The Irish film industry has an impressive roster of movies to suit all moods. From side-splitting comedies to harrowing tragedies and everything in between, these films deserved the Oscar recognition they never received.
A land of the arts, culture, and storytelling, it should come as no surprise that Ireland is a hub of great film. Today, we’re counting down ten times Irish movies were criminally snubbed at the Oscars.
From tales of the Troubles to inspiring biopics, hilarious comedies to heartwarming romances, you can discover a vast array of fantastic Irish films to suit all moods.
- The Irish film industry has an impressive roster of movies to suit all moods. From side-splitting comedies to harrowing tragedies and everything in between, these films deserved the Oscar recognition they never received.
- 10. Maudie (2016) – a beautiful biographical drama
- 9. Wildfire (2020) – an accurate portrayal of Irish family life
- 8. Widows’ Peak (1994) – a beloved tale of small-town Irish life
- 7. Breakfast on Pluto (2006) – take a trip back in time
- 6. Hunger (2008) – the tale of Bobby Sands
- 5. Angela’s Ashes (2000) – a heartbreaking tale of poverty and family
- 4. The Guard (2011) – a hilarious police comedy
- 3. Veronica Guerin (2003) – the tale of a formidable Irish journalist
- 2. The Wind That Shakes The Barley (2006) – the fight for Irish independence
- 1. The Magdalene Sisters (2002) – telling a tale of injustice
10. Maudie (2016) – a beautiful biographical drama
Maudie was a 2016 co-production between Ireland and Canada. Starring Sally Hawkins and Ethan Hawke, Maudie tells the inspiring tale of folk artist Maud Lewis. Maud Lewis struggled with arthritis, the memory of a lost child, and an unsupportive family.
The movie received much critical acclaim, including seven Canadian Screen Awards and three Irish Film and Television Awards. However, it remains among the Irish movies that were criminally snubbed at the Oscars.
9. Wildfire (2020) – an accurate portrayal of Irish family life
A drama thriller directed by Cathy Brady and starring Nora-Jane Noone and the late Nika McGuigan, Wildfire tells the story of two reunited sisters who discover the dark secrets of their family’s past.
Heartfelt, dark, and realistic, the movie received much critical acclaim. However, it still failed to gain any recognition at the Oscars.
8. Widows’ Peak (1994) – a beloved tale of small-town Irish life
Starring big names such as Mia Farrow and Natasha Richardson, Widows’ Peak takes place in a small, fictional Irish town called Kilshannon.
So, set just after the First World War, this mystery drama tells the tale of the stylish American widow Edwina Broome as she attempts to find her way in this small and closed Irish community.
7. Breakfast on Pluto (2006) – take a trip back in time
Starring Cillian Murphy as a foundling transgender woman on the hunt for her long-lost mother in Ireland and London in the 1970s, Breakfast on Pluto is a glam yet thought-provoking tale that transports viewers back in time.
Receiving much critical acclaim, including an IFTA Award and a Golden Globe nomination, the movie was famously snubbed by the Oscars.
6. Hunger (2008) – the tale of Bobby Sands
Starring the talented Kerry actor Michael Fassbender, Hunger tells the story of the last six weeks of Bobby Sands’ life.
Set in the Maze Prison in Northern Ireland, the movie tells the story of the famous Hunger Strike, which took place in 1981, in an attempt to regain political status for Irish Republican Prisoners.
5. Angela’s Ashes (2000) – a heartbreaking tale of poverty and family
Based on the harrowing autobiography of Frank McCourt, Angela’s Ashes is a heartbreaking tale of a young boy growing up in the poverty-stricken pre-war Limerick.
Starring Emily Watson and Joe Breen, this harrowing tale undoubtedly marks one of the most memorable times Irish movies were criminally snubbed at the Oscars.
4. The Guard (2011) – a hilarious police comedy
So, starring Brendan Gleeson and Don Cheadle, The Guard is a dark comedy telling the tale of Sergeant Gerry Boyle, a police officer with unorthodox methods.
The movie was directed by John Michael McDonagh and follows Boyle as he is forced to team up with FBI agent Wendell Everett to tackle an international drug smuggling gang in his town.
3. Veronica Guerin (2003) – the tale of a formidable Irish journalist
Telling the tale of Irish journalist Veronica Guerin, who famously exposed the truth of criminal drug gangs in Dublin, this movie was incredibly deserving of Oscar recognition.
Also a harrowing tale, the movie shows the extent to which Guerin went to break the story. This ultimately resulted in the loss of her life.
2. The Wind That Shakes The Barley (2006) – the fight for Irish independence
Starring Cillian Murphy and Pádraic Delaney as two brothers fighting side-by-side against the British forces for Irish independence, The Wind That Shakes The Barley is widely regarded as one of the best Irish movies of all time.
So, post-treaty, the brothers find themselves on opposite sides of the ensuing Civil War. This is one tale that was all too common among families at the time. This is easily one of Cillian Murphy’s best movies.
1. The Magdalene Sisters (2002) – telling a tale of injustice
Set in the notorious Magdalene laundries, where ‘fallen’ young women were sent by their families to be redeemed by the Catholic Church, The Magdalene Sisters is a heartbreaking tale of what life was like for women in Ireland in the mid-20th-century.
One of the times Irish movies were criminally snubbed at the Oscars, the film did in fact receive much critical acclaim elsewhere, including during its premiere at the Venice Film Festival.
So, there you have it. Ten times Irish movies were snubbed at the Oscars. Which one do you find the most shocking?
