The festival introduced the Volta Awards in 2007. The award is named after Dublin's first cinema, the Volta Picture Theatre, established by author
James Joyce in 1905. Awards are given for
career achievement and audience favourite. Critics' awards were first presented in 2009. The
Michael Dwyer Discovery Award' was created in 2010 after his death to honour Irish people working in film.
2007 • Career Achievement Awards: •
Gabriel Byrne, actor •
Brendan McCaul, film producer and distributor •
Jeremy Thomas, producer •
Consolata Boyle, costume designer • Audience Award:
Once 2008 The 2008 festival was held from 15 to 24 February 2008. decorated for the 2008 JDIFF • Career Achievement Awards: •
Brendan Gleeson, actor •
Daniel Day-Lewis, actor •
Leo Ward, cinema chain owner • Audience Award:
Waveriders 2009 • Career Achievement Awards: •
Paolo Sorrentino, director •
George Morrison, documentary maker •
Thierry Frémaux, artistic director of the
Cannes Film Festival • Audience Award: •
Ciarán Hinds, actor •
Patricia Clarkson, actress •
Kristin Scott Thomas, actress Audience Award:
His & Hers Dublin Film Critics Circle Awards: • Best Film:
Samson and Delilah • Best Irish Film:
The Fading Light • Best Male Performance:
Patrick O'Donnell (
The Fading Light) • Best Female Performance:
Tilda Swinton (
I Am Love) • Best Director:
Yorgos Lanthimos (
Dogtooth) • Best Documentary:
His & Hers • Special Jury Prize:
Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans • Michael Dwyer Discovery Award:
Kate McCullough, cinematographer (
His and Hers)
2011 The 2011 festival was held from 17 to 27 February 2011. Career Achievement Awards: •
Martin Sheen, actor •
Kevin Brownlow, film historian and preservationist •
François Ozon, director Audience Award:
Benda Bilili! Dublin Film Critics Circle Awards: • Best Film:
The Robber • Best Irish Film:
Snap • Best Director:
Alexei Popogrebski (
How I Ended This Summer) • Best Irish Director:
Carmel Winters (
Snap) • Best Cinematography:
Tim Fleming (
As If I Am Not There) • Best Screenplay:
Tudor Voican (
Medal of Honor) • Best Short:
Small Change • Best International Documentary:
Cave of Forgotten Dreams • Best Irish Documentary:
Men of Arlington • Best Début: (
Picco) • Best Actor:
Jakob Cedergren (
Submarino) • Best Actress:
Martina Gusman (
Carancho) • Special Jury Prize:
The Four Times • Michael Dwyer Discovery Award:
Still Films 2012 Volta Awards: •
Stellan Skarsgård, actor •
Marin Karmitz, director, producer, distributor and cinema chain owner •
Al Pacino, actor Audience Award:
The Raid: Redemption Dublin Film Critics Circle Awards: • Best Film:
The Raid: Redemption • Best Irish Film:
Nuala: A Life and Death • Best Actor:
Michael Fuith (
Michael) • Best Actress:
Greta Gerwig (
Damsels in Distress) • Best Screenplay:
Joseph Cedar (
Footnote) • Best Director:
Nuri Bilge Ceylan (
Once Upon a Time in Anatolia) • Best Documentary:
Samsara • Michael Dwyer Discovery Award:
Eoghan Mac Giolla Bhríde for
Silence 2013 The 2013 festival ran from 14 to 24 February. Volta Career Achievement Awards: •
Danny DeVito, actor and director •
Tim Roth, actor •
Costa-Gavras, director •
Joss Whedon, screenwriter and director •
Ennio Morricone The Dublin Film Critics Circle selected the following winners: •
Best Film: Vanishing Waves by
Kristina Buožytė •
Best Director: Mikhail Segal for
Short Stories •
Best Actor: Aleksey Vertkov for
White Tiger •
Best Actress: Dilan Aksüt,
Night of Silence •
Best Debut: Maja Miloš for
Klip •
Best Screenplay: Oriol Paulo and
Lara Sendim for
The Body •
Best Cinematography: Oleg Mutu for
Beyond the Hills •
Best Documentary: ''
Far Out Isn't Far Enough: The Tomi Ungerer Story'' •
Best Irish Feature: Babygirl by
Macdara Vallelly •
Best Irish Documentary: Get the Picture by
Cathy Pearson •
Michael Dwyer Discovery Award: Broken Song by
Claire Dix •
Audience Award: Broken Song Jury Prizes were awarded to: •
Blancanieves •
After Lucia •
The King of Pigs 2014 The 2014 festival ran from 13 to 23 February. Volta Career Achievement Awards: •
Terry Gilliam, actor and director •
Peter Morgan, screenwriter •
Richard Dreyfuss, actor •
Stanley Tucci, actor The Dublin Film Critics Circle selected the following winners: •
Best Film: The Reunion by
Anna Odell •
Best Director: Paweł Pawlikowski for
Ida •
Best Actor: Jack O'Connell for
Starred Up •
Best Actress: Mira Barkhammar,
Mira Grosin and
Liv LeMoyne for
We Are the Best! •
Best Debut Feature: The Rocket by
Kim Mordaunt •
Best Screenplay: Georg Mass for
Two Lives •
Best Cinematography: Daniel Landin for
Under the Skin •
Best Documentary: Los Wild Ones by
Elise Salomon •
Best Irish Feature: Love Eternal by
Brendan Muldowney •
Best Irish Documentary: Living in a Coded Land by
Pat Collins •
Michael Dwyer Discovery Award: Out of Here by
Donal Foreman •
Audience Award: Los Wild Ones Jury Prizes were awarded to: •
Blue Ruin •
The Golden Dream •
The Congress 2015 The 2015 festival ran from 19 to 29 March. Volta Career Achievement Awards: •
Kenneth Branagh, actor and director •
Laurent Cantet, director and screenwriter •
Julie Andrews, actress The Dublin Film Critics Circle selected the following winners: •
Best Film: The Tribe, director
Myroslav Slaboshpytskiy •
Best Director: Ruben Östlund for
Force Majeure •
Best Screenplay: Yuri Bykov for
The Fool •
Best Cinematography: Lyle Vincent for
A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night •
Best Documentary: Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, director
Brett Morgen •
Best Actor: Cliff Curtis for
The Dark Horse •
Best Actress: Nina Hoss for
Phoenix •
Best Irish Feature: Glassland, director
Gerard Barrett •
Best Irish Documentary: Wheel of Fortune: The Story and Legacy of the Fairview Lion Tamer, director
Joe Lee •
Best Debut: Chaitanya Tamhane for
Court •
Michael Dwyer Discovery Award: Piers McGrail, cinematographer on
Glassland,
Let Us Prey,
The Canal Audience Awards went to: •
Feature: The Salt of the Earth •
Short: Boogaloo and Graham Special Jury Prizes were awarded to: •
A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on Existence •
Eden • ''
You're Sleeping, Nicole'' •
10,000 km 2016 '' at the 2016 Dublin International Film Festival. Left to right:
Percy Chamburuka,
Mark McKenna,
Kelly Thornton, Ben Carolan, Karl Rice, Conor Hamilton. The 2016 festival ran from 18 to 28 February. Volta Career Achievement Awards: •
Angela Lansbury, actress and singer •
Claudia Cardinale, actress •
Andrew Stanton, director, screenwriter, producer and voice actor The Dublin Film Critics Circle selected the following winners: •
Best Film: Mustang, director
Deniz Gamze Ergüven •
Best Director: Lucile Hadžihalilović for
Evolution •
Best Screenplay: Jaco Van Dormael and
Thomas Gunzig for
The Brand New Testament •
Best Cinematography: Mátyás Erdély for
Son of Saul •
Best Documentary: Heart of a Dog, director
Laurie Anderson •
Best Actor: Alex Lawther for
Departure •
Best Actress: Monica Bellucci for
Ville-Marie •
Best Ensemble Cast: Green Room, director
Jeremy Saulnier •
Best Irish Feature: Viva, director
Paddy Breathnach •
Best Irish Documentary: Atlantic, director
Risteard Ó Domhnaill •
Best Irish Short Film: Geist, director
Eric Daniel Dunn •
Best International Short Film: The Bathtub, director
Tim Ellrich •
George Byrne Maverick Award: Stephen Rea for
Viva •
Michael Dwyer Discovery Award: Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, actor on
Sing Street AUDI-ence Awards went to: •
Feature: Viva •
Short: Little Bear Special Jury Prizes were awarded to: •
Black Mountain Poets •
Victoria •
Anomalisa ADIFF Discovery Awards went to: •
Barry Keoghan, actor on
Mammal,
Traders and
The Break •
Jack O'Shea, director/animator on
A Coat Made Dark and
Eat the Danger •
Kathryn Kennedy, producer on
My Name Is Emily, ''
It's Not Yet Dark and After''
2017 The festival ran from 16 to 26 February. Volta Career Achievement Awards: •
Vanessa Redgrave, actress The Dublin Film Critics' Circle selected the following winners: •
Best Film –
Aquarius, director
Kleber Mendonça Filho •
Best Actress –
Florence Pugh,
Lady Macbeth •
Best Actor –
Sherwan Haji,
The Other Side of Hope •
Best Director –
Lav Diaz,
The Woman Who Left •
Best Cinematography –
M. David Mullen,
The Love Witch •
Best Screenplay – Kristina Grozeva, Petar Valchanov,
Glory •
Best Irish Feature –
Handsome Devil, director John Butler •
Best Irish Documentary –
The Farthest, director
Emer Reynolds •
Best Documentary –
I Am Not Your Negro, director
Raoul Peck •
George Byrne Maverick Award:
Emer Reynolds, editor Special Jury Prizes were awarded to: • Kristopher Avedisian,
Donald Cried • Daouda Coulibaly,
Wulu •
My Life as a Courgette •
The Transfiguration AUDI-ence Award: •
The Farthest, director
Emer Reynolds ADIFF Discovery Awards went to: • John Connors, actor on
The Secret Scripture and
Breathe •
Niamh Algar, actor on
Without Name,
Pebbles and
Gone • Vincent Gallagher, writer/director on
Second to None and
Love is a Sting 2018 The festival began on 22 February. Its ending was extended to 12 March due to the "
Beast from the East" snowstorm. Volta Career Achievement Award: •
Paul Schrader, writer and director • Vanessa Redgrave (missed 2017 ceremony due to illness) The Dublin Film Critics Circle selected the following winners:
2019 Virgin Media Ireland was the sponsor for the 2019 festival, which was held 20 February – 3 March. Volta Awards: •
Ralph Fiennes, actor-director •
Sean Bailey, producer Short film awards: •
Best Irish Short Film: Five Letters to the Stranger Who Will Dissect My Brain, director
Oonagh Kearney •
Special Mention: The First was a Boy, director
Shaun Dunne •
Best International Short Film: Inanimate, director
Lucia Bulgheroni •
Special Mention: Child, director
Joren Molter Audience Awards went to: •
Feature: Maiden, director
Alex Holmes •
Short: 99 Problems, director
Ross Killeen Discovery Awards went to: •
Alexandra McGuinness, writer-director of ''
She's Missing'' •
Ian Hunt Duffy, director of
Low Tide •
Oonagh Kearney, director of
Five Letters to the Stranger Who Will Dissect My Brain •
Madonna Bambino, makeup artist on
Low Tide Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival Documentary prize: • Winner:
Of Fathers and Sons, director
Talal Derki • Honourable mention:
GAZA, directors Garry Keane and Andrew McConnell Dublin Human Rights Film Award: • Winner:
Heartbound: A Different Kind of Love Story, director
Janus Metz Pedersen • Special mention:
Land Without God, directors
Gerard Mannix Flynn, Maedhbh McMahon and Lotta Petronella Children's Jury Awards: • Feature – Winner:
Mia and the White Lion, director
Gilles de Maistre • Feature – Special Mention:
Departures, director Peter Hutchings • Short – Winner:
First Disco, director Helen M. O'Reilly • Feature – Special Mention:
The Overcoat, directors
Meelis Arulepp and
Sean Mullen Young Programmer's Choice Award: • Winner:
Rafiki, director
Wanuri Kahiu • Special Mention:
Ballon, director
Michael Herbig The Dublin Film Critics Circle selected the following winners: •
Best Film: Transit, director
Christian Petzold •
Best Director: Rima Das for
Bulbul Can Sing •
Best Cinematography: Hiroshi Okuyama for
Jesus •
Best Documentary: GAZA, directors Garry Keane and Andrew McConnell •
Best Irish Film: Greta, director
Neil Jordan •
Best Screenplay: Bai Xue for
The Crossing •
Best Actor: Bogdan Dumitrache for
Pororoca •
Best Actress: Jessie Buckley for
Wild Rose •
Jury Prizes •
Jia Zhangke, director of
Ash Is Purest White •
Alex Ross Perry, writer-director-producer of
Her Smell •
Baran Kosari, actress in
Cold Sweat (
La Permission) •
Hu Bo, director-writer-editor of
An Elephant Sitting Still •
Bo Burnham, writer-director of
Eighth Grade •
George Byrne Maverick Award: Hugh O'Conor, director of
Metal Heart •
Michael Dwyer Discovery Award: Dianne Lucille Campbell, director of
El Hor 2020 The 2020 festival took place between 26 February and 8 March. Volta Awards: •
Charlie Kaufman, writer and director •
Trine Dyrholm, actress and singer Audience Awards: • Virgin Media Audience Award:
Endless Sunshine on a Cloudy Day (dir.
John Connors) • Virgin Media Audience Award, Short Film:
Iarscoláire (dir. Shaun Dunne) • Fantastic Flix Audience Award:
Onward • Fantastic Flix Audience Award, Short Film:
The Girl at the End of the Garden Aer Lingus Discovery Awards: •
Paddy Slattery, writer/director of
Broken Law • Cara Holmes, director of
Welcome to a Bright White Limbo • Claire Byrne, director of
Sister This •
Dónall Ó Héalaí, actor in
Arracht Documentary Competition: • Special mention:
Women Make Film: A New Road Trip Through Cinema • Winner:
Confucian Dream, director Mijie Li Short Film Awards, supported by
Griffith College: • Special Mention International Short Film:
Adnan • Best International Short Film:
Quiet Land Good People • Special Mention, Irish Short Film :
Innocent Boy, dir. John Connors • Best Irish Short Film:
Welcome to a Bright White Limbo, dir. Cara Holmes Irish Council for Civil Liberties Human Rights Film Award: • Special Mention:
Street Leagues, dir. Daniel F. Holmes • Winner:
Herself, dir.
Phyllida Lloyd Lifetime Contribution Award:
Liam Cunningham, actor Fantastic Flix Jury Awards, as chosen by The Ark's Children's Jury: • Feature Film:
Onward • Short Film:
Streets of Fury, dir. Aidan McAteer Dublin Film Critics' Circle Awards: • Best Film:
Supernova • Best Actor: Albano Jeronimo (
The Domain) • Best Actress:
Barbara Sukowa (
Deux) • Best Screenplay: Congcong Teng (
Send Me to the Clouds) • Best Director:
Roy Andersson (
About Endlessness) • Best Cinematography: Leonardo Simões (
Vitalina Varela) • Best Ensemble:
Rocks • Best Irish Film:
Arracht • George Byrne Maverick Award:
Pat Murphy • Best Documentary:
New York Our Time • Michael Dwyer Discovery Award:
Clare Dunne • Jury Prizes:
Moffie; ''
Marona's Fantastic Tale; Deerskin; If You Are Happy''
2021 The 2021 festival took place during 3–14 March. Dublin Film Critics' Circle Awards: • Best Film:
Apples • Best Actor:
Goran Bogdan (
Father) • Best Actress:
Joanna Scanlan (
After Love) • Best Screenplay:
Lee Isaac Chung (
Minari
) • Best Director:
Lili Horvát (
Preparations to be Together for an Unknown Period of Time) • Best Cinematography:
Viktor Kossakovsky/
Egil Håskjold Larsen (
Gunda) • Best Irish Film:
Tadhg O'Sullivan (
To The Moon) • George Byrne Maverick Award:
Ivan Kavanagh • Best Documentary:
Acasă, My Home • Michael Dwyer Discovery Award:
Zofia Stafiej (
I Never Cry) • Jury Prizes: •
Kyle Gallner, actor in
Dinner in America •
Noah Hutton, writer-director of
Lapsis •
Zoé Wittock, director of
Jumbo •
Bryan Fogel, director-producer of
The Dissident 2022 The 2022 festival took place from 23 February to 6 March.
Adam McKay received the Volta Award. • Best Director:
Laura Samani,
Small Body • Best Screenplay:
Terence Davies,
Benediction • Best Actress:
Anamaria Vartolomei,
Happening • Best Actor:
Udo Kier,
Swan Song • Best Debut Feature:
Blerta Basholli,
Hive • Best Editor:
Sean Baker,
Red Rocket • Best Cinematography:
Frédéric Noirhomme,
Playground • Best Ensemble:
Róise & Frank • Best Documentary:
Maisie • Best Irish Documentary:
Vicky • Special Jury Prize:
Cannon Arm and the Arcade Quest • George Byrne Maverick Award:
Tristan Heanue (
Harvest – short) • Michael Dwyer Discovery Award: Kelly Campbell (
An Encounter – short)
2023 The 2023 festival took place from 23 February to 4 March. Actress
Emily Watson received the Volta Award. Dublin Film Critics Circle Awards 2023 • Best Film:
The Beasts • Best Director:
Léa Mysius –
The Five Devils • Best Screenplay:
Cristian Mungiu –
R.M.N. • Best Actress: Kristine Kujath Thorp –
Sick of Myself • Best Actor:
Eden Dambrine –
Close • Best Debut Feature:
Victim – Michal Blasko • Best Editor: Nico Leunen –
The Eight Mountains • Best Cinematography: Marine Altan –
Thunder • Best Score: Nadah El Shazly – ''
The Damned Don't Cry'' • Best Ensemble:
How to Blow Up a Pipeline • Best Documentary:
Kanaval: A People’s History of Haiti • Best Irish Film:
My Sailor, My Love • Best Irish Documentary:
406 Days • George Byrne Maverick Award:
Mark Cousins • Michael Dwyer Discovery Award: Zara Devlin • Best Irish Short:
Lamb – Sinead O’Loughlin • Best International Short:
Will You Look at Me – Huang Shuli • Volta Award:
Emily Watson 2024 The 2024 festival took place from 22 February to March 2. • Volta Award:
Isabelle Huppert and
Steve McQueen • Best Director: Alan Friel,
Woken 2025 The 2025 festival took place from 20 February to March 2. DIFF Awards • Audience award feature:
A Want In Her • Audience award short:
Naked Lights • Discovery award: Cara Loftus, Clare Monnelly and Albert Hooi • Best documentary award:
A Want In Her • Avalon World Cinema award:
Santosh • International Short Film award:
The Man Who Would Not Remain Silent • Animated Short Film award:
Inside, The Valley Sings • Sue Bruce-Smith Irish Short Film:
Trasna na Líne • Irish Council for Civil Liberties Human Rights Film Award:
Testimony Dublin Film Critics Circle Awards •
Best film On Falling, directed by Laura Carreira •
Best director Maura Delpero, for
Vermiglio •
Best editing Ramon Zürcher, for
The Sparrow in the Chimney •
Best actress Shahana Goswami, for
Santosh •
Best actor Albrecht Schuch, for
Peacock •
Best ensemble Backstage, directed by Afef Ben Mahmoud and Khalil Benkirane •
Best documentary Riefenstahl, directed by Andres Veiel •
Best cinematography Sverre Sørdal, for
Sister Midnight •
Best debut Good One, directed by India Donaldson •
Best screenplay Tracie Laymon, for
Bob Trevino Likes It •
Michael Dwyer discovery Ruby Conway Dunne, Molly Byrne and Alicia Weafer, for
Ready or Not •
George Byrne maverick Carrie Crowley •
Best Irish film Beat the Lotto, directed by Ross Whittaker •
Best Irish documentary Born That Way, directed by Éamon Little •
Special jury prize Latina Latina, directed by Adrian Duncan •
Volta Award:
Jessica Lange and
Ed Harris == See also ==