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Reviews

Film Ireland is a Rotten Tomatoes-approved online outlet, supported by Coimisiún na Meán and Screen Ireland stakeholders’ funding, and spanning back to 1987.

Irish Film

As a Rotten Tomatoes–accredited outlet, Film Ireland has been covering Irish film, cinema, festivals and the wider screen industries since 1987. Originally established as a print magazine, Film Ireland moved online in 2013.

Podcast

Established in 1987, Film Ireland began as a print publication and has since moved into a popular industry podcast and digital format. Since the first episode went live in 2013, Film Ireland has produced over 500 podcasts. Interviewees include Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, Ciaran Donnelly, M. Night Shyamalan, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, Terence Davies & many more. Listen to Film Ireland where ever you get your podcasts.

Article

Our film coverage brings together interviews, reviews, industry insights, and critical perspectives from across Ireland and beyond, championing bold storytelling and the people behind it.

Gemma Creagh

Gemma Creagh is a writer-director and journalist whose work blends dark humour with emotional weight. Her debut funded short, Conveyance, premiered at the Galway Film Fleadh 2024 and has gone on to screen at festivals worldwide. Her plays have been staged and funded by Axis, About Face, Jerome Hynes One Act Play Series, Arts Council, and Barnstorm. She's the Associate Editor of Film Ireland and sometimes contributes to RTÉ Radio One's Arena.

Dublin International Film Festival

For 11 unforgettable days in February, Dublin transforms into a vibrant hub of cinematic excellence. DIFF brings the best of Irish and international cinema to the capital for a celebration of storytelling. They welcome the lovers, the dreamers, and the curious newcomers. From world premieres to intimate screenings, exclusive Q&As to parties and celebrations, DIFF offers a unique journey into the world of film, all set against the backdrop of buzz of the Irish capital.

Galway Film Fleadh

Galway Film Fleadh is a week-long international film festival taking place every July on the western edge of Europe in Galway, Ireland. Founded in 1989 as a platform for Irish filmmakers to exhibit their work to their peers, the central goal of the Galway Film Fleadh remains unchanged: to be a platform for the boldest new films, and to bring audiences & filmmakers from around the world together, to celebrate our shared passion for film.

Paul Farren

Paul Farren is an Irish director and writer whose work spans over two decades across short and feature films. His feature Where the Sea Used to Be (2012) explores intimate interpersonal drama, while shorts including Saturday, Pandora, Choppers, Lift and Witch Hazel showcase a range of narrative and experimental styles. His short Saturday was nominated for First Prize at the Montréal World Film Festival in 2002.

June Butler

June Butler is an artist, writer, and avid moviegoer. She lists Lars von Trier, Gaspar Noé, and Wong Kar-Wai among her favourite directors. June has held several solo exhibitions of her paintings both here in Dublin and Tokyo, Japan. June’s paintings have been sold to the late Charles Haughey, the late Sir Anthony J. F. O’Reilly, and Sir Michael Smurfit, among others. In 2002, June embarked on a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, graduating in 2007.

Irish Film Institute

The Irish Film Institute is Ireland’s national cultural institution for film & provides audiences with access to the finest independent, Irish & international cinema; it preserves & promotes Ireland’s moving image heritage through the Irish Film Archive, & provides opportunities for audiences of all ages & backgrounds to learn & critically engage with film. The IFI delivers the best of international & Irish film culture through a programme of new releases, seasons, festivals & events.

Element Pictures

Element Pictures is an award-winning film and TV drama company led by Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe, with bases in Dublin and London. Majority-owned by Fremantle since 2022, it’s known for bold storytelling and collaborations with top talent. Credits include Poor Things, The Favourite, Room, and Normal People. Recent work spans acclaimed films and series for BBC, Netflix, and RTÉ. Their productions have earned 30 Oscar nominations (6 wins), 38 BAFTAs (15 wins), and 21 Golden Globes (4 wins).

Stephen Porzio

Stephen is a film writer, journalist and podcaster. Formerly co-editor of the film section of HeadStuff, he is now a writer at JOE.ie. He has also had work published in Hot Press, The Times (Ireland Edition), The Irish Sun and Film Ireland and co-hosts the HeadStuff film podcast I Know That Face. He graduated with a BA in English and Film from UCD and an MA in journalism at DCU.

Ed Guiney

Ed Guiney co-founded Element Pictures with Andrew Lowe in 2001 and serves as Co-CEO, overseeing its film and TV slate across Dublin, Belfast and London. Recent work includes Oscar-winning Poor Things and Kinds of Kindness, with Bugonia due in 2025. Upcoming films include On Becoming a Guinea Fowl and September Says. Past credits include Room, The Favourite and The Lobster. TV work includes Normal People and The Dry. Guiney has 3 Oscar nominations, 2 BAFTAs and a Golden Globe.

Cork International Film Festival

Cork International Film Festival an exciting and ambitious annual film festival, connecting audiences and artists through a curated selection of the best films. First recognised by the International Federation of Film Producers in 1950, it now hosts three Oscar®-accredited awards. Nearly 69 years after its Cannes beginnings, Cork International Film Festival’s influence stretches from Cork to Hollywood.

Northern Ireland Screen

Northern Ireland Screen is the UK government-backed agency supporting the region’s film, television & digital content industries. It drives economic growth, promotes culture and enhances education by investing in production and development, offering location and crew support & marketing Northern Ireland globally. NI Screen also provides training funding, supports film education and heritage & fosters a sustainable, dynamic screen industry whose cultural and economic impact continues to grow.

News

Check in here for updates on Film Ireland's happenings, events and talks. Delve deep into the industry and craft...

Volta Pictures

VOLTA PICTURES (formerly Element Distribution) is an Irish independent film distributor founded in 2007 by Ed Guiney and Andrew Lowe. The company releases Irish, independent & event cinema. Notable titles include Calm with Horses, Room, The Lobster, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, Rosie, Dublin Oldschool, and A Bump Along the Way. The Guard became one of Ireland’s highest-grossing independent films. Releases include God’s Creatures & Herself, alongside collaborations such as The Cherry Orchard.

Sarah Cullen

Sarah Cullen is a research assistant from Dublin. Along with writing for Film Ireland she is also a film editor for Headstuff. She has written on film and literature in several academic collections and journals including the Irish Gothic Journal and the Irish Journal of American Studies.

Lalor Roddy

Belfast actor Lalor Roddy's career spans film, TV and theatre. He is known for roles in major films including Hunger, Grabbers, Calvary, The Devil’s Doorway & Boys from County Hell, and has also appeared in numerous television productions. Roddy has collaborated with leading filmmakers including John Michael McDonagh, Steve McQueen and Frank Berry.

Conor Bryce

Conor Bryce is a designer, author and amateur filmmaker with a lifelong love of cinema. Born in County Down and a Limerick blow-in for nigh-on fifteen years, when he’s not running after his daughter he’s running along the Shannon with a movie podcast in his ears. He’ll happily talk your ear off about why a Krull remake would rock or how the Last of the Mohicans soundtrack changed his life, but you’ll have to catch him first.

Disney

The Walt Disney Company is a global entertainment organisation spanning film, TV, streaming, theme parks, consumer products & gaming. Its portfolio includes Pixar, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, and 20th Century Studios, alongside broadcasters. Streaming platform Disney+, distributes content from Disney, Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar and National Geographic. In Ireland, Disenchanted was filmed in County Wicklow, while Disney Junior has engaged in animated co-productions with JAM Media.

Martina Niland

Martina Niland is Founder and CEO of Port Pictures Ltd and an acclaimed Irish film and TV producer with over 20 years’ experience across domestic and international projects. Formerly a lead producer with Samson Films, her credits include Once, Sing Street, Float Like a Butterfly, Run & Jump, Stay, and Snap. Her work has premiered at Sundance, Tribeca and Toronto, earning major awards including an Academy Award for Best Original Song and widespread critical acclaim.

Liam Neeson

Ballymena actor Liam Neeson has enjoyed a career spanning over four decades, from theatre stages in Belfast and Dublin to Hollywood’s biggest films. He began with the Lyric Theatre and Dublin’s Project and Abbey Theatre before moving into cinema in the early 1980s. International acclaim followed his Oscar-nominated role in Schindler’s List. He has since balanced acclaimed dramas such as Michael Collins with global action success in the Taken franchise, alongside more recent comedic work.

Maureen Hughes

In 1984 Maureen joined Druid Theatre Company and later became Casting Director at the Abbey Theatre. She worked on films including The Butcher Boy, The Boxer, Extra Ordinary, The Miracle Club, and Small Things Like These, collaborating with Martin McDonagh, Jim Sheridan, Paolo Sorrentino, and John Carney. Her TV work includes Love/Hate, Hidden Assets, and Taken Down, while her theatre credits include The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Hangmen, and The Ferryman.

Screen Ireland

Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland is the national agency for Ireland’s film, TV drama, animation & documentary sector, supporting talent, creativity & enterprise. Through funding across development, production, distribution, promotion & skills, it supports the industry at every stage, allowing filmmakers to tell artistic, cultural & commercial stories. At Film Ireland, we are grateful to Screen Ireland for their support in delivering our Depth of Field initiatives, key courses/events & Screen Sessions.

Ross Whitaker

Host and Creator of the Doc Arena Podcast, and former Film Ireland Editor. Ross is a producer/director of documentaries including Beat the Lotto (2025), Katie (2018), Between Land & Sea (2016), Unbreakable (2014) & Saviours (2007). TV work includes Birdsong (2024) RTÉ/BBC, Peter the Great (2023) NBC, Rachael Blackmore: A Grand Year (2021) ITV/RTÉ & Barney Curley Beat the Bookies (2021) BBC/RTÉ. His award-winning shorts include Bye Bye Now & Home Turf. He is a former IFI DocFest director.

Liam Hanlon

Liam Hanlon has been a contributing writer for Film Ireland since 2016 and an MA in Film & Television Studies graduate from DCU. Liam has a penchant for all Lynch, Nolan, Guadagnino, Haigh projects, fervent admirer of Hugh Grant’s transition from floppy-haired fop to loveable curmudgeon, and promoter of the cinematic glory of Nigella Lawson television productions. Follow him on Letterboxd.

RTÉ

RTÉ, Ireland’s Public Service Broadcaster, is a non-profit owned by the Irish people. It leads cross-media in television, radio, and online, offering free-to-air, high-quality, impartial services. RTÉ operates two TV channels, four radio stations, and Ireland’s top media website, RTÉ.ie, alongside the RTÉ Guide magazine and RTÉ Aertel teletext. It contributes to the arts, supporting five performing groups, and its Libraries and Archives preserve eight decades of radio, TV & production material.

Light House Cinema

Light House Cinema offers a curated selection of independent, classic, & international films. The venue hosts 4K restorations, 35mm film screenings, and special concert films. Beyond traditional cinema, guests can attend National Theatre Live broadcasts and Q&A screenings with industry guests. The programme features everything from cult classics and retrospectives to festival highlights like GAZE. The cinema is run by the Light House Group and managed by Element Pictures.

Steven Galvin

Film Ireland Editor-in-chief, Steven is an editor, musician & visual artist. He holds a first-class MA in Film & TV Studies from DCU. Steven became Editor of Film Ireland in 2013, leading its shift from print to digital. An audio-visual artist, he has performed at venues including The Button Factory & The Sugar Club. He has worked in sound mixing, composition & editing across film and theatre, and provides freelance services to industry bodies while also teaching editing and lecturing at IADT.

Dogwoof

Dogwoof is a London-based documentary company spanning production, sales, and theatrical distribution. Its films have earned 37 Oscar nominations, including seven wins, and five BAFTAs. Key titles include No Other Land, 20 Days in Mariupol, Navalny, and Free Solo. Recent work includes Black Box Diaries, Sugarcane, and One to One: John & Yoko, with multiple premieres at Sundance 2026 and selections in Berlin and Cannes.

Michael Lee

Michael Stephen Lee is a filmmaker, writer film critic who studied at National Film School at IADT, Dún Laoghaire. Raised in Terenure, Michael’s early years were marked by equal parts mischief and curiosity, eventually leading him to boarding school, where he developed a lasting passion for literature, storytelling and cinema. After an extended period in Catalonia, he returned to education with focus, pursuing his interest in narrative and filmmaking.

Michael O’Sullivan

DocArena

The DocArena Podcast explores the art and craft of documentary filmmaking. Hosted by filmmaker Ross Whitaker, each episode features in-depth conversations with leading directors on their creative choices, storytelling methods, funding & distribution. The series offers a behind-the-scenes look at how documentaries are made, from idea to screen. Past guests include Maurice O’Brien, Colm Quinn, Felicity Morris, Bernadette Higgins, Rachel Ramsey, Andrew Gallimore, Kevin Macdonald & Jeanie Finlay.

Ruth McCabe

Ruth is an acclaimed actress who won an IFTA in 2003 for her role in Any Time Now & again in 2011 for Single-Handed. She is regarded as one of the prominent names in Irish cinema & theatre & has performed in numerous productions at the Abbey. Her credits includes My Left Foot (1989), The Snapper (1993), Circle of Friends (1995), Inside I'm Dancing (2004), Breakfast on Pluto (2005), Wake Wood (2009), Stella Days (2011), Philomena (2013), Aisha (2022) & That They May Face the Rising Sun (2023).

Mick Jordan

Mick Jordan is a writer and filmmaker. His latest film Letter To My 16 Year Old Self is presently screening at festivals around the country. He has a BA in Film and has written for TV and radio. He co-hosts the film review podcast Spoilerama.

Matthew Briody

Matthew Briody is a freelance writer with a keen interest in writing and directing. Matthew studied journalism and then went to IADT where he got a degree in English, Media and Cultural Studies. When he's not writing, Matthew can be found doing extra work on sets, where he pretends to rub shoulders with the stars. You can read more of his reviews on his Letterboxd page and follow him on Instagram.

Wayne Byrne

Wayne Byrne is a writer and film historian. He is the author of Include Me Out: The Cinema of Tom DiCillo, Nick McLean: Behind the Camera – The Life, Work of a Hollywood Cinematographer, and Burt Reynolds on Screen. He has written for Hot Press, Books Ireland, Film Ireland, The Dark Side, the Irish Times, and other publications.

TG4

TG4, the Irish language TV channel has been on-air since late 1996. TG4 is free-to-air, available across all viewing platforms, with a strong viewer base throughout the island of Ireland. The channel’s programmes have achieved national recognition, prestigious prizes & awards at home and abroad and sales overseas. Music, documentary and sports coverage have earned particular praise Its regular soap, Ros na Rún has made its mark as has the channel’s distinctive news service, Nuacht TG4.

Jack Reynor

Jack Reynor is an Irish actor from Dublin who trained at Belvedere College. He broke out with What Richard Did, winning an Irish Film and Television Award, before gaining international recognition in Transformers: Age of Extinction. He has since appeared in Glassland, Sing Street, Free Fire and Midsommar.

James Bartlett

James has spent over 25 years writing and reporting on travel, lifestyle, history, food, entertainment, and the unusual for more than 150 outlets, including the Los Angeles Times, BBC, National Geographic Traveler, The Guardian, and Variety. Author of the true crime book The Alaskan Blonde and the Gourmet Ghosts guides, he has appeared on podcasts, radio, and TV, including Ghost Adventures and The UnXplained.

Will Penn

Will Penn grew up in Luxembourg. Since moving to Dublin in 2018, his poems and essays have been featured in the Summer Hill Magazine, and the Gorko Gazette. Check out his Instagram page @wildman.will, and follow him on Substack: @willpens.

Eclipse Pictures

Eclipse is the longest-established independent film distribution company in Ireland. Led by Siobhán Farrell and Claire Dunlop, the company brings together over 35 years of industry experience. Its predominantly female team takes pride in championing a diverse slate of Irish and international feature films and documentaries, connecting them with audiences across the country. Eclipse Pictures is driven by a passion for films it believes in, with a mission to educate and engage through cinema.

National Talent Academies

The National Talent Academies is an initiative by Screen Ireland to drive Irish creative talent from diverse backgrounds and disciplines at all levels into the sector and develop greater awareness of the sector as a career path.

Moe Dunford

Dunford is a Waterford-born actor best known for his role in the hit series Vikings. A graduate of The Gaiety School of Acting in 2009, he has appeared in dramas including The Tudors and Game of Thrones. He has won Irish Film & Television Awards for Patrick’s Day, Vikings, and Nightride, and stars in The Dry. His extensive screen credits include Raw, A Crisis, Striking Out, Dublin Murders, Black ’47, Rosie, The Dig, Handsome Devil, Michael Inside, Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and Utopia.

Michael Fleming

Dublin-based composer Michael Fleming blends classical training with roots in trad, folk & post-rock(via The Jimmy Cake) to create distinctive, bespoke scores. In 2021 he won Best Soundtrack/Sound Design at the International Webby Awards for BBC Sounds’ Where Is George Gibney?. His credits span Broken Law, Dunhuang: Edge of the World & IFTA-winning Mattress Men. He also scores major campaigns for brands including Jameson, Liberty Insurance & Irish Rail & collaborates with Coiscéim Dance Theatre.

Domhnall Gleeson

Domhnall Gleeson is an Irish actor, director and screenwriter, and the son of Brendan Gleeson. Early in his career, he wrote and directed short films and earned a Tony nomination for The Lieutenant of Inishmore. He gained wider recognition in Harry Potter, About Time, and Ex Machina. A three-time IFTA winner, he has starred in Star Wars, The Revenant, and The Patient, earning a Golden Globe nomination.

Naemi Victoria

Naemi is a writer & visual artist, who having completed an undergraduate degree in English and American Studies at the University of Hamburg, she moved to Dublin for a master’s degree in Film Theory at Trinity College. Her research interests are working-class cinema, gender representation, and the study of neoliberalism in popular media. Naemi is pursuing a PhD at the University of Konstanz investigating the impact of neoliberal ideology on the representation of working-class identity.

Shannon Cotter

Cork writer, critic and correspondent Shannon Cotter divides her time between the banks of the Lee and the red carpets and darkened cinemas of Cannes, London, and Venice.

Stephen Rea

Stephen Rea is an acclaimed actor from County Tyrone. A co-founder of Dublin’s Field Day Theatre Company with Brian Friel, he has been a major figure in Irish theatre and film. Rea earned an Academy Award nomination for The Crying Game (1992), and won a BAFTA for his role in The Honourable Woman (2014). His extensive credits include V for Vendetta, Angel (1982), The Company of Wolves (1984), High Spirits (1988), Prêt-à-Porter (1994), Michael Collins (1996) and Interview with the Vampire (1994)

Kate McCullough

Kate received the Golden Frog for Best Cinematography on a Docudrama I Dolours at Camerimage. In the same year she was nominated for an Emmy and an IMAGO award for her work on The Farthest. Upon completing her studies at The National Film School, Lodz, Poland, McCullough shot the Irish box office hit His and Hers. This film went on to win the ‘World Cinematography Award in Documentary’, Sundance. She has won the IFTA Award for Best Cinematography twice.

Aidan Gillen

Aidan Gillen is an actor from Drumcondra best known for his roles in Love/Hate, Game of Thrones, Peaky Blinders, and The Wire. With a career spanning four decades, he is regarded as one of Ireland’s finest actors. He has won multiple IFTA Awards for performances in Love/Hate, Charlie, and The Wire, and received further acclaim for Kin. His film work includes The Dark Knight Rises, Calvary, Sing Street, and Bohemian Rhapsody.

Creative Europe MEDIA Desk

Creative Europe MEDIA is the European Commission’s flagship funding programme supporting the European AV & film industries. It provides financial backing to filmmakers, production companies, & distributors to develop, produce, & promote European works with strong cross-border & international appeal. In Ireland, there are two Creative Europe MEDIA desks based in Dublin and Galway. Projects supported by this fund include Normal People, The Favourite and The Quiet Girl (An Cailín Ciúin).

A24

A24 is an entertainment company known for producing and distributing original, critically acclaimed films and television. Founded in 2012, it has built a reputation for supporting unique filmmakers and telling unconventional stories. The company is recognised for its distinctive style, creative risk-taking, and strong visual identity. Irish projects they've supported include The Green Knight (2021), The Hole in the Ground (2019), Room (2015), The Lobster (2015) and Eternity (2025)

David Prendeville

David is a filmmaker and film critic. He completed an M.Phil in Film Theory and History in Trinity College Dublin, where he wrote a thesis on the cinema of Nicolas Roeg. Prior to this he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts with Film Studies from University of Galway. His main interests include: Avant-garde and Experimental Cinema, Genre Films, Danish Cinema and British cinema. Some of his favourite film-makers include Nicolas Roeg, Stanley Kubrick, Michael Powell, Todd Solondz & Martin Scorsese.

Irene Falvey

Macdara Kelleher

Dublin Producer Macdara is the CEO at Wild Atlantic Pictures, who were nominated for an Oscar for their work producing Richard Linklater’s Blue Moon starring Ethan Hawke & Andrew Scott. He produced Lee Cronin’s The Mummy, Evil Dead Rise, Black 47, Abigail, Black 47, Cocaine Bear, Life's a Breeze, Mammal and much, much more.

Andrew Carroll

Andrew is a writer, podcaster, editor and civil service goon based in Dublin, Ireland. He has written for The University Observer in UCD, Film Ireland, TheCity.ie and HeadStuff. He is the editor of the HeadStuff Gaming section but spends more time playing games than he does writing about them. With friend and film editor Stephen Porzio he is also the co-creator and co-host of the world's only character actor podcast I Know That Face on the HeadStuff Podcast Network.

Cannes Film Festival

Founded in 1946, the festival is now held annually at the Palais des Festivals et des Congrès. Irish cinema has featured across competition, sidebars, shorts & market screenings. The Wind That Shakes the Barley won the Palme d’Or, while The Lobster took the Jury Prize. Films including Garage, Vivarium, The Surfer and Kinds of Kindness have screened across Cannes sections. Recent and upcoming Irish-linked titles include Pillion, My Father’s Shadow, Saipan and Power Ballad.

Gary Lydon

Gary Lydon sadly passed in April 2026. He was born Gary Mark O'Brien in London but moved with his parents to his father's native County, Wexford. After leaving school he joined Wexford Theatre Co-op. He made his London debut in 1988, playing Jimmy Brady in A Handful of Stars & went on to perform in Billy Roche's Wexford Trilogy on stage & TV. He featured in Barber, Lakelands, The Banshees of Inisherin, Broken Law, The Hallow, Brooklyn, The Guarantee, Stella Days, The Guard & Shadow Dancer.

Andrew Lowe

Andrew Lowe jointly runs Element Pictures with Ed Guiney with whom he founded the company in 2001. Lowe has worked across numerous award winning projects, including Mark O'Halloran Adam & Paul (2004), The Wind that Shakes the Barley (2006) starring IFTA Winner Cillian Murphy. Lowe also worked across Oscar nominated film Room and with director Yorgos Lanthimos on films including The Lobster, The Favourite, The Killing of a Sacred Deer and Oscar Winning Poor Things.

Netflix

Netflix UK and Ireland offers a shared, region-specific content library accessible on smart TVs, consoles, and mobile devices. Known for a distinct catalog of films and series, it often features exclusive content like How to Get to Heaven from Belfast.

Docs Ireland

Docs Ireland is Ireland’s international documentary film festival & celebrates the best of new documentary filmmaking, showcasing the work of Ireland’s indigenous non-fiction culture & creatives. Docs Ireland is regarded across the world for its cutting edge film programming & its distinctive industry initiatives. Established in 2019 as the sister festival of Belfast Film Festival, which happens annually in November, Docs Ireland takes place in June each year in the city of Belfast.

Narayan Van Maele

Narayan Van Maele ISC is a BAFTA- & IFTA-nominated Irish cinematographer working across features, documentaries and commercials. His credits include Oscar, BAFTA and IFTA-winning An Irish Goodbye, 35mm feature GUTLAND, and BAFTA-nominated Dublin Narcos, You Are Not My Mother, Double Blind, Sunlight, Broken Law, Million Dollar Pigeons, Fréamhacha, One Last Deal, Blumhouse’s Soulm8te & Spider Island. He has received three IFTA cinematography nominations & won Best Cinematography at Newport.

Mark O’Halloran

Mark is an actor & writer from Ennis, Co Clare. He has worked with Ireland’s major theatre companies & appeared on screen in Adam & Paul (also co-writer), History’s Future (IFTA Best Actor nomination), The Virtues, Darklands, Dead Still, Devils & Brassic. His writing credits include Garage, Prosperity, Viva & Rialto (Venice 2019). On stage, he contributed to LIPPY, co-wrote Beckett’s Room, The Silence & TRADE. He is writing the TV adaptation of Sally Rooney’s Conversations With Friends.

Capital Irish Film Festival

Solas Nua’s annual Capital Irish Film Festival in Washington, D.C., presents one of the largest programs of Irish cinema in North America, showcasing the latest Irish dramatic and documentary features, shorts, art films, and animation releases by Irish and Ireland-based filmmakers. The 20th edition of the four-day festival takes place February 26- March 1, 2026, in partnership with the prestigious American Film Institute's Silver Theatre & Cultural Center (Silver Spring MD).

Break Out Pictures

Break Out Pictures is a film and event cinema distribution company founded by Nell Roddy and Robert McCann Finn with a dedication to supporting emerging and established creatives.

Tom Crowley

David Wilmot

David Wilmot is an actor from Dublin, known for his work in film, TV & stage. He has appeared in Michael Collins, I Went Down, Intermission...for which he won Best Supporting Actor IFTA - The Guard, Anna Karenina, and Hamnet. On TV, he has appeared in The Tudors, Ripper Street, Black Sails, The Alienist & Station Eleven. In theatre, he has worked with the Abbey and Druid and starred in The Lieutenant of Inishmore, earning the Lucille Lortel Award, Theatre World Award, and a Tony nomination.

Cillian Murphy

Cork actor Cillian Murphy works in stage & screen & has won an Academy Award, a BAFTA & a Golden Globe. He debuted in Enda Walsh's Disco Pigs (1996) & starred in films including 28 Days Later, Breakfast on Pluto, Red Eye, Sunshine, & The Wind That Shakes the Barley. Known for Peaky Blinders, A Quiet Place Part II & collaborations with Christopher Nolan. He won an Oscar for his role in Oppenheimer. He is EP on Tim Mielants adaptation of Claire Keegan’s novella playing coal merchant Bill Furlong.

Olwen Fouéré

Olwen Fouéré is an actor, writer & theatre artist born in Galway to Breton parents. She has worked extensively with the Abbey Theatre and Gate Theatre as well as the Royal National Theatre & Royal Shakespeare Company. In 1980, she co-founded the experimental performance company Operating Theatre with composer Roger Doyle and later established TheEmergencyRoom. Her credits include The Survivalist, Mandy, Beast, This Must Be the Place, The Northman, Texas Chainsaw Massacre and The Watchers.

Ellen Murray

Ellen Murray is a film critic & writer whose work has appeared in The University Observer, ComicBuzz.com, Film Ireland & many other outlets. She studied English and Film at UCD and has developed a career spanning administration and executive support across the creative, arts, media, auction, and events sectors. Her experience includes working with a leading gifting company, auction houses, a drama school, and a major Irish broadcaster, giving her a broad understanding of the creative industries.

David Neary

David is a writer, media archivist, & curator based in New York, with who currently works as Digital Asset Manager at the Eye Museum of American Art. His previous experience includes archival consulting, film preservation work at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, and roles with MoMA’s Doc Fortnight & Tribeca. He has also worked as a digital archivist. He is a graduate of NYU & UCD & is also an experienced film writer and copy editor.

Khushi Jain

Khushi Jain holds an M.Phil in Classics from Trinity College Dublin & an MA in Reception from University College London. She writes about film and is doing her PhD in Dublin. Among other things, she writes Film Footnotes.

Brendan Gleeson

Dublin actor Brendan Gleeson began his career at 34, transitioning from his role as a teacher. He has since appeared in over 100 films and television series, from Michael Collins to The Banshees of Inisherin. He is an Emmy Award-winning performer & received numerous accolades, including IFTA & BIFA Awards, along with multiple Golden Globe nominations. His standout films include Braveheart, In Bruges, Gangs of New York and Harry Potter & his collaborations with writer-director Martin McDonagh.

Barry Keoghan

Born in Summerhill, Keoghan began acting after joining The Factory. He first appeared in TV in Love/Hate before moving into film with supporting performances in '71, Mammal, & Trespass Against Us. International attention followed with his turn in The Killing of a Sacred Deer for director Yorgos Lanthimos & a role in Dunkirk. Keoghan later starred in The Batman and earned an Oscar nomination for The Banshees of Inisherin. His performance in Saltburn also brought BAFTA & Golden Globe nominations.

Sarah Griffin

Sarah Griffin is a Wicklower living in Dublin, and has been a freelance film reviewer for the past eight years. Though forced to pay the bills at a desk job, she has a recent MA in Gender, Sexuality and Culture that puts her at the feminist end of the film criticism spectrum. Any and every view Sarah has on cinema, Game of Thrones, zombies, football, or life can be seen on Twitter

Denis Condon

Dr Denis Condon is a Lecturer in Irish Film in the Departments of English and Media Studies at Maynooth University. He is a former Irish Research Council awardee.

Arts Council

The Arts Council is the national government agency for funding, developing and promoting the arts in Ireland. They invest in high-quality art and excellent arts experiences through a number of competitive schemes for individual artists and organisations.

Colin Farrell

Dublin actor, Colin trained at the Gaiety School of Acting and gained early recognition in series like Ballykissangel. His breakout film role was in Tigerland, followed by Minority Report. He won a Golden Globe for In Bruges and has appeared in Miami Vice, The Lobster, Fantastic Beasts, Dumbo, and The Batman. In recent years, Colin Farrell has appeared in films such as Thirteen Lives and After Yang. He was recently featured in the documentary The Slightest Touch about Emma Fogarty.

Liam De Brun

Liam De Brun is a film critic & journalist working across news, entertainment, and TV/celebrity. He began writing on his blog LiamDeBlogs before contributing to Film Ireland & other outlets. He holds a BA in Media & English from DCU & completed a Master’s in Journalism at NUIG in 2021. He has worked as Head of Social Content for She Networks & has written for the Manchester Evening News as a TV and celebrity writer, as well as for extra.ie as a news and entertainment journalist.

Shauna Fox

Shauna Fox is a critic and a writer as well as a PR, marketing & communications professional specialising in heritage, tourism and cultural promotion. She develops digital content, manages social media and communications, supports marketing campaigns to domestic and international audiences. With a background in English, History and Film Studies, she also has professional qualifications in journalism, public relations & content writing.

Loretta Goff

Loretta Goff completed her PhD in Film and Screen Media at University College Cork, where she also teaches. She has published articles in Alphaville: Journal of Film and Screen Media, Persona Studies, and MELUS: Multi-Ethnic Literature of the United States.

Steven Spielberg

Born in Cincinnati, Spielberg is a director, producer & writer who rose to prominence with Jaws before directing Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, Jurassic Park, Schindler's List & Saving Private Ryan. He co-created the Indiana Jones franchise with George Lucas. Spielberg won 3 Oscars, including Best Director for Schindler’s List & Saving Private Ryan. Saving Private Ryan (1998). The latter's famous Omaha Beach sequence was shot at Curracloe Beach in County Wexford.

Mary Murray

Dublin actor Mary Murray is widely recognised for her role as Janet in the RTÉ crime drama Love/Hate, earning IFTA nominations for Best Actress & Best Supporting Actress. Her film credits include The Magdalene Sisters, Adam & Paul, Death of a Superhero, Let the Wrong One In & The Wonder. On stage, she has worked with Fishamble, the Abbey & Druid. Murray won the BBC Audio Drama Award for Best Actress for The Pride of Parnell Street & is also director of Dublin-based Visions Drama School.

Hazel Doupe

Dublin actor Hazel Doupe gained widespread recognition for her lead performance as Frances in Carmel Winters’ acclaimed drama Float Like a Butterfly (2018), which premiered at Toronto. Her screen credits include Michael Inside, Calm with Horses, You Are Not My Mother, The Miracle Club, Smother & Kathleen Is Here, directed by Eva Birthistle. In 2025, Doupe won the IFTA Award for Best Supporting Actress – Drama for her portrayal of Marian Price in the FX/Disney+ series Say Nothing.

Rachel Lysaght

Rachel Lysaght is an award winning Film & TV Producer, and a graduate of the European EAVE and international TransAtlanticPartners (TAP) programmes and the Samuel Beckett School of Drama in Trinity College Dublin. She has produced has produced Joyriders (2006), The Pipe (2010), Forget Me Not (2012), One Million Dubliners (2014), Patrick's Day (2014), Traders (2015), Hostage to the Devil (2016), Handy (2019), Pure Grit (2021), Testimony (2022), Amongst Women (2022), Whitetail (2025) & much more.

Eleanor Bowman

Eleanor is an Irish cinematographer based in Dublin. Eleanor Bowman is nominated for Best Cinematography for How to Tell a Secret. She was previously nominated for an IFTA in 2015 for Best Director of Photography Television for Wildfire Film’s OCD & Me. Bowman’s previous credits include shorts such as The Grass Ceiling, Strong at the Broken Places, and Andrew Legge’s The Girl with the Mechanical Maiden, as well as features such as Dead Meat, Lies We Tell and much, much more.

John Carney

Carney began his career making award-winning shorts Shining Star & Hotel, before moving into music videos for The Frames. His debut feature, November Afternoon, a low-budget black-&-white drama, was named Best Feature of 1997 by The Irish Times. He followed with Just in Time, then Park & On the Edge. His breakthrough came with Once (2006), which won the World Cinema Audience Award at Sundance. He later directed Begin Again, Sing Street, Modern Love, Flora and Son & Power Ballad.

Aaron Monaghan

He began acting in the Cavan Youth Drama at 16 & turned down an acceptance to architecture school to train at the Samuel Beckett Center at TCD. Since then, he has made a name for himself as an actor & director through his continued work with Abbey Theatre and Druid Theatre Company. He has appeared in the films Redemption of a Rogue, The Banshees of Inisherin, The Cellar, The Foreigner, Maze, Assassin’s Creed, Kathleen Is Here, and Lola, as well as series Vikings, Hidden Assets & Harry Wild.

Mutale Kampuni

Mutale is a reviewer, advocate, and graduate of the Silver Critics programme at DIFFl. She works as a Convener & Mentor for Insaka Ireland (African Youth and Cultural Movement), a Family Support Advisor specialising in community services & has served on the boards of the Dublin City Community Co-op and Diaspora Women’s Initiative. Mutale holds a Postgrad in Development Studies & certifications in Alternative Dispute Resolution, alongside her expertise in Entrepreneurship Development.

Lynn Larkin

Lynn is a multimedia journalist & storyteller working across broadcast, documentary & digital, currently based in News & Current Affairs. Originally trained in documentary, she is drawn to human-centred stories exploring ambition, reinvention, women’s health/fertility & creativity. Her interests sit at the intersection of culture, entrepreneurship, AI, clean beauty, productivity & contemporary storytelling.

Barry Ward

Barry Ward is an actor from Dublin, who started his career as a child actor. He has a extensive background in both screen and stage, and film credits include Jimmy’s Hall (2014), directed by Ken Loach, Blood Cells (2014), Maze (2017), Extra Ordinary (2019), and Dating Amber (2020). On television, he has appeared in Rebellion (2016), Taken Down (2018), The Capture (2019), and Britannia (2018–2021). His theatre work includes performances with Druid Theatre Company.

Aisling O’Sullivan

Actor Aisling O’Sullivan is from Tralee. A graduate of Dublin’s Gaiety School of Acting, she joined the Abbey Theatre in 1991 & built a career across Irish & international stage, film & TV. She is widely recognised for roles in The Clinic, Raw, The Butcher Boy, Michael Collins & Martin McDonagh’s Oscar-winning short film Six Shooter. O’Sullivan won the IFTA for Best Actress for her performance in The Clinic & has collaborated with leading Irish theatre companies including the Abbey & Druid.

Roisin Kearney

Beginning in theatre lighting design & stage direction, Róisín moved into film after working on indies in the late ’90s & early ’00s. She returned to writing with the comedy short The Love Agency (2014). Her work includes The Ballad of Olive Morris (BAFTA-shortlisted 2023), Paddy, The Secret Life of Jim, The Ferry and Run. She produces the RTÉ Jr radio series Adventures of a Young Pirate Queen & is developing multiple film, TV & theatre projects supported by Screen Ireland & the Arts Council.

Peter Coonan

Dublin Actor Peter Coonan works across film, TV & theatre. He received 2 nominations at the IFTAs (2025) for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor for Kathleen Is Here and King Frankie. He recently appeared in Hokum, directed by Damian McCarthy, which premiered at SXSW in 2026, and is filming The Rachel Incident for Channel 4. His recent Irish screen work includes Bad Sisters and Doineann, alongside earlier roles in Love/Hate, for which he won an IFTA Award in 2014.

Seán Crosson

Conor Barry

For Wild Atlantic Pictures, he produced The Damned (dir. Thordur Palsson), starring Odessa Young, which premiered at Tribeca 2024, & co-produced The End (dir. Joshua Oppenheimer), starring Tilda Swinton, which screened at Telluride & TIFF. For Hail Mary Pictures, he co-produced Jim Jarmusch’s Father Mother Sister Brother & exec producied Hallow Road. For Savage Productions, he exec produced It Is In Us All & produced the horror film The Cellar.

David Pearse

David Pearse is an Dublin actor who has appeared in acclaimed productions including The Banshees of Inisherin, Bodkin, Joyride, Boys from County Hell, Wildfire, Bad Day for the Cut & Calvary. His television credits include Shardlake, The Serpent Queen, Dalgliesh and Brassic. Pearse has also worked extensively with Ireland's leading theatre companies, including the Abbey Theatre, Druid Theatre Company and the Gate Theatre, establishing a career spanning major Irish and international productions.

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