Saipan (Repeat)

2002, shortly before the FIFA World Cup in Japan and South Korea. The Irish national football team arrives on the Pacific island of Saipan where they are to bond and train before moving to Japan. But the management’s relaxed approach does not match team captain Roy Keane’s expectations. The Man United star player is here to win it.

Filmmakers Lisa Barros D'Sa and Glenn Leyburn handle the story with all the respect due to one of the most seismic events in Irish sporting history. A respect for facts, for the protagonists, for all the people of Ireland, really, who found themselves having to take sides. Indeed, the public quarrel between Keane and manager Mick McCarthy rocked the nation and sparked debates on notions that went far beyond sport: loyalty, ethics, identity. Saipan was, and is, a big deal.

This screening will be presented with Closed Captions.

Courtesy of Wildcard Distribution and Vertigo Releasing.

This film is eligible for the Best New Irish Feature Award, proudly sponsored by the Irish Examiner.

Cork International Film Festival is delighted to return to its Principal Venue, The Arc Cinema on North Main St, Cork, for its 70th Festival edition, Thursday 6th to Sunday 16th November 2025.

The Arc Cinema Cork is home to The GATE Screen — a space dedicated to preserving and celebrating the legacy of the beloved former Gate Cinema — and an ideal spot for meeting fellow festival goers in between screenings. The GATE Screen features luxurious double sofa seats and tables, creating an intimate and sophisticated viewing experience. It is dedicated to showcasing arthouse films, including independent and local productions, foreign and Irish language titles throughout the year.