Cork Film Festival

South Australian born and London resident James Mullighan is a renowned arts events producer, journalist, and sits on the boards of the Encounters Short Film and Animation Festival – the UK’s longest running competitive platform of its kind and the country’s leading gateway to the BAFTAs and Oscars – and the London Short Film Festival. He also sits on the advisory board of the Sheffield DocFest.

“We’re delighted that someone of such international calibre has come on board to help us re-imagine and refresh the Cork Film Festival,” said Cork Film Festival Chairman Denis McSweeney. “What’s more, James’s fantastic relationship with distributors and independent film makers across the globe will open a window of opportunity for the festival.”

Mullighan, who runs Transmedia Next, said the opportunity to work as Creative Director with such an historic festival was one he couldn’t pass up. “I see my role in developing and enhancing the superb traditions and heritage of the Cork Film Festival.”
He has a reputation as a champion of independent filmmakers and is considered a technical innovator with a wide experience of running arts events.

“First we will review the programme policy for the festival in general and agree guidelines so programmers and stakeholders understand the aims of each festival.
“We will work to strengthen relationships with UK and Irish film distributors to build a stronger feature/world cinema programme and to bring a greater number of the creative people associated with high profile films to screenings here in Cork.
“But most importantly we will not lose sight of the fact that we do all this to enlighten, entertain and grow our audiences – that means the cinema lover, the industry professional and cinema’s exciting new voices in cinema.”

The 58th Cork Film Festival will take place this year from November 10 to 17 with funding and support from the Arts Council, Failte Ireland and Cork City Council.

We are now accepting submissions for the 2013 Cork Film Festival. Submissions are invited in the following categories: Feature Films, Documentaries, Short Films. We welcome all genres and forms of production.

In line with other film festivals we are seeking a submission fee this year. Cork Film Festival is resolutely committed to bringing great films to the public as well as ensuring that all submissions are reviewed professionally and respectfully. We receive an average of 3,000 films every year across a variety of genres. Reviewing each and every one by a minimum of two professional programmers is a costly and time-consuming process. In the past, the festival has subsidised this cost. However, in the current economic climate, this is, unfortunately, not sustainable.

The submission fee will be €20, which is lower than the standard submission fees of our sister festivals. With this measure in place we will continue to bring our audiences all the riches that cinema has to offer, while giving our filmmakers the support and consideration that they deserve.

Given that some film-makers have already submitted films for this year’s Festival, we propose to allow these entrants a credit of the €20 fee for 2013, but request that they confirm their submission for our records by e-mailing info@corkfilmfest.org

You can access the submission form here. Please make sure you read the regulations as you complete the form.

Go to Submission Form»

Cork Film Festival is delighted to confirmed its 2013 dates. The festival will run from 10 – 17 November this year. We will also open for submissions in the coming days. More exciting news will follow soon!

We extend warm congratulations to Irish filmmaker Tony Donoghue, whose film Irish Folk Furniture won Best Animation Award at the 2013 Sundance Film Festival. Irish Folk Furniture won many hearts when we screened it last November. Those who have yet to view this charming documentary about repair and recycling in rural Ireland, set aside eight minutes of your time and watch it here:

The Cork Public Jury for the Lux Prize selected Shun Li And The Poet, directed by Andrea Segre, as their favourite of the three short-listed films. The decision will be communicated to the EU Parliament, also to the Irish MEPs, and will inform the final decision which will be made later this month in the EU Parliament. Thank you to all the Public Jury members who watched all three films and voted on Sunday evening last.

‘Made In Cork’ Award for Best Short Film
Uisce Beatha / Shaun O’Connor
This is a film that showed panache, poise and sharpness, that had the freshness we were looking for, and a lightness of touch and a spareness, with no padding whatsoever. It also had a genuine warmth and engagement, and a subtle, gradual release of the information it was revealing. In short, it was a film, we felt, that could have been clichéd or clumsy in lesser hands. We are very happy to choose it and recommend it.

‘Made In Cork’ Jury: Pat Kiernan, Jane Lee, Matthew Sweeney.

Best Irish Short Film
Left / Eamonn O’Neill
A film about two childhood friends who choose different paths, Eamonn O’Neill’s Left is a simple yet complex and mature animation with great depth of characters.

Special Mention:
A Removals Job / Nicholas Keogh
This film has a unique and creative approach, where the demolition of a building and the process of its reconstruction becomes a metaphor for the craft of cinema.

Claire Lynch Award: Best First-time Irish Director of a Short Film
Two Wheels, Good / Barry Gene Murphy
This director uses a clever mix of style and form with live action and animation to portray an inspiring insight into different lives on two wheels.

Special Mentions:
Solitude / Sean Breathnach
This film displays a brave and accomplished attempt at creating a tensions experiences by both the audience and the lead character.

Buried In Light / Siobhan Perry
Perry’s film stands out for its difference in theme and its elegant yet form approach to its subject.

National Jury: Rita Figueiredo (Portugal), Liz Harkman (England), Danny McCarthy (Ireland).

Best International Short Film
All Hallows Week (Hiljainen Viikko) / Jussi Hiltunen / Finland
A film that manages to capture the trauma following a random act of violence. Highly authentic, showing guilt, hate and blame, all skillfully encapsulated within eighteen minutes.

Special Mentions:
Ballet Story / Daria Belova / Germany
A film that carefully reveals a world of jealousy amongst young girls, with lyrical cinematography and a relaxed pace.

Premature (Prematur) / Gunhild Enger / Norway
A tragicomedy of discomfort and prejudice, and an interweaving of different perspectives, all told in one single take.

Cork Short Film Nominee for the European Film Awards
Morning / Cathy Brady / England, Ireland
A devastatingly nuanced drama, which mixes a power struggle alongside grief and ambition, with two superb lead performances, and shot in a minimalist and realistic style. Cathy Brady is an exciting new Irish talent.

International Jury: Per Fikse (Norway), Nicky Gogan (Ireland), Philip Ilson (England).

Audience Award for Best Irish Short Film
Motion Sickness / John McIlduff and Jessica Kennedy

Audience Award for Best International Short Film
Rhinos / Shimmy Marcus / Ireland

OutLook Award for Best LGBT Short Film
Next Door Letters / Sascha Fülscher / Sweden
Fülscher’s animation is a sweet and tender short that reaches audiences both young and old with its authentic message of unrequited love.

Award of the Festival for Best Short Film
Oh Willy… / Marc James Roels, Emma de Swaef / Belgium
Surreal, gentle, emotionally charged, the film encompasses themes of love, belonging, identity, ‘the human condition’ and hunger. Above all else, Oh Willy… is a beautifully textured, meticulously-crafted animation.