The film was rediscovered in 2018 when Festival Director & CEO Fiona Clark uncovered a box of film reels during an office move. After remaining safely in storage throughout the pandemic, the footage was identified with the support of Dr. Ciara Chambers (Department of Film & Screen Media, University College Cork) and colleagues at the Irish Film Institute. It was revealed to be a unique record of the Festival’s early years, created by Cork County Librarian and historian Pádraig Ó Maidín.
Carefully restored and digitised by the IFI Irish Film Archive, the film premiered on the Opening Night of the 70th Cork International Film Festival in 2025 at a packed Everyman Theatre—60 years after it was originally made. You can also watch it during our Heritage Week Walking Tour on the 21 of August.
Today, we’re delighted to make this extraordinary piece of Festival history available for everyone to enjoy.
Whether you’ve been part of CIFF for decades or are discovering the Festival for the first time, this archive offers a fascinating glimpse into the people, places and cinematic spirit that helped shape Cork International Film Festival into what it is today.
▶ Watch the 1965 CIFF Archive Film below.
Credits
- Original film by Pádraig Ó Maidín
- Restoration & digitisation: IFI Irish Film Archive
- Archive presentation: Michael McCarthy, CIFF Digital Marketing & Development Officer
Read more about this via our Media Partner, the Irish Examiner HERE.
This archive film has been made available to mark Heritage Week 2026 which takes place from 15–23 August, with CIFF’s programme kindly supported by Cork City Council’s Local Community Heritage & Biodiversity Grant Scheme 2026.
