Tags

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.

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.

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.

News

Film Ireland brings you the latest updates from the world of cinema in Ireland. Delve deep into the industry and craft...

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Michael Lee

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.

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.

Irene Falvey

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.

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.

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.

Michael O’Sullivan

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Andrew Carroll

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.

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.

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.

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)

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.

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).

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Tom Crowley

Liam De Brun

David Neary

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.

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.

Ellen Murray

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.

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.

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.

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.

Griffith College

Griffith College is Ireland's largest independent third-level institution, established in 1974, with campuses in Dublin, Cork, and Limerick. It offers a wide range of internationally recognized undergraduate and postgraduate programs, as well as professional courses, in fields like business, computing, law, and media. The college is known for its strong industry connections, focus on student success, and diverse student body of around 7,000 to 8,000 students from Ireland and around the world.

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.

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).

Irish Film by Year

From podcasts to in-depth discussion and reviews, from docs to dramas, each year we take a look back at the films that were released in Ireland.

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.

Richard Drumm

Sadhbh Ní Bhroin

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.

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.

Early Irish Cinema

Denis Condon’s blog Early Irish Cinema looks back at the early development of cinema in Ireland on the anniversaries of those developments and offers information on what cinemagoers could have seen in Irish cinemas a century ago.

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.

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.

Shauna Fox

Andrew Lowe

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 Connors

John Connors is an Irish Traveller actor, screenwriter, documentary filmmaker and playwright, best known for his role as Patrick Ward in the hit RTÉ crime drama Love/Hate. He received an Irish Film and Television Award (IFTA) nomination for that performance and later won Best Actor at the IFTAs for his lead role in Cardboard Gangsters (2017), a film he also wrote.

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.

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.

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.

Mo O'Connell

Maureen O’Connell (Mo) is an award-winning actor, writer, director & producer. O'Connell got a BA and Diploma from RADA, London, then went on to get a Higher National Diploma in Film from Ballyfermot College followed by completing Screen Ireland/TUD Advanced's Producing Postgrad. Mo’s debut comedy feature, Spa Weekend, has been a hit at home & overseas at festivals across the UK, Europe, the US, Canada & Ireland. She produced award winning feature Horseshoe & is festival director at DCIFF.

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.

Seán Crosson

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.

Kimberly Reyes

Lorcan Finnegan

Lorcan Finnegan is an award-winning Irish director, screenwriter & producer. His debut feature Without Name premiered at TIFF 2016, followed by Vivarium—starring Imogen Poots & Oscar nominee Jesse Eisenberg—which premiered at Cannes Critics’ Week & won the Ganne Foundation Award. In 2022 he directed psychological thriller NOCEBO with Eva Green & Mark Strong. His latest film, The Surfer, starring Oscar-winner Nicolas Cage, premiered in Cannes 2024 & received a 6-minute standing ovation.

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.

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.

Marcella Plunkett

Wicklow actor Marcella Plunkett is best known for her roles in films including Once, Sing Street, Flora and Son, Stella Days & Swansong: Story of Occi Byrne. Her TV credits include Raw, The Tudors, and Bachelors Walk, while her stage work has seen her perform with leading companies and venues such as the National Theatre and the Donmar Warehouse. Plunkett has received Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA) nominations for her performances in Stella Days and Swansong: Story of Occi Byrne

Colm Hogan

DOP Colm collaborated with director Damian McCarthy on Hokum, starring Adam Scott and Oddity, which premiered at SXSW, won the Midnight Audience Award, and earned multiple nominations. His credits include Christy (Berlin selection, Best Film), At Sea, and Prospect House (Best New Irish Feature, Cork). His documentary work has screened in Galway, Dublin, and London & he contributed drone photography to The Green Knight & Terminator: Dark Fate, and has won 2 Best Cinematography awards.

Cian Geoghegan

Cian Geoghegan is a writer and director from Maynooth, Ireland. His latest short, Childhood, follows the story of a former child soldier who has to deal with his trauma as his son reaches the age at which he was captured. The film was made with the support of Kildare County Council's Short Grass Film Bursary, and won VOID Magazine's Visual Storytelling of the Year Award in 2025.

Emer Reynolds

Director Emer Reynolds is an Emmy nominated multi-award winning documentary director and feature film editor, based in Dublin, Ireland.

Brian Philip Davis

An accomplished editor, Brian's work has screened at SXSW, Tribeca, TIFF, FrightFest & Fantastic Fest. Recent work includes Damian McCarthy’s Hokum (starring Adam Scott) and The Incomer, a folk comedy (starring Domhnall Gleeson), written/directed by Louis Paxton & winner of the Sundance Film Festival NEXT Innovator Award 2026. Other titles include Oddity, Bad Day for the Cut, Boys from County Hell, The Occupant, Here Before, & The Devil’s Doorway.

Cathal Watters

Cathal Watters is a DOP born in Dublin and raised in Meath. He studied Drama at TCD and began his career working in news and documentary filmmaking before moving into film and television drama. His credits include Viva, A Dark Song, Handsome Devil, Rosie, One Million Dubliners, and work on the series Peaky Blinders. He won an IFTA Award for his cinematography on Viva and has received further nominations for his work across film and TV, and is a member of the American Society of Cinematographers.

Éanna Hardwicke

Éanna Hardwicke is an actor from Cork, known for acclaimed roles in Normal People, Lakelands, The Sixth Commandment & The Doll Factory, earning him IFTA & BAFTA nominations & wins. He trained at The Lir Academy & began acting as a child, with a versatile career spanning stage, film (Vivarium, About Joan, William Tell) & TV, even narrating Sally Rooney's Intermezzo audiobook.

Morgan Bushe

Morgan Bushe is an Irish filmmaker whose work as producer, writer and director has screened at Sundance, Cannes’ Directors’ Fortnight, Berlinale, TIFF, Locarno, IDFA and Tribeca. Long-listed for the Academy Award and a three-time EFA nominee, his films have won fifteen IFTAs and sold internationally to Netflix, Sky, ZDF/Arte, PBS and Studiocanal. His debut feature The Belly of the Whale opened Galway Film Fleadh. He is currently in production on Lisdoonvarna.

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.

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.

Nika McGuigan

Danika McGuigan was a gifted actor who worked across film, TV & theatre. Born in Newry, she was the daughter of world boxing champion Barry McGuigan & grew up between Monaghan & Kent. After training at Gaiety & Bow Street she was cast as Danielle in Can't Cope, Won't Cope & appeared in films including Philomena, Mammal & The Secret Scripture. McGuigan’s final performance was Wildfire, for which she received a posthumous IFTA. She sadly passed away in 2019 leaving a powerful legacy of work.

Yorgos Lanthimos

Bill Nighy

Born in Caterham, Surrey, Bill Nighy began his career in theatre & TV before gaining international recognition for roles in films including Love Actually, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, About Time, Living, and the Pirates of the Caribbean and Underworld franchises. Nighy won a BAFTA Award for State of Play and received Academy Award & BAFTA nominations for Living. He has frequently collaborated with filmmakers including Richard Curtis and David Hare. He starred in Irish feature 500 Miles.