Bearcave

Set in the Greek mountain village of Tirna, Bearcave follows Argyro, a badass farmer, and her best friend Anneta, the village “it” girl and local manicurist. Once Anneta admits that she’s pregnant and planning to leave town with her lame cop boyfriend, Argyro challenges Anneta to embark on an adventure to find the mystical bear cave. Before Argyro has a chance to confess her own love, Anneta leaves for her new life in the big city.

Bearcave is a genre-blending love odyssey pulsating with the mountain folklore of the Balkans. It shines an original light on the lives of two young queer women in Greece, exploring their relationship through the lens of youth, light and humor, in contrast to the darkness and suffering in the lives of rural queer people that we have come to expect. It boasts qualities that might seem contradictory but mix wonderfully well together here: an immediacy and a sense of familiarity in its theme, but handled with an extraordinarily poetic approach. It is luminous, with flashes of grace of a rare intensity.

Bearcave is eligible for the Spirit of the Festival Award for Best Film award and Best Screenplay.

This screening is supported by the Embassy of Greece in Ireland.

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.