Film Festival Awards Presented

This year the Belfast Film Festival marked its 10th anniversary by launching the first ever 'Belfast Sink' Awards.

Local ceramicist Steven Farnan was commissioned to produce a piece of ceramic art based on the iconic household 'jaw-box' kitchen sink.

Its association with Belfast's industrial history, and its reputation as a design classic, made it the ideal inspiration for the creation of the new award to mark the anniversary of the film festival.

This inaugural award was launched by presenting the first one to a legend in the film industry - Oscar-winning cinematographer Haskell Wexler who attended the festival last week.

A 'Lifetime Achievement' Award was presented to the irrepressible filmmaker after a screening of his seminal 60's film Medium Cool. Wexler took part in an inspirational public interview after the film and was presented with his 'Belfast Sink' Award by Laurence McKeown, Filmmaker, Writer and Founder of the Belfast Film Festival.

Belfast born Actor Ciaran Hinds was presented with his 'Sink' Award for his 'Outstanding Contribution to Cinema & Television.'

He accepted his award at a special event honouring key moments in his career, with a screening of The Eclipse, starring Ciaran as a grieving widower who experiences some ghostly goings on as he volunteers on a Literary Festival in Cobh, Co Cork.

Best Short Film Award at this year's Belfast Film Festival was presented to The Chronoscope, directed by Andrew Legge.

This 20 minute short is in the form of a faux documentary about a beautiful scientist who invents a machine that can see into the past. The film is narrated by Jeremy Irons.

The final award to be announced will be, 'The Audience Award' for most popular film or event. This will be announced after the closing night premiere of Francis Ford Coppola’s Tetro, on Friday 30th April.

(BMcN/BMcC)