Celtic Media Festival winners announced and next location revealed

The Celtic Media Festival drew to a close on Thursday night as the final Torc Awards for Excellence were announced, and Newquay in Cornwall was named as the location for the 46th event in 2025.

Winners announced during the third and final day of celebrations included Lazerbeam / BBC Wales in the Arts (Screen) category for Black Music Wales, an exciting exploration of the emerging black music scene.

Powerful entries

Erica Starling Productions Ltd took home the Feature Documentary (Screen) award for Lyra, an intimate journey through ‘post-conflict’ Northern Ireland, authored by journalist Lyra McKee, who was shot dead by the New IRA in April 2019 in Derry, Northern Ireland.

The Single Documentary (Screen) award went to Atom Films / RTÉ One for Am I Here? A powerful story traversing a year in the life on the streets of Ireland’s capital, making visible the lives and stories that thousands of feet walk past everyday.

Magamedia / RTÉ1 were recognised for their dark comedy crime drama Obituary in Drama Series (Screen) and in Presenter of the Year (Sound) Lynette Fay from BBC Radio Ulster took home the award.

Winners were also announced in the Factual Series (Screen), Documentary (Sound), Short Form (Screen), Music Programme (Sound), Single Drama (Screen), Radio Station of the Year and Spirit of the Festival (Screen).

The winner of the International Pitching Forum was also announced this evening with  Alan de Pellette and Paul Walker taking home the much coveted development prize of £6,000.

Their winning ‘ pitch for docudrama Flower of Scotland’ looks into the mysterious circumstances surrounding the death of prominent lawyer, Scottish Nationalist and Anti-Nuclear Campaigner WIllie McRae 40 years after his passing.

New appointment

In additional news, Áine Walsh, the Head of the Irish Language Broadcast Fund at Northern Ireland Screen, has been appointed as the new Chair of the Celtic Media Festival. She succeeds Alan Esslemont, Director General of TG4, who has successfully led two sold-out festivals over the past five years.

Closing off the evening was the announcement of Newquay, Cornwall as the venue for the 46th Celtic Media Festival in 2025.

Catriona Logan, Festival Director, said: “From incredible speakers to deserving winners, Celtic Media Festival 2024 has surpassed all expectations. We’re so looking forward to taking the festival to Cornwall in 2025.”

Winners

Factual Series (Screen)
Winner: Paranormal: The Girl, The Ghost and The Gravestone
Production Company / Broadcaster: Twenty Twenty Productions / BBC One Wales, BBC Three and iPlayer
Country: Wales

Documentary (Sound)
Winner: Tapiau Coll Stiwdio Les
Production Company / Broadcaster: Cwmni Da / BBC Radio Cymru
Country: Wales

Short Form (Screen)
Winner: How This Blind Girl …
Production Company / Broadcaster: Boom Cymru / BBC Wales / BBC TWO
Country: Wales

Arts (Screen)
Winner: Black Music Wales
Production Company / Broadcaster: Lazerbeam / BBC Wales
Country: Wales

Music Programme (Sound)
Winner: Siubhal gu Seachd le Pluto
Production Company / Broadcaster: BBC Scotland Productions / BBC Radio nan Gàidheal
Country: Scotland

Feature Documentary (Screen)
Winner: Lyra
Production Company / Broadcaster: Erica Starling Productions Ltd
Country: Ireland

Single Documentary (Screen)
Winner: Am I Here?
Production Company / Broadcaster: Atom Films / RTÉ One
Country: Ireland

Drama Series (Screen)
Winner: Obituary
Production Company / Broadcaster: Magamedia / RTÉ1
Country: Ireland

Radio Station of the Year
Winner: Raidió na Life
Country: Ireland

Single Drama (Screen)
Winner: Dance First
Production Company / Broadcaster: Sky and Film Constellation in association with Sky Arts and 2LE Media Productions in co-production with Constellation Productions and UMedia and in association with Proton Cinema and uFund | Sky
Country: Ireland

Presenter of the Year (Sound)
Winner: Lynette Fay
Production Company / Broadcaster: BBC Radio Ulster
Country: Ireland

Spirit of the Festival (Screen)
Winner: Viva Mary
Production Company / Broadcaster: Rúnda  / RTÉ
Country: Ireland

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