The Irish Film & Television Academy (IFTA) has announced the Screen Ireland Rising Star nominees for 2022 with actors Hazel Doupe and Sam Keeley and writer/directors Benjamin Cleary, Kate Dolan and Colm Bairéad on the shortlist this year.
The winner will be announced at the virtual awards which will be broadcast on Virgin Media One on Saturday, 12 March at 8.30pm.
The Screen Ireland Rising Star Award puts an international spotlight on Irish professionals who have not only honed their crafts in the formative years of their career but have also excelled in their respective fields.
Áine Moriarty, Chief Executive of the Irish Film and Television Academy said: "This prestigious award shines a light on five superb Irish professionals who are proving themselves to be world-class talents, exemplifying high-quality craft, skill and expertise on the world stage.
"As Ireland's Rising Stars, they are a reflection of a brilliant new wave of Irish talent in what may be a Golden Era for the Irish Screen industry, and the Academy is proud to recognise their achievements."
19-year-old Dublin star Hazel Doupe can currently be seen in the central role in Kate Dolan's You Are Not My Mother. She is acclaimed for her role as Irish Traveller Frances in Carmel Winters' film Float Like a Butterfly.
Oscar winning writer/director Benjamin Cleary recently completed his feature debut Swan Song which stars Mahershala Ali, Naomie Harris, Glenn Close and Awkwafina. He won an Oscar for Best Live Action Shot for his short film Stutterer in 2016.
Writer/director Kate Dolan's debut feature film You Are Not My Mother premiered at TIFF Midnight Madness in 2021 and had its Irish premiere at the Dublin International Film Festival in February 2022. It is out in Irish cinemas today, 4 March.
Colm Bairéad made his feature film debut with An Cailín Ciúin. The Irish language film had its world premiere at the prestigious Berlin International Film Festival where it won the Grand Prix of the Generation Kplus International Jury for Best Film.
Irish actor Sam Keely plays Eric 'Viking' Kinsella in RTÉ's hit crime drama Kin, which has recently been confirmed for a second season. He also has a major role in NBC's new dramatized retelling of Netflix hit Tiger King where he plays John Finlay, one of Joe Exotic's husbands.
Previous winners of the Rising Star Award include Saoirse Ronan, Michael Fassbender, Tomm Moore, Domhnall Gleeson, John Michael McDonagh, Sarah Greene, Gerard Barrett, Jamie Dornan, Aisling Franciosi, Stephen Fingleton, Patrick Gibson, Jacob McCarthy and Nicola Coughlan.
Kin leads the shortlist for this year's IFTAs with 13 nominations, while An Cailín Ciúin and Belfast have 10 nominations each.
Deirdre O'Kane will host the 2022 IFTA Film & Drama Awards, which will be broadcast on Virgin Media One, at 8.30pm on Saturday 12 March.
