Film Ireland Podcast

In this Film Ireland podcast, Gemma Creagh catches up with Director Sinéad O'Shea, as her latest feature All About the Money hits cinemas.

All About the Money tells the story of James "Fergie" Cox Chambers Jr., a billionaire heir to a media dynasty. Chambers is a self-proclaimed Marxist-Leninist communist who uses his vast inheritance to establish a collective of 'revolutionaries' in Alford, Massachusetts. However, as the film unfolds, so too do a series of increasingly bizarre, chaotic and often extraordinary events.

Sinéad chats to us about her path as a filmmaker, meeting and observing the fascinating figure of Fergie, and her role in documenting the surreal events that make this story stranger than fiction.

Listen now on SoundCloud, Apple, Spotify, Acast and Amazon, subscribe to Film Ireland wherever you get your podcasts. or watch the original recording back here.

Have a listen here to Sinéad chatting about her films:

Pray for Our Sinners: https://www.filmireland.net/podcast-interview-with-sinead-oshea-director-of-pray-for-our-sinners/

Blue Road: The Edna O'Brien Story: https://www.filmireland.net/podcast-sinead-oshea-director-of-blue-road-the-edna-obrien/

Sinéad O’Shea

Sinéad is a filmmaker and writer. Her latest feature documentary, All About The Money, premiered in the World Documentary Competition at Sundance 2026 and will receive its theatrical release later this year. The film recently won Best Documentary at the San Francisco Documentary Festival and has been nominated for awards at Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival, Docville FF, Movies That Matter FF, CPH and Millennium Docs Against Gravity FF.

Sinéad’s previous documentary, Blue Road – The Edna O’Brien Story, is the most successful Irish documentary to have been released at the UK and Irish box office. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2024 and won awards at Cork FF and Palm Springs FF. Her other documentary, Pray For Our Sinners, premiered at Toronto in 2022 and was nominated for awards at Chicago FF, Globe Docs FF and Hamptons FF, where it won Best Documentary.

Her debut feature documentary, A Mother Brings Her Son to Be Shot, premiered at CPH in 2018, where it was nominated for a FACT Award. She has also directed the short drama Humblebrag, which screened at BFI London Film Festival in 2019, and is currently developing her first feature drama, Girl 16 Navan.

Prior to her filmmaking career, Sinéad reported for Al Jazeera English, The Guardian and The New York Times.

Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today.

So make sure to subscribe and listen back!

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode, we are delighted to once again partner with the Dinard British and Irish Film Festival, which held its 37th edition in the picturesque seaside town of Dinard, Brittany.

At the festival, Film Ireland's Associate Editor Gemma Creagh caught up with Philippa Lowthorpe, the three-times BAFTA-winning director, to discuss her acclaimed career in film and television and some of her most celebrated work.

Philippa chats about directing the multi-award-winning series Three Girls, alongside Irish editor Una Ní Dhonghaíle - and their BAFTA, as well as her work on The Crown, and her most recent feature film, H Is for Hawk, starring Claire Foy alongside Irish actors Denise Gough and Brendan Gleeson.

Listen now on SoundCloud, Apple, Spotify, Acast and Amazon, subscribe to Film Ireland wherever you get your podcasts or watch the original recording here: https://www.filmireland.net/podcast-filmmaker-philippa-lowthorpe-h-is-for-hawk-three-girls-prisoner-951

Philippa Lowthorpe

Philippa Lowthorpe is a three-times BAFTA winner and the first female director to win a BAFTA for directing TV fiction. Most recently, Philippa directed H Is for Hawk for Plan B/Film4. Based on the memoir by Helen Macdonald, it stars Claire Foy and Brendan Gleeson and is produced by Dede Gardner and Jeremy Kleiner. Following its world premiere at Telluride, the film was selected for the prestigious Patron’s Gala at the London Film Festival. The film was released on 23rd January 2026 and received a BAFTA nomination for Outstanding British Film.

Philippa directed the critically acclaimed limited series Prisoner 951 for BBC/Fremantle, written by Stephen Butchard, telling the powerful and revelatory true story of Nazanin Zaghari Ratcliffe, who was taken hostage in Iran, and her husband Richard’s fight for her release. The series was broadcast in December 2025, and stars Joseph Fiennes and Narges Rashidi, who won the Royal Television Society Award for Best Female Lead Performance and has also been nominated for Best Lead Performance at BAFTA and BANFF, where the series also has a nomination for Best Limited Series.

Philippa directed the multi-award-winning mini-series Three Girls, written by Nicole Taylor, about the Rochdale grooming scandal, which won five BAFTAs, including Best Limited Series and Philippa’s second BAFTA for directing. She directed Claire Foy in The Crown season two, and Naomie Harris and Jude Law in The Third Day: Winter for HBO/Plan B, written by Dennis Kelly. Her film Misbehaviour starred Keira Knightley, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, and Jessie Buckley. Set in 1970, it tells the true story of the first Black woman to win Miss World and the young feminists who infiltrated the event in order to disrupt and demonstrate.

Philippa was lead director of the very first series and feature-length special of international hit Call the Midwife, for which she won her first directing BAFTA in 2013. Other work includes Five Daughters, written by Stephen Butchard; Swallows and Amazons, written by Andrea Gibb; and The Other Boleyn Girl, starring Jared Harris, Natascha McElhone, and Jodhi May. Starting out as a documentary maker, Philippa has always been drawn to telling real-life stories. One of her early films, Three Salons at the Seaside, was chosen by the Grierson Trust as one of the Must-See Documentaries of the last 50 yearsand can be seen on BBC iPlayer.

Dinard British and Irish Film Festival

The Dinard British and Irish Film Festival is an annual celebration of cinema that takes place in the coastal town of Dinard, Brittany. Now in its 37th year, the festival showcases the best of contemporary British and Irish filmmaking, highlighting emerging talent alongside established voices. Known for its warm hospitality and discerning audiences, Dinard provides a unique platform for filmmakers to connect with international industry figures and audiences in France.

Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today.

So make sure to subscribe and listen back!

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Film Ireland Podcast, we are delighted to once again partner with the Dinard British and Irish Film Festival, which held its 37th edition the weekend before last in the picturesque seaside town of Dinard, Brittany.

At the festival, Film Ireland's Associate Editor Gemma Creagh caught up caught up with Eric Lagesse, CEO of Pyramide Films, to discuss Eric's passion for storytelling, the French film industry and the opportunities and challenges of bringing Irish films to international audiences.

With decades of experience in independent film distribution and international sales, Lagesse shares his insights into the art of selling films across markets, the complexities of film financing, and the role of independent distributors in supporting filmmakers and bringing distinctive stories to audiences around the world.

Listen now on SoundCloud, Apple, Spotify, Acast and Amazon, subscribe to Film Ireland wherever you get your podcasts.

Or you can watch the original recording back here: https://www.filmireland.net/podcast-eric-lagesse-ceo-of-pyramide-at-dinard-british-irish-film-festival

Pyramide Films

Pyramide was founded in 1989. Eric Lagesse became President of the company in May 2008, buying Pyramide from its founder, Fabienne Vonier, who decided to focus on production with Pyramide Productions. As a French distributor, Pyramide releases approximately 12 to 15 films per year and is one of the biggest independent French distributors. From the very beginning, Pyramide also focused on new directors such as Jim Jarmusch (Mystery Train), Sean Penn (The Crossing Guard), Claire Denis (Beau Travail), Catherine Breillat (Sale comme un ange) and Aki Kaurismäki (all his films were released in France by Pyramide, including Le Havre).

Other directors whose films have been distributed by Pyramide include Youssef Chahine (Destiny), Nikita Mikhalkov (Burnt by the Sun, Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film), Wayne Wang and Paul Auster (Smoke and Blue in the Face), Alain Resnais (Smoking/No Smoking), Patrice Chéreau (Un frère – Best Director, Berlin 2003), Shohei Imamura (Warm Water Under a Red Bridge), Claude Miller (La Petite Lili), Tony Gatlif (Exiles – Best Director, Cannes 2004), Denys Arcand (The Barbarian Invasions, which won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film), Elia Suleiman (Divine Intervention – Jury Prize, Cannes 2002), Nuri Bilge Ceylan (Uzak – Grand Prize, Cannes 2003; Climates; Three Monkeys – Best Director, Cannes 2008), Fatih Akin (The Edge of Heaven – Best Screenplay, Cannes 2007; Soul Kitchen – Jury Prize, Venice 2009), Hirokazu Kore-eda (Still Walking), Stephan Elliott (Easy Virtue), Apichatpong Weerasethakul (Uncle Boonmee Who Can Recall His Past Lives – Palme d’Or, Cannes 2010), Mahamat-Saleh Haroun (A Screaming Man – Jury Prize, Cannes 2010), Michael Rowe (Leap Year – Caméra d’Or, Cannes 2010) and, more recently, Gianni Di Gregorio (The Salt of Life) and Céline Sciamma (Tomboy).

As a world sales agent, Pyramide International (formerly FPI) has deliberately focused on film d’auteur, promoting films by emerging directors internationally. These include Sandrine Veysset (Will It Snow for Christmas?), Wang Xiao-Shuai (Beijing Bicycle – Silver Bear, Berlin 2001), Naomi Kawase (Shara), Éléonore Faucher (The Embroiderers – Grand Prize, Critics’ Week, Cannes 2004), and Alix Delaporte (Angèle and Tony).

Pyramide now manages a library of nearly 250 titles for domestic and international distribution.

Dinard British and Irish Film Festival

The Dinard British and Irish Film Festival is an annual celebration of cinema that takes place in the coastal town of Dinard, Brittany. Now in its 37th year, the festival showcases the best of contemporary British and Irish filmmaking, highlighting emerging talent alongside established voices. Known for its warm hospitality and discerning audiences, Dinard provides a unique platform for filmmakers to connect with international industry figures and audiences in France.

Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today.

So make sure to subscribe and listen back!

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In today’s episode of the Film Ireland Podcast, we’re delighted to be partnering with the Roscommon International Film Festival (RIFF) to discuss a very important topic.

As part of Dyslexia Awareness Month, RIFF is teaming up with Dyslexia Ireland to showcase films created by dyslexic filmmakers and raise awareness of dyslexia.

We’re delighted to welcome Christine (CC) Braithwaite, a BAFTA-winning filmmaker, writer, director and producer, and co-founder of the Roscommon International Film Festival; and Keith Dunphy, an award-winning RADA-trained actor working across theatre, film and television. His screen credits include Star Wars: Rogue One, Children of Men and The Wind That Shakes the Barley. He is currently touring with his one-man play, Word Against the Word.

In this episode, we discuss filmmaking, dyslexia, representation, and the importance of creating space for diverse voices within the film industry.

Roscommon International Film Festival (RIFF) takes place from 22–24 October 2026 at Roscommon Arts Centre. Check out the full programme and get your tickets now at https://www.roscommonfilm.com/.

Listen now on SoundCloud, Apple, Spotify, Acast and Amazon, subscribe to Film Ireland wherever you get your podcasts or watch the original recording here: https://www.filmireland.net/podcast-actor-keith-dunphy-filmmaker-festival-founder-christine-braithwait-on-dyslexia-riff

Keith Dunphy

Keith Dunphy is an award-winning actor with over 25 years’ experience across theatre, film and television in London and Ireland. A RADA-trained actor, his extensive theatre work includes the Royal Shakespeare Company, Shakespeare’s Globe, Abbey Theatre Dublin, Bristol Old Vic, Royal Exchange and Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. His screen credits include The Winter King, Professor T, Peaky Blinders, The Hollow Crown, Beowulf, No Offence and Rebellion, alongside feature films including Star Wars: Rogue One, Les Misérables, Children of Men, The Wind That Shakes the Barley and Inside I’m Dancing. Most recently, Keith filmed the feature Improper Bastards for Fire in the Whole Productions and toured Ireland with his acclaimed one-man play Word Against the Word, written and performed by Keith.

Christine “CC” Braithwaite

Festival director, Christine is a writer, director, producer, festival director and workshop facilitator with over 30 years of experience across television, film, theatre, radio and creative writing. She recently directed for Channel 5’s Milkshake! children’s documentary series Love Nature and delivers creative film workshops for organisations including Screen Yorkshire, Leeds Film Festival, Roscommon International Film Festival, Foróige and Foxford Youth Drama. She also specialises in interactive workshops for children with Special Educational Needs (SEN), using puppetry and shadow puppetry.

Roscommon International Film Festival (RIFF)

The Roscommon International Film Festival returns for its fourth year with two days of exceptional independent cinema from Ireland and around the world. Experience specially curated screening blocks featuring drama, comedy, horror, thriller, documentary, animation, children’s films and much more. Alongside exciting new voices in filmmaking, the festival showcases work from established talent, creating a programme that celebrates creativity, imagination and powerful storytelling. Whether you’re a lifelong film lover or simply looking to discover something new, the festival offers an unforgettable weekend of cinema, conversation and celebration in the heart of Roscommon.

Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today.

So make sure to subscribe and listen back!

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Film Ireland Podcast, we’re joined by Irish director and novelist Stephen Burke, whose work has explored some of the most complex and turbulent chapters of Ireland’s recent history.

Stephen’s latest film, Chasing Millions, is inspired by the Northern Bank robbery. The film follows veteran Northern Irish detective Crayford and ambitious young Australian police officer Diana as they investigate what becomes the biggest bank job in British, Irish and Australian history.

Starring Emmy-winning actor Christopher Eccleston (28 Days Later, The Leftovers, True Detective: Night Country) and Australian actress Madeleine Madden (The Wheel of Time, Dora and the Lost City of Gold), Chasing Millions is a true(ish) story of a legendary bank job.

Chasing Millions is in cinemas from Friday 9th October 2026.

Listen now on SoundCloud, Apple, Spotify, Acast and Amazon, or subscribe to Film Ireland wherever you get your podcasts or watch the origional recording here: podcast-co-writers-director-stephen-burke-chasing-millions

Here's the last podcast with Stephen about Maze which was referenced in the episode: https://www.filmireland.net/stephen-burke-writerdirector-of-maze/

About Stephen Burke

Stephen is a director and novelist born and raised in Dublin. He studied film at the Dublin Institute of Technology before making short documentaries on aspects of The Troubles, including After 68 (1994) and 81 (1996). His feature film Maze (2017) dramatises the 1983 escape of 38 IRA prisoners from Maze Prison. Burke has since transitioned to novel writing.

Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today.

So make sure to subscribe and listen back!

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Film Ireland Podcast, we're joined by Irish screenwriter and actor Niall Cassin, whose career has taken him from the Irish financial sector to film and television productions on both sides of the Atlantic - and now to the world of feature filmmaking.

With credits including Mister Mayfair, Spice of Life, A Song to Kill For, and History Channel’s Colosseum, as well as production experience on major titles including Deadpool and War for the Planet of the Apes, Niall brings a mix of writing, production, and industry experience to the creative practice.

Niall’s latest project, LOVE/HATE/HUNT/KILL, is a survival thriller with an ominous premise: a romantic escape into the desert becomes a fight for survival when a young woman finds herself hunted by a masked killer, all against the backdrop of an impending, world-ending comet strike.

Listen now on SoundCloud, Apple, Spotify, Acast and Amazon, or subscribe to Film Ireland wherever you get your podcasts - or watch the original recording back here:

https://www.filmireland.net/podcast-writer-niall-cassin-on-shooting-love-hate-hunt-kill

The film is set to have its World Premiere at the Louth International Film Festival on September 25th, followed by a special in-person Q&A with Niall.

Niall Cassin

Niall is an Irish-born screenwriter based in Los Angeles, bringing a distinctive blend of creative vision and deep industry experience to his work. His 2022 credits include Mister Mayfair, Spice of Life, and A Song to Kill For. He was also a key member of the writing team behind Colosseum, History Channel’s acclaimed docuseries, which appeared on the 2023 Emmy ballot for Outstanding Limited Series.

Niall founded his production company, May 15th Productions, in 2024. In 2025, the company released the crime thriller Deadly Vows, starring Billy Zane, Peter Facinelli, Shane West, and Oscar nominee Shohreh Aghdashloo, to critical acclaim. Niall is currently developing an action-adventure feature for a major streaming platform with director Roel Reiné, while his survival thriller LOVE/HATE/HUNT/KILL is in post-production ahead of its 2026 release. Before transitioning to screenwriting, Niall spent a decade working in the Irish financial sector before gaining extensive production experience in Vancouver, Canada. During that time, he contributed to more than 30 major productions, including Deadpool, War for the Plane

Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today.

So make sure to subscribe and listen back!

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Film Ireland Podcast, we’re talking about the award-winning documentary World Without Cows with the award-winning journalists/filmmakers behind it, Michelle Michael and Brandon Whitworth.

The documentary takes us on a global journey across 22 countries and five continents, exploring the complex relationship between food, sustainability, biodiversity, and the people whose lives hang in the balance.

World Without Cows kicked off its global theatrical screening tour with its world premiere here in Dublin on 9th September 2026, at the Pearse Lyons Distillery.

From Covid restrictions to stolen equipment, the duo chat about the making of the film, their journey following the science, and the importance of telling a story that matters.

Listen now on SoundCloud, Apple, Spotify, Acast, Amazon, or subscribe to Film Ireland wherever you get your podcasts or watch the original recording here: https://www.filmireland.net/podcast-filmmakers-michelle-michael-brandon-whitworth-world-without-cows

World Without Cows

This film follows Michael and Brandon across five years and 22 countries, from the cattle-crowded streets of India to the drought-worn grasslands of Kenya, in pursuit of a question most people assume is already settled: What role should cows play in the future of our food, our communities, and our planet?

What they find complicates the story. In India, cattle provide up to a quarter of the country’s protein (through milk), even as millions of cows roam the streets as strays, no longer producing milk but remaining culturally protected. In Kenya, cattle are survival itself for nomadic communities losing pasture to an increasingly shifting climate. And beneath the debate, scientists and ranchers alike are finding that well-managed grazing animals can actually help rebuild the soil the world depends on to feed itself.

Michelle Michael

Michelle Michael’s curiosity about the wider world began in a small Ohio town and ultimately led to a decades-long career in journalism, including years spent abroad as a U.S. military correspondent. Her work has taken her from local newsrooms to war zones, earning recognition from the National Press Photographers Association, West Point Military Academy, the Poynter Institute, and the Kentucky News Photographers Association. Over the past decade, Michael has turned her journalistic eye increasingly towards agriculture and the people whose lives are connected to the land. Working alongside longtime collaborator and World Without Cows co-filmmaker Brandon Whitworth, she has travelled extensively to document farmers and producers around the world, bringing their experiences, challenges, and perspectives to the screen. That combination of curiosity, field experience, and a reporter’s instinct for asking questions became the foundation for World Without Cows, a five-year investigation that took Michael and Whitworth across five continents in search of a deeper understanding of one of the world’s most familiar, and increasingly debated, animals.

Brandon Whitworth

Brandon Whitworth began his career in local television news, spending more than a decade with CBS and NBC affiliates in Kentucky and Utah before becoming an international video producer. A two-time Emmy Award-winning television news photojournalist, he has also received regional honours from the American Advertising Federation, the Associated Press, and the National Press Photographers Association.

Like his directorial counterpart, Whitworth is originally from Ohio. He has followed stories wherever they have taken him, from covering wildfires by helicopter to travelling the globe reporting on agriculture, science, and food. For the past decade, he has worked alongside longtime collaborator and World Without Cows co-filmmaker Michelle Michael, documenting the lives of farmers and producers across cultures and continents

Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today.

So make sure to subscribe and listen back!

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Film Ireland Podcast, we speak to IFTA-nominated director Gavin FitzGerald about LOMU, his latest feature documentary exploring the extraordinary life, legacy and cultural impact of rugby icon Jonah Lomu.

Widely regarded as rugby’s first global superstar, Lomu transformed the sport with his unique combination of size, power and speed. From becoming the All Blacks’ youngest-ever player to emerging as an international cultural icon, his influence extended far beyond the rugby pitch.

Listen now on SoundCloud, Apple, Spotify, Acast and Amazon, or subscribe to Film Ireland wherever you get your podcasts. You can also watch the original recording here:

https://www.filmireland.net/podcast-director-gavin-fitzgerald-on-lomu

Following its London premiere at the London Breeze Film Festival on Thursday 3 September, LOMU comes to UK and Irish cinemas for one night only on Monday 7th September.

Book tickets here: http://lomu-doc.com/

Lomu is a theatrical documentary about the legendary All Black, Jonah Lomu. An intimate and heartfelt character study tracing his Tongan upbringing, meteoric rise to fame, and the complicated personal and health battles he faced at the pinnacle of world rugby.

Gavin FitzGerald

Gavin is an IFTA-nominated film director whose slate of internationally acclaimed documentaries and television series has established him as a leading Irish voice in factual storytelling. His work often explores compelling sporting worlds and subcultures, driven by exceptional characters and crafted with a cinematic, intimate style. He began his career directing commercially successful, access-driven feature documentaries including Conor McGregor: Notorious and Liam Gallagher: As It Was, both of which went on to be acquired by Netflix. He followed these with the award-winning festival favourite Million Dollar Pigeons and a four-part boxing series Stable: The Boxing Game, later acquired by BBC. He is currently completing Soul of the Sea, an Irish-language documentary about a declining rowing tradition in the west of Ireland, supported by Screen Ireland and TG4. His latest feature, LOMU, explores the complexities of identity and Tongan culture through the life of one of rugby’s most iconic figures, Jonah Lomu, and is currently screening at festivals worldwide.

Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today.

So make sure to subscribe and listen back!

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In partnership with RENDR Festival and supported by the National Talent Academy for VFX, we are delighted to present this very special speaker series.

Recorded live at RENDR 2026 in Banana Block, Belfast, we spoke with CG Supervisor for Sony Pictures Imageworks, Katherine Jones who served as CG Supervisor on K-Pop Demon Hunters and In Your Dreams.

With over a decade in VFX and animation, Katherine has helped bring some of the industry’s most iconic films to life. Her credits include Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, The Mitchells vs. the Machines, Vivo, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Mad Max: Fury Road, Jurassic World, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Godzilla, Terminator Genisys, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Thor: The Dark World.

We spoke with Katherine about her impressive career journey, the importance of strong storytelling, and the films that have meant the most to her.

Listen now on SoundCloud, Apple, Spotify, Acast and Amazon, or subscribe to Film Ireland wherever you get your podcasts.

https://www.filmireland.net/podcast-katherine-jones-cg-supervisor-at-sony-imageworks-k-pop-demon-hunters-spider-man-franchise

This series was recorded in The Spinners Mill Studio, a podcast and DJ studio based in Banana Block offering tailored solutions for DJ sessions, small-scale events and podcasting from concept to final distribution. Follow them on Insta / Facebook / TikTok

Katherine Jones

Katherine is a CG Supervisor at Sony Pictures Imageworks, where she supervised the animated features K-Pop Demon Hunters and In Your Dreams.

With more than a decade of experience in visual effects and animation, Katherine has contributed to some of the industry's most acclaimed films. Her credits at Imageworks include the Academy Award®-nominated Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, The Mitchells vs. the Machines, Vivo, the Academy Award®-winning Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse, Spider-Man: Homecoming, Smallfoot, Storks, and The Emoji Movie.

Before joining Imageworks, Katherine held several leadership roles at Stereo D, including VFX Supervisor, FX Stereo Supervisor, Stereo Lead, and Compositing Artist. During her time there, she worked on major blockbuster productions including Mad Max: Fury Road, Jurassic World, Avengers: Age of Ultron, Guardians of the Galaxy, Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Godzilla, Terminator Genisys, San Andreas, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, Hercules, Need for Speed, Thor: The Dark World, and Truth. Katherine began her career at Angel Studios as a Digital Compositor, contributing to projects including La Vaca – Holy Cow.

Originally from Osceola, Indiana, Katherine studied Fine Arts and Film Studies at the University of Oregon before earning a degree in Computer Animation from Full Sail University. She is also an active member of Women in Animation.

RENDR Festival

This is a unique event celebrating creative craft and artistry in a fully immersive two-day festival exploring the space between Creativity and Technology. Ignite your imagination with inspiring speakers from the worlds of Film, Gaming, Animation, Immersive, and more! Learn from the best, with 30+ creatives from the likes of Netflix, Pixar, Walt Disney Studios, and Epic Games among others.

National Talent Academy for Visual Effects

As the newest of the Academies, the National Talent Academy for VFX provides support and opportunities for anyone interested in a career in VFX. Launched in 2024, the National Talent Academy for VFX is an initiative of Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, managed by Cultural & Creative Industries Skillnet. Their mission is to transform aspiring VFX artists into industry-ready professionals while providing ongoing upskilling opportunities for current talent. Through comprehensive courses and programmess, we introduce participants to best practices both locally and globally, creating clear pathways and solidifying Ireland’s reputation as a premier destination for VFX.

Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today.

So make sure to subscribe and listen back!

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Film Ireland podcast, recorded live on location at the Capital Irish Film Festival in Washington, D.C., Gemma Creagh talks film and politics with historical expert Dr Chanté Mouton-Kinyon, a Professor of English at the University of Notre Dame and PhD graduate of the University of Galway.

Chanté is a key contributor to the documentary Daniel O’Connell: The Emancipator and took part in the lively panel discussion following its screening at the festival. In her conversation with Gemma Creagh, she reflects on Daniel O’Connell’s legacy, gives historical context to shed light on today’s complex politics and explores the interwoven relationship between film, history, and identity.

We also catch up with Andrew Dolan, an artist, producer, and Executive Director of Solas Nua, the organisation behind the annual festival. Solas Nua is a leading multidisciplinary arts organisation that is dedicated exclusively to contemporary Irish arts. Finally, we spoke with some of the festival goers about their experience.

Listen now on SoundCloud, Apple, Spotify, Acast and Amazon, or subscribe to Film Ireland wherever you get your podcasts.

You can watch the original recording of our chat with Andrew and the audience back here. https://www.filmireland.net/podcast-dr-chante-mouton-kinyon-daniel-oconnell-the-emancipator

Dr. Chanté Mouton Kinyon

Dr. Chanté Mouton Kinyon is Assistant Professor of English at the University of Notre Dame. A scholar of transatlanticism and race, Mouton Kinyon investigates African American, Irish, and Caribbean literature and culture from the end of the nineteenth century to the present. In addition to her scholarship on the long history of the Irish-Black cultural exchange, her research also considers the transnationality of writers and art that is often limited to discussions of its national impact and significance in contrast to the very international explorations of the artists themselves. In particular, her scholarship focuses on performative material that articulates race and identity; her goal is to illuminate a narrative of cultural exchange that is rooted at the intersection of literature and history.

Mouton Kinyon wrote the introduction to Black Matters: African American and African College Students and Graduates Tell Their Life Stories and her work has previously appeared in Modern Drama. Forthcoming, she will have an article on Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’s engagement with the work of Dion Boucicault in Contemporary Theatre Review: Interventions on the afterlives of The Octoroon. In her 2025 book project, The Transatlantic Gesture: the Irish and African American Cultural Exchange, she studies the symbiotic relationship between Irish and African American authors; particularly the ways in which these authors signify and conceptualise race and marginality. This signaling, which she calls the transatlantic gesture, created intimate bonds between the work of Black and Irish artists and activists.

Daniel O’Connell: The Emancipator

In his time, O’Connell was renowned across the world as a visionary statesman, reformer, and champion of human rights. Known as

The Liberator and The Emancipator, O’Connell dedicated his life to the struggle to achieve Catholic Emancipation, pioneered non-violent mass political mobilisation, and inspired democratic movements around the world.

About Capital Irish Film Festival

Solas Nua’s annual Capital Irish Film Festival in Washington, D.C., presents one of the largest programmes 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 26 February – 1 March 2026 in partnership with the prestigious American Film Institute’s Silver Theatre & Cultural Center.

Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today.

So make sure to subscribe and listen back!

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the latest episode of the State of the Arts podcast (@sotapod), filmmaker and writer Des Doyle sits down with acclaimed television writer, producer, and co-creator of The Big Bang Theory, Bill Prady, for a detailed chat about his new show Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, getting a second shot at a pilot, and a shared passion for comic artwork.

Produced in partnership with Film Ireland and supported by Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland through the Screen Stakeholders Funding Scheme, the State of the Arts series explores the creative processes, industry challenges, and new opportunities that both Irish and international creatives face in today’s ever-evolving artistic landscapes.

During this conversation, Bill reflects on leaving his day job as a computer programmer, fondly recalls his work with Muppets creator Jim Henson and shares skills he developed along the way – ultimately leading to the co-creation of The Big Bang Theory.

Listen now on SoundCloud, Apple, Spotify, Acast and Amazon, or subscribe to Film Ireland wherever you get your podcasts.

https://www.filmireland.net/state-of-the-arts-the-art-of-the-tv-spin-off-with-bill-prady-the-big-bang-theory-stuart-fails-to-save-the-universe

Bill Prady

Originally from Detroit, Michigan, Prady began his work in entertainment in 1983 at Jim Henson Productions (then Henson Associates, Inc.). This followed a brief career as a computer programmer and partner in a software company.

Working with Jim Henson, Prady wrote a wide variety of projects, the last being The Muppets Celebrate Jim Henson, a posthumous tribute to the late puppeteer, for which he received one of his five Emmy nominations. Following his work with Henson, Prady wrote for a number of television comedy and drama series. His first produced episode of series television was an episode of Married... with Children in 1991; his first staff writing job was on the HBO series Dream On in 1995.

In 1997, he joined the writing staff of Dharma & Greg, rising to executive producer and taking over as "showrunner" in 2001. In 2007, Prady co-created the hit CBS series The Big Bang Theory with television veteran Chuck Lorre. He served as an executive producer of that series until its finale in May 2019. He is now co-creator and executive producer of The Big Bang Theory spinoff Stuart Fails to Save the Universe, currently streaming on HBO Max. In addition to his Emmy nominations, Prady has received two Writers' Guild awards, a CableACE Award, and eleven People's Choice Awards for his work as both a writer and producer. He has also been nominated for two additional Writers' Guild awards and five Golden Globe Awards. For his work with NASA (a storyline on Big Bang promoting space exploration), Prady was awarded the Agency's Exceptional Public Achievement Medal, NASA's third-highest civilian honor. He is a graduate of the Cranbrook School in Bloomfield Hills, Michigan, and attended Wayne State University in Detroit. In the spring of 2022, he was awarded an honorary doctorate from Wayne State.

Des Doyle

Des is a D.I.T. graduate who spent 15 years working in the Camera Department before moving into directing. He is the writer/director of the critically acclaimed feature documentary Showrunners: The Art of Running a TV Show, featuring JJ Abrams (Alias, Lost, Fringe), Robert & Michelle King (The Good Wife), Ronald D. Moore (Outlander, Battlestar Galactica) and Bill Prady (The Big Bang Theory) amongst others. He has created a number of courses in conjunction with Screen Ireland over the last few years, which provide breakdowns of all the major US and international streaming networks and what their evolving programming needs may be. He also initiated the Pitching Programme for TV Drama and Comedy with Screen Ireland, giving a selected group of writers the opportunity to pitch directly to some of the major Irish production companies and created the LA Writers Room Placements scheme, which allowed Irish writers to travel to LA and spend time in US writers’ rooms.

Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today.

So make sure to subscribe and listen back!

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In partnership with RENDR Festival and supported by the National Talent Academy for VFX, we are delighted to present this very special speaker series.

Recorded live at RENDR 2026 in Banana Block, Belfast, we spoke with actor, producer and co-founder of practical effects company Pro Machina, Camille Balsamo-Gillis.

In this conversation, Camille chats about growing up on sets as the daughter of Oscar-nominated creature effects artist Alec Gillis, creating films for themselves at Pro Machina, working as a multi-hyphenate filmmaker, and continuing the family legacy of practical filmmaking through her work on blockbuster productions including Alien: Romulus and The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

Listen now on SoundCloud, Apple, Spotify, Acast and Amazon, or subscribe to Film Ireland wherever you get your podcasts.

https://www.filmireland.net/camille-balsamo-gillis-actor-producer-co-founder-of-pro-machina-practical-effects-company

This series of talks was recorded in The Spinners Mill Studio, a podcast and DJ studio based in Banana Block offering tailored solutions for DJ sessions, small-scale events and podcasting from concept to final distribution. Follow them on Insta / Facebook / TikTok

Camille Balsamo-Gillis

As the eldest daughter of Oscar nominated creature effects artist Alec Gillis, it was inevitable Camille Balsamo-Gillis would follow in her father's footsteps with a career in practical effects. As co-founder of practical fx production company Pro Machina, her team builds and shoots miniatures for blockbuster films like The Fantastic Four: First Steps and Alien: Romulus, but she hasn't stopped there: Pro Machina's mission is to create unique films that celebrate practical effects as a powerful filmmaking tool. To date, she has produced two features under the banner, with two more in development this year.

RENDR Festival

This is a unique event celebrating creative craft and artistry in a fully immersive two-day festival exploring the space between Creativity and Technology. Ignite your imagination with inspiring speakers from the worlds of Film, Gaming, Animation, Immersive, and more! Learn from the best, with 30+ creatives from the likes of Netflix, Pixar, Walt Disney Studios, and Epic Games among others.

Witness creative uses of new technology, explore the gallery of digital art, chow down at the food village or play in the arcade. You will be transported to the future, and provide you with unforgettable and inspirational nights. Like nothing you have experienced before, our unique combination is guaranteed to provide two nights you can’t miss. Come for the talks, stay for the experience!

National Talent Academy for Visual Effects

As the newest of the Academies, the National Talent Academy for VFX provides support and opportunities for anyone interested in a career in VFX. Launched in 2024, the National Talent Academy for VFX is an initiative of Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, managed by Cultural & Creative Industries Skillnet. Their mission is to transform aspiring VFX artists into industry-ready professionals while providing ongoing upskilling opportunities for current talent.

Through comprehensive courses and programmess, we introduce participants to best practices both locally and globally, creating clear pathways and solidifying Ireland’s reputation as a premier destination for VFX. The National Talent Academy for VFX is dedicated to attracting individuals from diverse backgrounds and disciplines, fostering greater awareness of VFX as a viable and exciting career choice. Learn more about the work they do here.

Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today.

So make sure to subscribe and listen back!

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In partnership with RENDR Festival and supported by the National Talent Academy for VFX, we are delighted to present this very special speaker series.

Recorded live at RENDR 2026 in Banana Block, Belfast, we spoke with Belfast-born stand up, director, animator, and Associate Creative Director at BUCK, Jennifer Zheng.

Her BAFTA-nominated short film Tough – exploring the complexities of her and her mother’s cultural identities – has screened at over 80 international festivals, including Sundance and SXSW, and received 17 awards. Alongside her directorial work, Zheng has collaborated with global clients such as Netflix, Google DeepMind, Headspace, and The White Stripes.

Listen now on SoundCloud, Apple, Spotify, Acast and Amazon, or subscribe to Film Ireland wherever you get your podcasts.

https://www.filmireland.net/podcast-director-designer-animator-jennifer-zheng

This series of talks was recorded in The Spinners Mill Studio, a podcast and DJ studio based in Banana Block offering tailored solutions for DJ sessions, small-scale events and podcasting from concept to final distribution. Follow them on Insta / Facebook / TikTok

Jennifer Zheng

Jen learned to draw the normal way: by drawing the same boiled egg for a month because her dad told her 'Da Vinci started that way' – he didn’t*. After eggs, she drew exclusively Hollywood A-lister headshots with the grid method: Her Angelina Jolie was spectacular. Now Jen has found a career where drawing the same thing over and over isn’t considered crazy: animation.

She grew up Chinese in the rolling concrete flats of Belfast, Northern Ireland where it was so white she would sometimes forget that she was Asian ... so the other girls at school would complain that their fake tan kept rubbing off, and she’d say back 'I dunno what’s wrong with you girls, because mine never comes off.' The prejudices she experienced growing up taught her the importance of empathy, which is a theme that permeates her work.

Her short film Tough on her and her mother’s conflicting cultural identities was nominated for a BAFTA, won 17 awards, and screened at over 80 international film festivals including Sundance and SXSW. She is currently Associate Creative Director at BUCK and has worked with clients like The White Stripes, Netflix, Headspace & Google Deepmind. Notably, she’s led the design of genitals & illustrations for OMGYes, co-wrote & creative directed a short for GitHub starring Phil Wang, and recently directed the animated portion of David Wilson’s music video for Mabel ‘Look At My Body pt.II’ – a psychedelic feminist retelling of the original sin.

On the side, she is an award-winning stand-up comedian, Playgrounds In Motion London host, erotica zine publisher, and t-shirt tiedyer.

*Da Vinci never repeatedly drew eggs, this seems to be a China-specific conspiracy.

Website / Instagram

RENDR Festival

This is a unique event celebrating creative craft and artistry in a fully immersive two-day festival exploring the space between Creativity and Technology. Ignite your imagination with inspiring speakers from the worlds of Film, Gaming, Animation, Immersive, and more! Learn from the best, with 30+ creatives from the likes of Netflix, Pixar, Walt Disney Studios, and Epic Games among others.

Witness creative uses of new technology, explore the gallery of digital art, chow down at the food village or play in the arcade. You will be transported to the future, and provide you with unforgettable and inspirational nights.

National Talent Academy for Visual Effects

As the newest of the Academies, the National Talent Academy for VFX provides support and opportunities for anyone interested in a career in VFX. Launched in 2024, the National Talent Academy for VFX is an initiative of Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, managed by Cultural & Creative Industries Skillnet. Their mission is to transform aspiring VFX artists into industry-ready professionals while providing ongoing upskilling opportunities for current talent.

Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today.

So make sure to subscribe and listen back!

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Film Ireland podcast, recorded live on location in Washington, D.C. at the Capital Irish Film Festival, Gemma Creagh chats with actor Eleanor O'Brien about her role as the lead in Irish language feature Báite. Winner of Best Irish Language Feature Film at the 2025 Galway Film Fleadh and nominated in four categories at the 2026 Irish Film & Television Academy Awards.

In this conversation, Eleanor discusses her experience of bringing Peggy Casey to life, reflects on planning her next steps following the film’s success, and reveals the types of roles that excite her.

Listen now on SoundCloud, Apple, Spotify, Acast and Amazon, or subscribe to Film Ireland wherever you get your podcasts or watch the original recording here.

https://www.filmireland.net/podcast-actor-eleanor-obrien-baite-lynley

Eleanor O'Brien

Eleanor O'Brien is a theatre and film actress from Limerick, who trained at Bow Street Academy in Dublin. She was nominated for the Bingham Ray New Talent Award at the 2025 Galway Film Fleadh for her performance in Báite, which won Best Irish Language Feature Film. Her screen credits include the lead role of Emily Blast in RTÉ's Blasts from the Past, The Last Right alongside Colm Meaney, Michiel Huisman and Brian Cox, and the BBC One drama Lynley, directed by Ed Bazalgette.

Báite

Winner of Best Irish Language Feature Film at the 2025 Galway Film Fleadh and nominated in four categories at the 2026 Irish Film & Television Academy Awards, Báite arrives in cinemas nationwide on 6th March 2026 to coincide with Seachtain na Gaeilge (1–17 March). Directed by Ruán Magan (The Hunger, Our Blue World – A Water Odyssey), the film is a haunting Irish-language mystery set in rural Ireland in September 1975.

When a body is discovered in the receding waters of a lake, the find sends shockwaves through a small community. For 23-year-old Peggy Casey, who runs the local pub, the revelation threatens to upend not just her life, but an entire town built on secrets long submerged.

About Capital Irish Film Festival

Solas Nua’s annual Capital Irish Film Festival in Washington, D.C., presents one of the largest programmes 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 26 February – 1 March 2026 in partnership with the prestigious American Film Institute’s Silver Theatre & Cultural Center.

The festival provides a US platform that amplifies the work of independent filmmakers working in Ireland and beyond, and celebrates the strength of Ireland’s contemporary cinematic culture. The programme highlights the country’s rich cultural heritage while fostering an inclusive and diverse community of Irish filmmakers. Capital Irish Film Festival champions emerging voices on Irish screens, showcases the exceptional talent and craft within Irish filmmaking, and reflects the robust and vibrant screen industry that has grown in Ireland in recent years.

The festival also presents the annual Norman Houston Short Film Award, dedicated to the memory of Norman Houston, the former Director of the Northern Ireland Bureau (NIB) in the United States. The award honours the best new short film created by a filmmaker based in or from Northern Ireland, made within the previous two years. The 2026 Norman Houston Short Film Award goes to writer-director Oliver McGoldrick for his film Three Keenings.

Read more on SolasNua.org, follow Capital Irish Film Festival on FilmFreeway here.

Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today.

So make sure to subscribe and listen back!

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Film Ireland podcast, we are delighted to welcome producer Jack Tarling of Shudder Films.

In this discussion, Jack talks about his career producing acclaimed independent cinema, from God's Own Country and Kneecap to his latest feature, Learning to Breathe Underwater, which recently had its world premiere at the 60th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival and won the audience award at this year's Galway Film Fleadh.

Listen now on SoundCloud, Apple, Spotify, Acast and Amazon, or subscribe to Film Ireland wherever you get your podcasts and/or watch the original recording here. https://www.filmireland.net/podcast-producer-jack-tarling-kneecap-learning-to-breathe-underwater

The World Premiere of Learning to Breathe Underwater took place at the 60th Karlovy Vary Film Festival and the film screened again on 10th July at the Galway Film Fleadh, winning the festival's audience award.

Starring Rory Kinnear, Maria Bakalova and Ezra Carlisle, Learning to Breathe Underwater follows eight-year-old Leo, who lives with his dad and a giant shark, which crashed through the roof of their home. Yes, you read that correctly. The shark is Leo’s best friend, to whom he can confide all his secrets. He can’t really talk to his dad; he must be missing mum, who’s been gone five years now. Then Anya the au pair bursts into their lives, and their world suddenly changes. It’s more cheerful and Leo discovers that the metal shark doesn’t have to be his only friend.

The film is directed by Rebekah Fortune from a script by Richard Barbin. The project is produced by Jack Tarling of the UK’s Shudder Films and Patrick O’Neill of Ireland’s Wildcard, co-produced by KeyFilm in the Netherlands, One Wave Films in Wales and made in association with Eiru Films in the west of Ireland.

Learning to Breathe Under Water was filmed in Galway last year and is proudly supported by Screen Ireland, BFI Global Screen Fund, Ffilm Cymru, WRAP Fund, Netherlands Film Fund, Finite Films, Bankside Films and Three Point Capital. Bankside Films handle international sales.

Jack Tarling

Jack has produced five feature films and many short films through his company Shudder Films. Kneecap, featuring rap trio Kneecap alongside Michael Fassbender, premiered at Sundance 2024 and sold to Sony Pictures Classics. It was shortlisted for two Academy Awards, nominated for six BAFTAs (winning Best Debut), and won seven British Independent Film Awards.

God's Own Country, which won prizes in 2017 at Sundance, Berlin, Edinburgh, Galway and many other festivals, won four BIFAs, including Best Film, received a BAFTA nomination for Outstanding British Film, and was the highest-grossing UK debut of the year. Await Further Instructions was a Critics' Pick in The New York Times and sold to Netflix.

Currently in post-production for 2026 releases, Jack has produced:

• Learning to Breathe Under Water, directed by Rebekah Fortune and starring Ezra Carlisle, Rory Kinnear and Oscar nominee Maria Bakalova, is financed by Screen Ireland, UK Global Screen Fund, Ffilm Cymru and the Netherlands Film Fund, and sold by Bankside.
• Daughter of Eden, written and directed by Fateme Ahmadi, starring Yasmin Al-Khudhairi, Hiam Abbas, Amir El Masry and Lindsay Duncan, is financed by BFI, BBC Film, Screen Ireland and Civic Studios.
• Jack has also line produced several other feature films for the BFI, BBC Films and others, including two which premiered at Venice, and he previously worked in development at Ridley Scott's production company, Scott Free. In 2019/2020, he worked to produce an unannounced US-set interactive feature film for Sony Interactive Entertainment.

Jack has produced short-form content for Disney/Hulu, executive produced a slate of ten short films for Northern Film + Media, and produced the short film Assessment, which was shortlisted for a BAFTA in 2010.

Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today.

So make sure to subscribe and listen back!

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Film Ireland podcast, recorded live on location in Washington, D.C. at the Capital Irish Film Festival, Gemma Creagh chats with filmmaker Nuala O’Connor about her film In Time: Dónal Lunny. The documentary chronicles the enigmatic and innovative musician Dónal Lunny, tracing his profound influence on Irish music and his role in shaping its modern evolution.

In this conversation, Nuala shares insights into her varied career, balancing her two passions - film and music - her craft, and the challenge of capturing the spirit of such a pioneering artist on screen.

The episode was recorded live at the Irish film festival, presented annually by Solas Nua. The 20th edition of the festival took place in Washington, D.C., from February 26 to March 1, 2026.

Listen now on SoundCloud, Apple, Spotify, Acast and Amazon, subscribe to Film Ireland wherever you get your podcasts or watch the otigional recording here:

https://www.filmireland.net/podcast-filmmaker-nuala-oconnor-on-in-time-donal-lunny

About In Time: Dónal Lunny

Charting the life and legacy of the iconic Irish traditional musician Dónal Lunny, one of Ireland’s most outstanding artists, this film offers an insightful appraisal of his creative process, exploring the enduring and far-reaching influence he has had on Irish traditional music. The film reveals a life lived entirely for art’s sake. The major events of his creative and personal life have converged with major cultural, political and historic changes in Ireland and around the world and reflects the impact this had on his art from the 1950s to the present day.

Music fuses with the personal material of Dónal Lunny’s biographical journey and brings the artist into being in this film. That journey is the journey of Irish culture and people who lived through those decades from the 1950s to the present day.

Nuala O’Connor

Nuala O’Connor has worked for nearly twenty years in broadcasting: in RTÉ for nine years as a researcher and radio producer, and for the past ten years in the independent film sector. In 1987, Nuala established Hummingbird Productions with Philip King to produce high quality music and arts documentaries. With Philip King, she worked as assistant producer on Bringing It All Back Home and is the author of the book which accompanied the series.

Nuala went on to produce documentaries including A River of Sound, Christy, Meitheal and Bláth Gach Géag Dá dTig, collaborating with Donal Lunny, Liam O’Flynn, Seamus Heaney, Sinéad O’Connor and Mary Black.

Subsequently, with Philip King and Tina Moran, she was a founder director of South Wind Blows Productions, initially directing the Irish history documentary series The Limits of Liberty with Professor Diarmaid Ferriter. In 2013, she co-directed An Glaoch: The President’s Call with President Michael D. Higgins and also that year wrote and directed From Moment to Moment about the Irish band The Gloaming. In 2014, she worked as co-producer on the acclaimed Ceiliúradhconcert at the Royal Albert Hall.

Nuala also worked as the traditional music reviewer for The Irish Times for many years.

Capital Irish Film Festival

Solas Nua’s annual Capital Irish Film Festival in Washington, D.C., presents one of the largest programmes 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 26 February – 1 March 2026 in partnership with the prestigious American Film Institute’s Silver Theatre & Cultural Center.

Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today.

So make sure to subscribe and listen back!

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this very special festival podcast, recorded on location at Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale) earlier this year, writer and academic Naemi Victoria sits down with writer-director Olive Nwosu to discuss her latest film, Lady, which screened in the festival's Panorama section.

Olive is also joined by members of the film's cast: Agu Chinenye Esthyraph (Fanta), Precious Agu Eke (Lolo), Fadesaye Olateru-Olagbegi (Lekpa), and Eva Ibiam (Cinderella). Together, they reflect on the making of the film, their performances, and bringing the world of Lady to the screen.

Lady had its European premiere on 18th February 2026 at the Berlin International Film Festival (Berlinale), where it screened as part of the Panorama programme.

Listen now on SoundCloud, Apple, Spotify, Acast and Amazon, or subscribe to Film Ireland wherever you get your podcasts.

https://www.filmireland.net/podcast-filmmaker-olive-nwosu-cast-of-lady-at-berlinale

About Lady

In the restless night of Lagos, one of the city’s few female cab drivers, Lady, survives by staying tough and focused. She dreams of escape, saving her earnings for a new life far from the chaos of this Nigerian metropolis. But when her long-lost childhood friend, Pinky – now a sex worker – returns with a burst of colour and trouble, Lady is pulled reluctantly into her orbit. Soon, she is driving a crew of glamorous, reckless, fun-loving women through the underbelly of Lagos nightlife. What begins as judgement develops into unexpected sisterhood: wild, tender and disarming. As Lady becomes entangled in their world, the nights grow more dangerous, and the city presses harder against old wounds that she has never confronted. Forced to face the trauma she has long outrun, Lady cracks open – learning to feel, to belong, to see herself through new eyes. When everything reaches breaking point, Lady must make a choice that will change her life’s direction forever.

Olive Nwosu

Born in Lagos, Nigeria, Olive Nwosu is an award-winning screenwriter and director living in London. Olive graduated with an MFA in Filmmaking from Columbia University School of the Arts, where she received a BAFTA Pigott 2020 Scholarship and was named 2020 Alex Sichel Fellow for a Female Filmmaker demonstrating promise. Olive won the Zaki Gordon Memorial Award for Excellence in Screenwriting and the James Ponsoldt Award for Best Director in her graduating year. She has written and directed two short films. Troublemaker, 2019, played at film festivals around the world and was acquired by Dedza Films and Kino Lorber. It is the first Igbo-language film on the Criterion Channel.

Egúngún (Masquerade), 2021, was financed by the British Film Institute and British Council as part of their More Films For Freedom Programme. It premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2021, screened at Sundance 2022, won Best Short Film at Hamptons International Film Festival and Aspen ShortsFest, amongst others. The film was nominated for the Best British Short Film at the 2021 British Independent Film Awards and is now available on the Criterion Channel.

Olive is a 2022 Sundance Screenwriting Fellow, a 2022 TIFF Filmmaker Lab Fellow, the first recipient of the TIFF Share Her Journey Fellowship in honour of Viola Desmond, and one of four ‘African Promises’ directors selected by the Institute Francais. In 2023, she received the Sundance NHK Award, presented each year to one filmmaker on the basis of his/her past work (feature film, short film, television drama, music video or commercial) and the script for their next feature film project.

She is currently in development on feature projects with Film4, the BBC and Fox Searchlight Pictures. Her work is informed by the intersectional nature of her life across multiple continents and identities. Her mission is to tell urgent, cinematic, African-centred stories.

Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today.

So make sure to subscribe and listen back!

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Film Ireland podcast, we catch up with actor Diarmuid Noyes (Pure Mule, The Clinic) as his short A Knock at Your Door is about to premiere at the Galway Film Fleadh.

In this conversation, he discusses his creative practice, exploring his approach to character development, performance, and collaboration across film, television, and theatre.

Listen now on SoundCloud, Apple, Spotify, Acast and Amazon, or subscribe to Film Ireland wherever you get your podcasts.

https://www.filmireland.net/podcast-actor-diarmuid-noyes-christy-a-knock-at-your-door-the-walsh-sisters

A Knock at Your Door

A Knock at Your Door tells the story of Florence, a nurse, and James (Noyes), an internet-obsessed tech worker, whose lives are turned upside down when a teenager accused online of committing a heinous crime arrives at their door seeking shelter.

As tensions escalate outside, the couple's relationship is pushed to breaking point, forcing them to confront uncomfortable truths about themselves and exposing the biases they each carry.

Emerging from a climate of mounting social unrest fuelled by fear and misinformation spread across social media, the film draws inspiration from recent events in Ireland, including anti-immigration riots in Dublin city centre and the sustained public disorder outside the Citywest accommodation centre in Saggart, where protesters clashed with Gardaí over multiple nights, hurling fireworks, stones and bottles and setting a Garda van alight.

The cast features 2026 IFTA nominee Diarmuid Noyes (Christy), Yemisi Oyinloye (Cold Feet), Jonathan Heed (The Lost Children of Tuam, Lemonade, The Boys of Tommen) and Michael Mullen (The Problem With People).

Shot on location in Dublin in early 2026, the film is positioned to resonate with audiences as an urgent cinematic response to Ireland's recent social upheavals.

About Diarmuid Noyes

Irish actor Diarmuid Noyes works across film, television and theatre. He first came to prominence as a teenager with acclaimed Irish dramas The Clinic and Pure Mule. His film credits include Christy, opposite Danny Power; Double Blind; Good Vibrations, alongside Jodie Whittaker and Richard Dormer; Killing Bono, starring Ben Barnes and Robert Sheehan; Five Minutes of Heaven, opposite Liam Neeson and James Nesbitt; Parked, with Colm Meaney; and The Secret Scripture, directed by Jim Sheridan and starring Rooney Mara, Vanessa Redgrave and Theo James.

His television credits include the BBC hit Line of Duty; HBO's The Tudors, alongside Jonathan Rhys Meyers; Canal+'s Borgia; Virgin Media Television's Blood; The Gone; The Walsh Sisters; Pure Mule: The Last Weekend; and Cooper & Fry. Throughout his career, Noyes has received multiple Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA) Award nominations, including Best Supporting Actor nominations for Double Blind and Christy, as well as a nomination for his performance in Pure Mule: The Last Weekend.

Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today.

So make sure to subscribe and listen back!

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this Film Ireland podcast, we’re delighted to shine a light on three filmmakers whose short films are screening at this years’s Galway Film Fleadh. Gemma Creagh chats with Alan Hopkins (A Knock at Your Door), Jaro Waldeck (Linger) and Thomas Bennett (The Galley).

Watch the recording here:

https://www.filmireland.net/podcast-filmmakers-alan-hopkins-jaro-waldeck-thomas-bennett-at-galway-film-fleadh

A Knock at Your Door - DIR/WRI: Alan Hopkins

A young couple's life is thrown into disarray when they receive a late night knock on their door. Florence and James’s quiet evening in front of the TV comes to an abrupt end when a young teenager, Alex, arrives at their door badly beaten and in clear distress. Florence, a nurse, acts quickly and brings him inside, but James, who spends most of his free time in the darker sections of the internet, is immediately unsure. The situation escalates when James is sent a video purporting to show Alex, accompanied by extremely serious sexual allegations. Before James can eject Alex from the house, a mob, whipped up by online extremists, arrives outside seeking vigilante justice. Florence stands firm and won't hand Alex over based on an online accusation. Can their relationship survive as the mob's pressure grows?

A Knock at Your Door screens on Saturday, 11th of July in the Town Hall Cinema at 11.30 as part of Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland World Premiere Shorts

Linger - DIR: Jaro Waldeck • WRI: Bobby Moloney

In a secluded house, Eve cares for her bedridden husband, David, who is now a shell of the man he once was. With only an AI assistant to keep her company, Eve longs for the love and connection they once shared. When offered a miraculous pill that can restore David to full health for seven days, Eve chooses to seize one last chance at happiness, knowing she will set off the countdown to his final moments. As David awakens, unaware of the years lost or the sacrifice Eve has made, their reunion is joyful but fleeting.

Linger screens on Saturday, 11th of July, Town Hall Cinema at 11.30 as part of Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland World Premiere Shorts

The Galley - DIR: Thomas Bennett • WRI: Thomas Bennett, Niall McCloskey

As the coast of Northern Ireland sinks deep into the hands of gentrification, the workers of Crillis Arcade are struck with this reality when their workplace is sold for redevelopment; this news affects nobody greater than Helen (Bríd Brennan), a down on her luck woman living in a caravan along the coastline. When finding herself short on cash at the local chippy, Helen commits a victimless crime to pay for dinner...

The Galley screens on Friday 10th July, at 11:45 in the Town Hall Theatre as part of Irish Fiction 4.

Alan Hopkins

Alan Hopkins is a Dublin-based writer, director and co-founder of HAL Pictures. A graduate of the National Film School at IADT, he holds both a BA in Film & Television Production and a Master’s Degree in Screenwriting. His work has screened at festivals across Ireland and internationally, as well as on RTÉ. In 2024, his Screen Ireland Focus Short Ogham premiered at the Galway Film Fleadh before continuing its international festival run, receiving awards for cinematography and original score.

Jaro Waldeck

Jaro has been working in the Irish film and TV industry largely as a freelance cinematographer for 15 years. She shot over 50 short films (live action and documentary) as well as feature films DREAMTOWN and HOUSEWIFE OF THE YEAR. Jaro studied at Columbia College Chicago and FAMU Prague, two prestigious film universities, where she earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in cinematography, respectively.

Thomas Bennett

Thomas is a Belfast based artist and director focused on Hi-8 tape and Super 8. His short film directorial work has been funded by BFI Network, Arts Council NI and has been recognised and awarded nationally and internationally, showcasing at Academy®, BAFTA, BIFA & IFTA qualifying Film Festivals.

Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today.

So make sure to subscribe and listen back!

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Film Ireland podcast, we are delighted to welcome writer/director Rebecca Zlotowski. In this discussion, we chat about her career, creative inspiration, and her latest film, A Private Life, which stars Jodie Foster in her first-ever French-speaking role.

In cinemas 26th June, A Private Life sees Jodie plays renowned psychiatrist Lilian Steiner, who embarks on a private investigation into the death of one of her patients... convinced that it was no accident, but murder.

Rebecca will be at the Irish Film Institute this evening for a very special Q&A.

Listen now on SoundCloud, Apple, Spotify, Acast and Amazon, or subscribe to Film Ireland wherever you get your podcasts.

Watch the original recording here.

https://www.filmireland.net/podcast-writer-director-rebecca-zlotowski-on-a-private-life

Rebecca Zlotowski

Rebecca is a French director and screenwriter. Born in Paris, she initially pursued an academic path in literature before turning to filmmaking at La Fémis, where her graduation film became her debut feature, Belle Épine (2010), earning major critical awards.

Her cinema is marked by a strong authorial voice, blending psychological realism with stylised storytelling. Across films such as Grand Central (2013), Planetarium (2016), and An Easy Girl (2019), she has developed a body of work attentive to female subjectivity, sexuality, and the emotional complexities of modern relationships.

With Other People’s Children (2022), she further refined her exploration of intimacy and non-traditional family structures. Her latest film, A Private Life (2025), starring Jodie Foster, premiered at Cannes and received nominations at the 2026 Lumière Awards (Best Actress for Jodie Foster) and at the 2025 San Sebastián and Warsaw International Film Festivals for their respective Audience Awards.

Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today.

So make sure to subscribe and listen back!

Hosted on Acast. See https://acast.com/privacy for more information.