Carla Stronge (Kneecap) wins first ever IFTA Casting Award

At the 2025 IFTA Awards on February 14th, Carla Stronge was announced as first ever winner of the IFTA Award for Best Casting, for her work on Rich Peppiatt's hit feature film Kneecap.

Other nominees in the inaugural Casting category were Emma Gunnery for Baltimore, Louise Kiely for Bodkin, Lucy Amos and Nina Gold for Say Nothing and Maureen Hughes for Small Things Like These.

Ireland is one of the first countries in the world to recognise the enormous contribution of Casting Directors with the Irish Film & Television Academy (IFTA) establishing a dedicated Academy Chapter for Casting in 2024.

The news comes at a time when the Irish screen industry is experiencing substantial growth with major Irish and international production activity taking place throughout the country. Irish location studios are busy with big named TV Drama and Film projects and more sound studios in various stages of development. Streamers such as Netflix, Disney, Amazon and Apple TV+ are shooting in Ireland with some of their most popular shows. The Irish government's extension of the Section 481 tax credit from €70m to €125m has significantly incentivized large-scale projects to choose Ireland, and Irish casting directors are busy finding local and international acting talent for key roles.

IFTA has also launched a series of special Casting Conversations events that bring Actors, Casting Directors & Talent Agents together to discuss all aspects of casting. 

The introduction of the Casting Director Award in Ireland is a natural progression for the Irish Academy, having previously honoured two Veterans of Casting with IFTA Lifetime Awards; Nuala Moiselle (Vikings, The Secret Scripture) back in 2007 and Ros Hubbard (The Commitments, Far & Away) back in 2018.

Áine Moriarty, Chief Executive of IFTA, said:

“Irish Casting Directors have shown themselves to be amongst the most skilful professionals in the world, and their contribution and uncanny ability to source and identify the right actors for key roles has been instrumental in the success of so many Irish and international films and TV Dramas in recent years. The Irish Academy wants to ensure that their work and their incredible skill is recognised alongside other craftspeople and filmmakers at our annual Awards Ceremony. We are delighted to have established a dedicated Academy Casting Chapter, and to be working closely with the enormously talented casting community across all of Ireland, North & South.