer – Say Nothing
LEAD ACTOR, DRAMA – TV
Anthony Boyle – Say NothingColin Farrell – The PenguinMichael Fassbender – The AgencyCiarán Hinds – The DryAndrew Scott – RipleyAidan Turner – Rivals
LEAD ACTRESS, DRAMA – TV
Elaine Cassidy – SanctuaryNicola Coughlan – BridgertonSiobhán Cullen – BodkinRoisin Gallagher – The DrySharon Horgan – Bad SistersLola Petticrew – Say Nothing
SUPPORTING ACTOR, DRAMA – TV
Anthony Boyle – Masters of the AirLiam Cunningham – 3 Body ProblemMichael Smiley – Bad SistersTom Vaughan-Lawlor – Say NothingChris Walley – BodkinDavid Wilmot – Bodkin
SUPPORTING ACTRESS, DRAMA – TV
Siobhán Cullen – The DryHazel Doupe – Say NothingEve Hewson – Bad SistersRuth Negga – Presumed InnocentFiona Shaw – Bad SistersVictoria Smurfit – Rivals
BEST INTERNATIONAL FILM
AnoraConclaveDune Part TwoThe BrutalistThe OutrunThe Substance
BEST INTERNATIONAL ACTOR
Adrien Brody – The BrutalistTimothee Chalamet – A Complete UnknownKieran Culkin – A Real PainRalph Fiennes – ConclaveSebastian Stan – The ApprenticeDenzel Washington – Gladiator II
BEST INTERNATIONAL ACTRESS
Cynthia Erivo – WickedAngelina Jolie – MariaMikey Madison – AnoraDemi Moore – The SubstanceFlorence Pugh – We Live in TimeEmily Watson – Small Things Like These
GEORGE MORRISON FEATURE DOCUMENTARY
Face Down: The Disappearance of Thomas NiedermayerDon’t Forget to RememberBlue Road: The Edna O’Brien StoryThe FlatsMrs RobinsonBrendan Gleeson’s Farewell to Hughes’s
LIVE-ACTION SHORT FILM
ClodaghFarmers!?Room TakenTurnaroundTwo MothersWe Beg to DifferWife of the FutureWrecker
ANIMATED SHORT FILM
DembayaEvery Other WeekendHomebirdNightpay
CASTING
Baltimore – Emma GunneryBodkin – Louise KielyKneecap – Carla StrongeSay Nothing – Lucy Amos, Nina GoldSmall Things Like These – Maureen Hughes
CINEMATOGRAPHY
Bird – Robbie RyanFréwaka – Narayan Van MaeleKneecap – Ryan KernaghanSay Nothing – Stephen MurphyThe Penguin – Darran Tiernan
COSTUME DESIGN
Abigail – Gwen Jeffares HourieHouse of the Dragon – Caroline McCallKneecap – Zjena GlamocaninSpilt Milk – Gwen Jeffares HourieVikings Valhalla – Susan O’Connor-Cave
PRODUCTION DESIGN
Abigail – Susie CullenBodkin – Paki SmithKneecap – Nicola MoroneyThe Tourist – Philip MurphyVikings Valhalla – Tom Conroy
HAIR & MAKEUP
Abigail – Linda Gannon, Liz ByrneKneecap – Liz BostonSmall Things Like These – Lorraine Glynn, Lynn JohnstonThe Apprentice – Sandra Kelly, Tom McInerneyVikings Valhalla – Joe Whelan, Tom McInerney
SOUND
Abigail – Hugh FoxBlackshore – John ‘Bob’ Brennan, Mark Henry, Fionan HigginsKneecap – Aza Hand, Brendan Rehill, Chris WoodcockOddity – Aza Hand, Hugo ParverySmall Things Like These – Hugh Fox, Senjan Jansen
ORIGINAL MUSIC
Fréwaka – Die HexenThe Apprentice – David HolmesThe Dry – Sarah LynchThe Magic Reindeer: Saving Santa’s Sleigh – Eimear Noone, Craig Stuart GarfinkleThe Song Cycle – Ray Harman
EDITING
Bad Sisters – Derek HollandKathleen Is Here – Colin CampbellKneecap – Julian Ulrichs & Chris GillPaddington in Peru – Úna Ní DhonghaíleSay Nothing – Edel McDonnell
VFX
3 Body Problem – Ed Bruce, Liam NevilleBodkin – John Kennedy, Lisa MaherSanctuary – Dan CullenShogun – Ed Bruce, Andrew Barry
