Irish short film Stigma scooped the prestigious Grand Prix Irish Short Award at the 63^rd Cork Film Festival Awards Ceremony this evening at the Triskel.

The film, directed by Helen Warner and produced by Marie McDonald, now joins the longlist for the Academy Awards in 2020 in the Live Action Short Film category.

The awards were presented ahead of the Closing Night Gala at the Everyman, with the Irish premiere of Capernaum, directed by Nadine Labaki.

Over 170 filmmakers and special guests travelled to Cork this year and 18,000 people joined them for many sold-out screenings.

Sponsored by RTÉ Supporting the Arts, Principal Media Partner of the Cork Film Festival, the award was presented by Brian Walsh, Deputy Head of Acquisitions/Exec Producer, RTÉ.

“Stigma is an exceptional short and one that is thoroughly deserving of being longlisted for an Oscar and winner of the €1,500 prize fund.” said Cork Film Festival Producer and CEO Fiona Clark.

“It tells the story of how a string of confessions unveil a tale of religious guilt, sin and redemption and possesses a storytelling and visual sophistication that left a distinct impression on the jury.”

The Festival’s second Academy Awards qualifying award, for the Grand Prix International Short Award, was Maria Eriksson’s Schoolyard Blues (Skolstartssorg) a Swedish short film which the judges recognised as being “both uplifting and heart-breaking and prompts us to consider continuity and change, the struggle for survival on the margins and the enduring and potentially restorative power of love”.

Here’s the full list of tonight’s award winners:

• Stigma, directed by Helen Warner — Grand Prix Irish Short Award, Proudly presented by RTÉ Supporting the Arts
• Schoolyard Blues (Skolstartssorg), directed by Maria Eriksson — Grand Prix International Short Award
• Float Like a Butterfly, written and directed by Carmel Winters — Audience Award, Presented by The River Lee
• Border (Gräns) , directed by Ali Abbasi — Gradam Spiorad na Féile (Spirit of the Festival Award), Presented by The Gate Cinema
• Black Sheep, directed by Ed Perkins — Cork Film Festival Candidate for the European Film Awards 2019
• Black Line, directed by Mark Olexa and Francesca Scalisi — Documentary Short Award
• The Shift, directed by Megan K Fox — Best Cork Short Award, Presented by Red FM
• Oonagh Kearney (Five Letters to the Stranger Who Will Dissect My Brain) — Best Director: Irish Short, Supported by Screen Directors Guild Ireland
• Hale County This Morning, This Evening, directed by  RaMell Ross — Gradam na Féile do Scannáin Faisnéise (Award for Cinematic Documentary)
• Crystal Swan (Khrustal), directed by Darya Zhuk — Cork Film Festival Youth Jury Award