After touring cinemas all over Ireland and internationally, How to Tell a Secret, the powerful documentary exploring HIV-related stigma, has been nominated for the Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA) Awards in two categories.
The IFTA Academy announced the 2023 nominations for the 28 categories in film and drama today, March 7, ahead of the Award Ceremony on May 7. This year’s ceremony marks its 20th anniversary and will welcome guests from all over the world to celebrate the milestone.
How to Tell a Secret is among the 2023 IFTA nominees in the George Morrison Feature Documentary category, while crew member Eleanor Bowman is up for the Cinematography award.
Directed by award-winning director Anna Rodgers and creator Shaun Dunne, the film is an exploration of the experiences of people living with HIV in today’s Ireland. In particular, it explores HIV disclosure and the relationship between advocacy, art, stigma and secrecy.
Delighted to share that How To Tell A Secret is nominated for the George Morrison Feature Documentary award. https://t.co/ALme0jBZeA
— How To Tell A Secret (@ASecretFilm) March 7, 2023
The cast includes well-known names among the Irish LGBTQ+ community, such as Robbie Lawlor, who was diagnosed with HIV when he was 21 and thus became one of the youngest people in Ireland to come out about his status on national television; and Enda McGrattan, better known by the drag name Veda, who opened up about their HIV status in a powerful song after keeping it a secret for a decade.
Taking to Twitter to comment on the announcement, Veda Lady expressed her joy about the two nominations for the documentary, saying: “I’m not crying, you’re crying.”
Great to see @EleanorBowmanDP recognised for her incredible work and for documentary cinematography to be celebrated alongside drama. https://t.co/wO9Raw5TwF
— How To Tell A Secret (@ASecretFilm) March 7, 2023
The other nominees include the wildly popular movie The Banshees of Inisherin, which was nominated in 11 categories. The film Aisha, which explores the lives of asylum seekers under the direct-provision system, followed suit with 10 nominations. One of the actors starring in the movie, Letitia Wright, is up for Best International Actress alongside other big names such as Viola Davis for The Woman King and Cate Blanchett for Tár, which is also up for Best International Feature.
To see the full list of nominees, check out the IFTA website here.
© 2023 GCN (Gay Community News). All rights reserved.
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