Dromahair to NYC: Leitrim filmmaker wins Best Student Film at New York International Film Awards

A Leitrim woman has won in the New York International Film Awards in the Best Student Film category for July with a short film she wrote and directed called TV Night! as part of her final-year studies.

23-year-old Carrie McDaid from Dromahair was one of seven shortlisted finalists in the category for July, ultimately taking home the title.

Carrie is planning to move to New York this November, where she will intern for a year on a postgraduate programme, continuing work in her field in the United States. The win, she says, has meant a great deal, something she hadn’t anticipated.

“It’s great publicity for the film because with an arts degree you have to constantly put yourself forward. It’s great to get any kind of word,” said Carrie.

TV Night! was inspired by psychological films and television such as The Truman Show and Severance. The psychological thriller tells the story of the Fitzpatricks, who gather to watch the same TV show every night, smiling, complacent, and trapped. But when youngest son Aidan begins to notice cracks in their perfect 1950s world, he uncovers the disturbing truth behind their existence.

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“It’s the idea that something isn’t right,” explained Carrie. “It's a perfect family dressed in 1950s attire and they’re watching the same TV show every day until the son realises there’s something wrong.”

Carrie drew parallels between the fictional world of the Fitzpatricks and today’s reality, noting themes of media control, the resurgence of conservatism, and the seductive power of nostalgia.

A graduate of TU Dublin with a BA in Film and Broadcasting, Carrie has long been passionate about filmmaking. She began her third-level studies in Scotland, studying Psychology and Spanish, but soon realised her true calling.

“I knew I’d love to do film but didn’t think it was a ‘safe’ option for jobs. I dropped out and came home and applied for film, and it was well worth it,” she said.

The New York award has given Carrie an extra boost of confidence as she prepares to head to the U.S. in just over two months.

“It’s definitely given me some more confidence, any sort of win gives reassurance,” she said. “It was great fun to make it and it’s great to get some recognition.”

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Once in America, she hopes to explore documentary and radio work, noting that there can be “a lot of pressure” in directing.

Carrie hopes TV Night! will prompt audiences to reflect on the world around them.

“We’re going backwards and a film like that might open up a conversation about being controlled by other people,” she said. “Playing with ideas of control, image, and tradition, especially when seen through the eyes of a young person starting to ask questions, for me, is a crucial part of today’s political landscape.”

With TV Night! earning international recognition, the young Leitrim woman is stepping into the next chapter of her career with a story to tell.