Banshee of Inishrin director Martin McDonagh revealed that the Irish crew of the film disagreed with the name of the BAFTA award category for which the film was nominated.
The 2023 BAFTA Awards were held at the Royal Festival Hall in London’s Southbank Center on Sunday (19 February), as exceptional films and performances were honored during the ceremony.
Accepting the Outstanding British Film Award for starring in his acclaimed 2022 dark comedy, Colin Farrell and Brendan Gleeson, McDonagh explained that the film’s Irish production crew were unhappy with the category name.
“Best what prize?” McDonagh mimicked his response to the initial nomination.
Thanking the British crew members, he also quipped: “Thanks to our stand-in donkey Rosie, who’s British. Yes, yes, she’s from Stoke-on-Trent.”
Banshee of Inishrin is set on the fictional island of Inishrin in 1923 with the Irish Civil War as the backdrop. It follows the “platonic break-up” of two lifelong friends, played by Farrell and Gleason.
McDonagh’s critically acclaimed film, with stellar performances from Barry Keoghan and Kerry Condon, received a total of 10 nominations at the BAFTAs this year. you can find a Full list of winners here.
Keoghan and Condon won in the Best Supporting Actor and Actress categories.
Other big winners of the night included All Quiet on the Western FrontAnd Everything together everywhere.
Elsewhere, BAFTA presenter Richard E Grant opened the show on Sunday with a joke about “The Slap”. Referring to the 2022 Oscars, during which Will Smith slapped Chris Rock after the comedian made a joke about his wife Jada Pinkett-Smith.