The National Film School’s Éabha Bortolozza and Jack Kirwin took home the Animation award for their film about alcoholism, The Usual. “The composition and flow of the imagery is creative and demonstrates a high standard of animation direction,” said the judges.

Brendan McCallion and Frank O’Malley’s farm-set film, Backwater, won the Drama award and featured “a strong acting cast”, with “good scripting, detailed camera shots and set design [making] this a decidedly powerful production”.

The Short Form award went to Jack Desmond and Philip Emo’s romantic drama, Speak to Her, which “rises above the grim, precarious working life that newly arrived emigrants may experience”.

The other two awards went to Ballyfermot College students. Michael Fitzgibbon, Potema Dunne and Tyler Lynch’s Robots Need Not Apply, “a highly creative and futuristic production with exceptional high-tech robotic action and sound”, took the Comedy and Entertainment prize.

Patricia Murphy scooped the Factual award with the “sophisticated” Indelible about photographer Donal Moloney.

RTS Republic of Ireland Chair Charles Byrne “congratulated all the students, tutors and colleges without whose work we would have no student awards. We are delighted to see you and hope that participating in these awards will be helpful to your future careers.”

RTÉ Director-General Dee Forbes, TG4 Director General Alan Esslemont, Virgin Media Television Director of Content Bill Malone and ShinAwiL CEO Larry Bass presented the awards. Egg Post Production sponsored the awards.