More than 200 films, major Irish and international titles, special guests, family screenings and immersive culinary events set to bring Cork to life this November
Cork International Film Festival (CIFF) has unveiled the full programme for its 71st edition, bringing the best of Irish and international cinema to Cork from Thursday, 12 November, to Sunday, 22 November 2026.
Featuring more than 200 films in multiple venues across the city, the Festival will welcome an outstanding line-up of Irish and international filmmakers, actors and distinguished guests. Following recent announcements of the Festival’s Opening and Closing Gala films (Lucy Lost and The Debut, respectively), and the world premiere of Joe Bonamassa: The Spirit of Rory, CIFF is now revealing the full programme for its 71st year.
Fiona Clark, Festival Director & CEO, said: “Following our landmark 70th anniversary in 2025, this year we look firmly to the future, celebrating the power of cinema to connect audiences, spark ideas and broaden perspectives. Above all, there will be the boundless pleasure of discovery: meeting the filmmakers, finding a film that stays with you, hearing a new voice, or taking part in the many talks and immersive events inspired by the films. We invite you to explore, be curious, and make Cork your cinematic home in November.”
Celebrating the best of Irish cinema
Irish filmmaking takes centre stage throughout the 2026 programme, including Ancestors, written and directed by David Turpin, which won the FIPRESCI Prize at the recent Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), and stars Éanna Hardwicke, Rupert Everett and Christina Hendricks.
Also featured is Skintown, directed by Kieron J. Walsh and starring Jack Rowan, Chris Walley and Jamie Lee O’Donnell. The Body Is 
Star talent, distinguished guests and honorary awards
CIFF is delighted to welcome an impressive gathering of talent from Ireland and around the world, including actors Éanna Hardwicke, Rupert Everett, Saoirse-Monica Jackson and Allen Leech, alongside filmmakers Lizzie Borden, Céline Sciamma, as well as Dónal Gallagher and many more guests to be announced.
At the screening of Ancestors on Friday 20 November, Éanna Hardwicke will be presented with the Honorary Puttnam Award – named in honour of the Festival’s patron, the Oscar®-winning producer and film education luminary, David Puttnam – for his contribution to Irish cinema, and he will participate in an ‘In Conversation’ on Saturday 21 in the Arc Cinema. Lizzie Borden will receive the Honorary Disruptor Award and take part in a discussion with fellow filmmaker Pat Murphy on Saturday 14 November in the Triskel. Other awards to be presented during the Festival include the Best New Irish Feature Award sponsored by the Irish Examiner, Lookout Award in partnership with the Arc Cinema as well as three Oscar®-qualifying Short Awards and the Redbreast UNHIDDEN Short Award.
The Bigger Picture: Conversations beyond the screen
New to this year’s Festival, The Bigger Picture will bring audiences closer to the ideas and issues explored throughout the programme with a curated series of extended conversations with filmmakers and special guests that take place directly after five selected features. Themes explored include technology and climate change, democracy and protest, breaking addiction and nurturing the soil that feeds us.
International must-sees
Highlights from the World Tour strand include a ‘Centrepiece Screening’ of Jordan Firstman’s Club Kid, a story of a hard-partying New York City club promoter whose lifestyle is upended by the arrival of a 10-year-old son he never knew he had. Other key titles include The Accompanist starring Susan Sarandon; Cantona: Flower of Evil about one of football’s most rebellious talents; The Education of Jane Cumming, starring Fiona Shaw and Clare Dunne; Clio Barnard’s I See Buildings Fall Like Lightning starring Irish talent Anthony Boyle, Lola Petticrew, and Daryl McCormack; Rose with Sandra Hüller; A Talent for Murder with Helen Mirren and Alden Ehrenreich; and Mike Leigh’s final film, Tender Loving Care.
Family favourites and animation for all ages
The Festival’s selection of new and classic films and events – designed to bring audiences of all ages together – includes its Family Gala: Homeward Bound: The Incredible Journey (supported by PwC), a special dog-friendly screening of this children’s classic where audiences are invited to bring their four-legged friends along for a unique cinematic experience.
Other family highlights include a ‘Special Screening’ of The Cat in the Hat, bringing the wonderfully whimsical world of Dr Seuss to the Festival programme (courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures Animation); and the Animation Gala, the Irish Premiere of Julián, a heartwarming story exploring family traditions and the power of self-expression, directed by award-winning filmmaker Louise Bagnall of Cartoon Saloon. Additionally, CIFF Family Ambassador, Hilary Rose, will provide live narration for the Irish premiere of The Mystery Package.
A taste of cinema: Food, film and immersive experiences
A perennial audience favourite, CIFF’s Culinary Cinema strand returns with a programme of immersive film and dining experiences celebrating the relationship between food, culture and storytelling. Supported by chef, writer and Culinary Ambassador Rachel Allen, the Festival will once again collaborate with eateries across Cork to create distinctive paired culinary events that bring cinema to the table. Highlights include Chili Finger, starring Judy Greer, John Goodman and Bryan Cranston; A Sip of Irish, directed by Frank Mannion, celebrating Ireland’s contribution to global food and drink culture; Feast or Famine, a film centred on London restaurant Angelina; and Forest High, an Alpine-set story that contemplates life and nature’s poetry
A spectacular Opening Gala
The Festival will open on Thursday, 12 November, with a gala screening of Lucy Lost, directed by Olivier Clert, at 7pm in the Curtis Auditorium at MTU Cork School of Music. Featuring exquisite animation and an evocative original score by composer Anne-Sophie Versnaeyen, Lucy Lost promises a captivating opening night, preceded by a special musical presentation and including a post-screening Q&A with Clert and Versnaeyen, offering audiences a unique insight into the creative process.
A fitting finale
The Festival’s closing weekend will include the Awards Gala screening of James Gray’s Paper Tiger, on Saturday 21 November, starring Scarlett Johansson, Adam Driver and Miles Teller, following the CIFF Features Awards. On Sunday 22, the Festival will conclude with Jesse Eisenberg’s The Debut, starring Academy Award®-winning actor Julianne Moore and Paul Giamatti.
For more information and the full programme, and to stay up to date with the latest news and programme announcements, visit corkfilmfest.org or via the myCIFF app.
