The Lost Children of Tuam has won Best Irish Film at this year’s Galway Film Fleadh following its world premiere at the festival on Saturday.<\/p>\n
Directed by Frank Berry and written by Rebecca Lenkiewicz, the film tells the story of amateur historian Catherine Corless and her investigation into the former mother and baby home in Tuam, Co Galway.<\/p>\n
Corless uncovered death certificates for 796 children who died at the home between 1925 and 1961, but found a burial record for only one.<\/p>\n
Berry said the award meant “a great deal” to the team after what he described as a moving and unforgettable premiere in Galway.<\/p>\n
Producers Liam Neeson, Chelsea Morgan Hoffmann, Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, Martina Niland and Jules Daly said they were honoured by the response to the film and would carry that support with them as they continued to share Corless\u2019s story.<\/p>\n
Based on Dan Barry\u2019s 2017 New York Times article The Lost Children of Tuam, the film stars Monica Dolan as Corless, alongside Andrew Bennett and Ian McElhinney.<\/p>\n
The drama follows Corless as she examines records from the former home and uncovers evidence of a deeply troubling past, bringing her into conflict with the Irish State and the Catholic Church while survivors and campaigners rally around her search for justice.<\/p>\n
Other winners at the Galway Film Fleadh included Learning to Breathe Underwater, which received the Audience Award, and You\u2019ll Never Believe Who\u2019s Dead, which won Best Irish First Feature. Try! and The S.U. jointly won Best Irish Feature Documentary.<\/p>\n
Presented by F\u00eds \u00c9ireann\/Screen Ireland and BBC Film in association with Fremantle, Coimisi\u00fan na Me\u00e1n, MK2 and RT\u00c9, The Lost Children of Tuam will be released in Irish cinemas this autumn by Volta Pictures.<\/p>\n