IFTA Awards set for Belfast in January 2003

James Nesbitt, Brendan Gleeson and Brenda Fricker are among those nominated in the Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA) Awards, which will take place at the NTL studio at Belfast's Waterfront Hall on Friday January 17, 2003.
Ian S. Kennedy, Chairman of IFTA, said: "The nominees for these awards are of an exceptional quality yet again and we are delighted and proud to be returning to Belfast in January to celebrate the array of talent in the film and television industry both north and south."
Such is the growth of the industry IFTA have decided to create a number of new awards including best director of a feature film, best single television drama, best actor in a television drama, best actress in a television drama, best animation, best photography (film or television), best sound (film or television) and best editing (film or television), giving a total of twenty awards.
Established in late 1998, IFTA represent all the groups and individuals, who together constitute the film and television community on the island of Ireland.
The biennial awards are recognised as promoting and elevating the status of Irish film and television both nationally and internationally.
Award winners are selected from the nominations by individual juries of film and television industry practitioners.
(GB)