The Irish Film & Television Academy (IFTA), which celebrates 20 years this year, will present Oscar-winning actress Judi Dench with the Irish Academy Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her outstanding contribution to the world of film and television. She will receive the award and take part in a very special in conversation hosted by Deirdre O’Kane at the Shelbourne Hotel in Dublin, supported by Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland though the Screen Stakeholders Funding Scheme.
From Shakespearean stage roles to iconic film performances, Dame Judi Dench is one of the world’s most versatile and respected actors, with an illustrious career that spans over six decades. Beloved by her peers and public alike, her performances have earned her awards and accolades across the globe. She is an Oscar winner with a further seven Oscar Nominations, ten BAFTA awards, two SAG Awards and two Golden Globes to her name for her screen performances. She has also won a Tony Award and seven Olivier Awards for her theatrical work.
This special Irish Academy Lifetime Achievement Award recognises Dame Judi’s body of work and her remarkable achievements. Known for her extraordinary ability to command the screen in both leading and supporting roles, she has for decades been one of the most in-demand actors working and brings enormous prestige to any project she is involved in.
Dame Judi was born in York with both of her parents having grown up in Dublin. Her mother was born in Ireland and her father born in the UK. Her parents met while studying at Trinity College. She has remained connected to her Irish heritage both personally and professionally over the many years, and brought enormous depth and empathy to her performance in Irish films ‘Philomena’ and ‘Belfast’. She has collaborated with many Irish screen talent over the years including Ciaran Hinds, Kenneth Branagh, Caitriona Balfe, Jamie Dornan, Charlie Murphy, Jessie Buckley, Chris O’Dowd, Daniel Day Lewis and Michael Fassbender.
Dame Judi Dench expressed how honoured she feels to be acknowledged here in Ireland for her body of work, and said, “it’s especially wonderful for me to receive this Lifetime Achievement Award from the Irish Film and Television Academy, as my family are from Ireland and it gives me a wonderful excuse to return to Dublin.”
Áine Moriarty, Chief Executive of IFTA, said, “it’s such an honour to pay tribute to Judi Dench and to celebrate her extraordinary talent, work and career. Judi is a master of her craft; the breadth and variety of her work on stage and screen has solidified her as one of the most respected and iconic actors of her generation. We look forward to hosting this special event with Judi and presenting her with the Irish Academy Lifetime Achievement Award here in Dublin, the city where her parents grew up. The event will be a celebration of her achievements and a moment to recognize her indelible connections with Ireland and the Irish screen industry.”
Tickets will be available through the IFTA website here.
Source: Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland
