The film tells the real-life story of how history enthusiast Catherine Corless uncovered how many children had been buried on the property of the Bon Secours Mother and Baby Home in Tuam and the consequent campaign for justice.
The festival's coveted Audience Award was presented to Learning to Breathe Underwater, directed by Rebekah Fortune. Filmed entirely in Galway, the powerful coming-of-age drama proved one of the standout films of this year's festival.
Other award winners include: You'll Never Believe Who's Dead (Dallan Shovlin ), Try (Oisín Mistéil ), The S.U. (Rob Dennis, Alan Bradley, and Sarah Jones ), Hollow Trees (Cathal Fitzpatrick ), Cill Stiúifín (Kev L. Smith ), Beautiful Evening Beautiful Day (Ivona Juka ), Brace for Oblivion (Xackery Irving ), and Peter Young for Our House.
This year's short film winners included The Lacey Way, Happy Hauntings, Daddy's Girl, A Woman's Place is Everywhere, Dobrina, A Knock at Your Door, My Friend, Kev, Voideden, and Lucky Liam.
The Fleadh also recognised a number of outstanding projects in development, including Fat (Alice Productions ), Dances with Whales (Oxytocin Productions ), Violent Delights, and The Ruin of the Earth by Yannick Janey.
Festival Director Miriam Allen said, "The response to this year's Galway Film Fleadh has been extraordinary. The calibre of filmmaking on display this year has been exceptional, and we'd like to congratulate all of our award winners and everyone who shared their work with audiences in Galway.
“The Fleadh continues to be a place where filmmakers launch careers, forge international partnerships and celebrate the very best in cinema."
Across the week, thousands of festivalgoers attended screenings, premieres, masterclasses, panel discussions and networking events, while the Galway Film Fair welcomed its largest-ever number of producers, financiers, sales agents, distributors, broadcasters and marketplace delegates from around the world.
The Galway Film Fleadh is proudly supported by The Arts Council/An Chomhairle Ealaíon and Screen Ireland/Fís Éireann, whose continued investment enables the festival to champion Irish filmmakers, showcase world-class cinema and support the continued growth of Ireland's screen industry.
The Galway Film Fleadh returns in 2027.
