In this Film Ireland Podcast, we’re shining a spotlight on the Dublin International Comedy Film Festival (DICFF), which returns for its sixth edition from 27th - 30th November, to Tailors’ Hall, The Liberties.
First up, festival director Mo O’Connell talks through this year’s jam-packed programme.
Then we have a live recording from the first heat of the DICFF stand-up competition, held earlier this year in collaboration with Culture 8 and the Dublin Liberties Distillery.
Finally, Film Ireland contributor Rachel Melita is in conversation with actor, writer, and filmmaker Laoisa Sexton. Laoisa’s short I Can't Go On screens as part of Shorts Block F on Friday, 29th November.
Listen to this podcast now on Apple, Spotify, Amazon, Soundcloud, or subscribe to Film Ireland wherever you get your podcasts.
This episode has been made possible with the support of Coimisiún na Meán and the Screen Ireland Stakeholder’s Scheme.
As Mo mentions in the podcast, here is the GoFundMe link to support Haneen Koraz, as she empowers the children of Gaza through art.
Here's the link to support Aisling & her three boys, Ted, Sonny & Max.
Festival Director Mo O’Connell
The festival is the brainchild of Maureen “Mo” O’Connell, an award-winning actor, writer, director, and producer. Mo is co-producer on the dramedy Horseshoe, which will be released in cinemas this December. The filmmaking duo behind Horseshoe first met Mo through DICFF, after submitting their short to the festival.
Mo’s own debut comedy feature, Spa Weekend, has been a hit both at home and internationally, screening at festivals across the UK, Europe, the US, Canada, and Ireland. It won the ‘She Is On Fire’ Award at the Female Filmmakers Festival in Berlin. She has also received multiple awards for directing shorts including Haven, Bruise, and Hum.
Mo is the founder and head of the multi–award-winning company 3 Hot Whiskeys Productions Ltd., and was recently nominated for the TU Dublin TrailblazHer Awards in the Future Leader 2025 category.
Laoisa Sexton
Laoisa is an actress, writer and filmmaker originally from County Clare. She won a green card in school lotto which took her to study drama in New York City. Onstage, she has worked extensively in prominent Off Broadway theaters including Irish Repertory Theater (where she is a company member), Irish Arts Center, Labyrinth, The Actor's Studio, Symphony Space, 59E59 and more. She has also appeared in prestigious regional theaters across the US amongst them The Guthrie, Minneapolis and Studio Theater, Washington DC. She wrote and performed three of her own plays, all of them received Off Broadway productions in New York: For Love and The Last Days of Cleopatra (both received 5* NY Times Critics Picks), and The Pigeon in The Taj Mahal with further productions in Ireland and Canada. Her fourth play Blessed Art Thou Amongst Women received the Agility Award from the Arts Council.Laoisa has appeared in many independent films and TV appearances in the US and Ireland. Laoisa wrote, acted and directed the short films- I didn’t... I wasn’t ...I amn’t, featuring veteran Irish actor Aidan Gillen (Game of Thrones) . The film premiered at Cork International Film Festival and picked up multiple awards internationally, and was nominated for a ZEBBIE Award by the Writer's Guild. The Lucky Man premiered at Galway Film Fleadh and won multiple awards at Bafta recognized LOCO London Comedy Film Festival picking up Best Short, Best Script and Best Actor in 2023, and was broadcast on RTE ShortScreen. Laoisa received Screen Ireland funding for her third short film I Can't Go On which premiered at Galway Film Fleadh. Laoisa is represented by RBM Actors in London.
This year’s line-up includes over 50 comedy films, sketches, live stand-up, script readings, Q&As, competitions, and a brilliant final awards ceremony. Explore the full programme at dublininternationalcomedyfilmfest.com or buy your festival pass here.
