DISCOVER FILM, REIMAGINE THE WORLD
We are really delighted to return with a full 11-day Festival in cinemas this year, following two years of delivering different hybrid formats of the Festival, as we responded to the ever-changing landscape of the Pandemic. At 67 years young, we are proud that our Festival continues to be pioneering, innovative, inclusive and welcoming, and we hope that you will find all of that and much more in this year’s rich and diverse programme.
Cork International Film Festival’s mission is to present Ireland’s most exciting, diverse and ambitious annual film festival, connecting Cork audiences and artists to the world, and bringing the world to Cork through a carefully curated selection of the best films. We champion the power of film to tell great stories that challenge and delight, spark conversation, encourage action, and create a unique cultural experience of discovery, rooted in Cork, open to the world.
We hope that you will explore the programme and discover much to entice you to the cinema in November. Alongside many fresh new voices, there are award-winning, world-class features and documentaries from Cannes, Berlin, Rotterdam, and Venice, and films from acclaimed filmmakers such as François Ozon, Laura Poitras, and Sam Mendes, with no less than 80 Irish feature premieres at the Festival – come and see it first in Cork!
You’ll find an expanded focus on films and activities for young people and families, including accessible sensory-friendly screenings, amplifying our year-round outreach programmes, particularly supporting young people’s mental well-being through film. Alongside our Family Gala, Roald Dahl’s Matilda the Musical, our Animation Gala celebrates the best in magical film storytelling with Strange World. This year’s Cine Concert, A Trip to the Moon, will appeal to all ages, with a wonderful commissioned score from award-winning Cork composers Irene Buckley and Linda Buckley, performed by local music students.
For many aspiring and emerging filmmakers, our Festival provides the access route to the sector; we actively encourage filmmakers to submit their films, to join our Industry Days, to meet their peers and dare to dream. Great careers start in Cork.
We are committed to advancing our sustainability journey and to using the emotional capacity of film to stimulate and influence change; our Green Screen strand this year explores human impact on the environment, climate action and sustainable fashion.
We want the Festival to be a welcoming and inclusive experience, with a programme that reflects the diversity of our local and global society, and a place that encourages engagement with all of our community. We could not be prouder to open the 67th edition with Frank Berry’s stunning and timely drama, Aisha, a quietly powerful film about belonging, love and sanctuary.
We hope that the Festival will be a memorable meeting point, a destination of discovery and a springboard for new experiences. We can’t wait to welcome you.
“There can be nothing as enjoyable as attending the cinema in person. It is great to see cinema back up and running and your Festival continuing to go from strength to strength.” Michael D. Higgins, President of Ireland / Uachtarán na hÉireann
