Oska Bright: Notable Achievements
An Irish Goodbye
Oska Bright is the world’s leading festival for films produced by or featuring people with learning disabilities or autism.
It first opened its doors in 2004 as a one-day festival at The Old Market in Brighton. The biennial festival has since grown both in size and impact, with audience numbers growing by over 180%. At our last festival, we welcomed an audience of 3,500 and screened 99 films around the UK. This year, we have 400 films from 16 countries screening in 13 different strands.
While we have emerged as a platform for exceptional talent, we have also highlighted undeniable disparity within the industry. Less than 5% of disabled people work within the UK film industry, and we’re committed to changing this permanently.
Alongside growing success with audience numbers, Oska Bright has received numerous accreditations and awards throughout the years. In 2007, we were awarded the National Lottery Best Arts Project. In 2019, we received a BAFTA accreditation and an F-rating for our Wild Women strand, which supports and promotes women in film.
From receiving numerous awards, establishing new partnerships and gaining worldwide recognition, there’s so much we’re proud of. A notable achievement for us was screening An Irish Goodbye at our 2022 festival, which went on to win an Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film.
An Irish Goodbye follows estranged siblings Turlough (played by Seamus O’Hara) and Lorcan (played by James Martin) as they find themselves compelled to come together after the unexpected passing of their mother (Michelle Fairley). However, their poignant return takes an unexpected turn when they stumble across an incomplete bucket list left behind by their mother.
According to the BBC, Martin is the first actor with Down’s syndrome to receive an Academy Award. He told the BBC, “It doesn’t matter if you have Down’s syndrome, as long as you’re doing what you do. I do what I can to be funny.”
Sarah Watson, Oska Bright programmer, said:
“I knew from first viewing it was a hit. It has such a quality, and I knew audiences would love it. Although it's a sad story, a lot of people will identify with the themes of the film. We love it.”
James Martin was nominated for Best Actor at Oska Bright 2022 for portraying protagonist Lorcan in the black comedy. The film went on to receive 3 notable awards:
Best Live Action Short Film at the 95th Academy Awards® 2023.
Best British Short Film at the 76th EE BAFTA Awards 2023.
Best Live Action Short Film at the 20th Irish Film and Television Awards 2023.
The film’s success is a testament to the recognition and visibility that learning disabled and autistic filmmakers deserve. We hope the industry will continue recognising the vast talent that exists within marginalised groups, as there is still a long way to go.