Special Presentations and Guests
Cork International Film Festival is proud to welcome a host of distinguished guests from across the film world – talented filmmakers, industry leaders and artists who will present their work, discuss their careers, share their ideas and engage with you, our audience.
Special Presentations:
Defence of The Realm and In Conversation, Fri 7th November, 17:00, Triskel
Dennis Markahm (Ian Bannen) is forced to resign from the British Parliament after he is linked to a woman serving as an East German dignitary. As reporters Nick Mullen (Gabriel Byrne) and Vernon Bayliss (Denholm Elliott) investigate the case, they discover that there may be more to the incident than meets the eye.
Stay after the screening for an unmissable conversation with two icons of Irish and international cinema. Academy Award®-winning film producer and educator, David Puttnam, and multi-award-winning actor Gabriel Byrne will share stories, insights, and behind-the-scenes anecdotes from Defence of the Realm and beyond – an extraordinary opportunity to experience film history brought to life.
CIFF Honorary Disruptor Award: John Boorman
CIFF’s Honorary Disruptor Award, dedicated to the free spirits of the film world, will be awarded this year to filmmaker John Boorman.The ceremony will precede the screening of Zardoz. Cherie Lunghi, star of Excalibur , will present the award.
The ceremony will also include video messages from Callum Turner, Jamie Lee Curtis, Liam Neeson, Juliette Binoche , Seamus Deasy and other major artists who have worked with John Boorman.
Zardoz, Tue 11 November, 20:00, Triskel.
It is the year 2293. A race of humans known as the Brutals worship a flying stone head called Zardoz, who provides them with weapons in exchange for food. But a Brutal Exterminator named Zed (Sean Connery) grows curious, uncovering the mysteries surrounding their society. A visionary sci-fi like no other from John Boorman.This screening will be followed by a discussion with Cherie Lunghi, Paul Duane and Yal Sadat (Cahiers du Cinéma).
John Boorman Shorts, Sat 15 November, 14:15, Triskel.
We are thrilled to welcome John Boorman’s longtime cinematographer Seamus Deasy, who will present the rare screening of two short films: the delightful and witty Two Nudes Bathing (2001) and I Dreamt I Woke Up (1991). The former, starring a very funny John Hurt, explores the origins of the anonymous Louvre painting “Two Nudes Bathing”, in which two young women sit in a bath, one holding the nipple of the other between forefinger and thumb. The latter explores the home and neighbours of Boorman, and the mystical qualities of the Wicklow Mountains and their influence on Excalibur, Deliverance and Hope And Glory. As part of our celebrations of this legendary filmmaker we are also showing Excalibur and Boorman and the Devil -as part of our Disruptors strand.
Cine Concert: Stupid August, Thu 13 November, 19:45, Curtis Auditorium MTU
A cine-concert is often the highlight of any film festival- a spectacular fusion of the breathtaking visuals of a classic film with the immersive energy of live music. Cork International Film Festival has a proud history of presenting unforgettable cine-concert experiences, Nosferatu (2018), Metropolis (2021), A Trip to the Moon (2022).This year, we are thrilled to present the world premiere of Padraig Trehy’s new film, Stupid August, a historical fantasy that delves into the depths of our humanity, brought to life with a live musical performance of an original score by Cork composer John O’Brien. An amnesiac clown finds himself exiled to the Ireland of the early 1960s. As the shadows of his past re-emerge, Gus must navigate the present dangers to find himself again and be finally free.
Stupid August is a historical fantasy which explores the dangers of burying our collective histories and the lasting traumas of our inhumanity. Presented in association with the Irish Film Institute, Stupid August was produced under the Arts Council’s Authored Works scheme.
Music for Domes, Mon 10 November, 18:30, St.Peters
In this immersive documentary experience, screened in a 360° dome, award-winning Irish artist Róis joins forces with the visionary Hosta Projects for a journey unlike any other. Combining archival footage, sonic folklore and celestial cartography, the film draws uncanny parallels between two ancient cultures –Ireland and Cambodia – and how both map memory, myth and survival across the stars.
Also showing on Tue 11 Nov, 13:30, 16:00, 18:30 at St.Peters
RTÉ Lyric FM- Movies and Musical with Aedín Gormley, Sat 8 November 13:00-15:00, MTU Curtis Auditorium
Join Aedín Gormley for a very special broadcast of her Saturday afternoon radio programme, featuring the very best music from the world of movies and musicals.
Aedín will chat with a great selection of the filmmakers taking part in this year’s Festival and will have fantastic live music performances throughout the show from the students of MTU’s Musical Theatre degree.
Free but ticketed. All are welcome to drop in to the broadcast from 13:00 to 15:00.
David Puttnam Talk: Festivals Matter, Thu 13 November, 18:30, Triskel
“If we get our stories right, if we continue to get our values right, that drip, drip, drip of good movies offers the opportunity to make people feel stronger, more connected, more relevant to the generation that they are part of… Festivals offer a place for us to come together – a chance to reflect upon ourselves in a truly authentic way. They are a vital launch pad for films that support them on their onward journey to reach their audience”
A unique opportunity to hear from Oscar®-winning film producer, educator, and CIFF Patron David Puttnam as he delivers an illustrated talk and Q&A with his characteristic mix of energy, anecdote, seriousness of purpose, and infectious humour.
Joan Bergin In Conversation, Fri 7 Nov, 12:30, Arc Cinema
Join Women in Film & Television Ireland (WFT) in conversation with legendary costume designer Joan Bergin (My Left Foot, The Tudors, Disenchanted) and award-winning director Hannah Quinn (Vikings:Valhalla, The Boy That Never Was, The Stranger). Part of WFT’s Greater Later Series, supported by Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland and Coimisiún na Meán, with networking beforehand.
Ed Guiney In Conversation, Sun 9 Nov, 11:45, Triskel
Join us in conversation with Ed Guiney (co-CEO of Element Pictures) for a public talk, an opportunity to hear from one of Ireland’s most influential TV and film producers. With credits ranging from Room to The Favourite and Poor Things (which opened our Festival in 2023).
Guiney will share his insights into storytelling, production strategies, and the evolving role of Irish cinema on the global stage. This year he joins us with two debut features: Akinola Davies Junior’s My Father’s Shadow and Harry Lighton’s Pillion.
CIFF Legacy Day
WED 12 | UCC FM AUDITORIUM B.10B Kane Building | 10:00 – 18:00
Marking the Festival’s 70th edition, Legacy Day invites audiences to reflect on the moving image as both cultural treasure and fragile historical record. This symposium brings together filmmakers, archivists, academics, and film practitioners. Together they consider how amateur films, newsreels, and overlooked footage capture everyday lives, while raising questions about preservation, access, and creative reuse. The day opens with restored footage of CIFF 1965, introduced by Dr.Ciara Chambers (UCC) and Don O’Mahony (CIFF).
This is followed by Archiving the Alternative, where Ellen Scally (UCC), Sarah Arnold (NUI Maynooth), Kasandra O’Connell (IFI), and Sunniva O’Flynn (IFI) examine pioneering women filmmakers, Cork’s cine-enthusiasts, and community-driven clergy filmmakers.
After a light lunch, Preserving Community Archives explores local projects, including The Ballymun Community Films Project and Cork Community Media Hub, with Andrew Keogh (producer, The 4th Act), Emma Bowell (Frameworks Films), and Niall Anderson (IFI), chaired by Kasandra O’Connell.
The afternoon continues with a screening of Aikaterini Gegisian’s Third Person (Plural), a collage essay film made from 200 postwar American newsreels, followed by a Q&A with Gegisian. Legacy Day closes with In the Opinion of the Censor, a screening and discussion with director Andrew Gallimore and producer John Kelleher, and Ciarán Kissane of the Irish Film Classification Office.
Whether they are filmmakers, critics, academics, or industry professionals, our Festival panellists and participants transform screenings into conversations, enriching the Festival experience.
Galas
- Opening Gala, Saipan: Lisa Barros D’Sa and Glenn Layburn
- Documentary Gala, Shoot the People: Misan Harriman and Andy Mundy Castle.
Spirit of the Festival
- Six Weeks On: Jacqueline Jansen
- Solomamma: Janicke Askevold
Best New Irish Feature
- Celtic Utopia: Lars Loven, Dennis Harvey Post screening Gig
- Gealtra: Brendan Canty
- My Fathers Shadow: Introduced by Ed Guiney
- Blue Moon: Introduced by Irish producer (Wild Atlantic Pictures)
Irish Voice
- Answering the Call: Martin Danneels
- A Quiet Love: Gary Keane
- Daniel O’Connell: The Emancipator, Panel Discussion post screening with Ruán Magan
- The Disappearance of Captain Nairac: Q&A with director Alison Millar
- This is a Prison: Panel Discussion with Andrew Keogh
- Theocracy, the Emigrants Artist: Q&A with director Sé Merry Doyle
World Tour
- Pillion: Introduced by Clare Binns, Post Screening Drag Performance by Krystal and The Queers.
- Sirât: Introduced by Yal Sadat (Cahiers du Cinéma)
Momentum
- The Moelln letters , Q&A with one of the films protagonists Namik Arslan
Illuminate
- How to be Normal and the Oddness of the Other World: Panel Discussion hosted by Dr.John Goodwin (UCC School of Nursing and Midwifery) with Florain Pochlatko.
- Ari: Léonor Serraille
Screen Green
- Blame, Panel Discussion post screening with Dr. Kellie Dean (School of Biochemistry and Cell Biology at University College Cork)
- Climate in Therapy, Discussion following first screening with UCC Prof Hannah Daly (renewable energy) and Dr. Rosemary Keane (Clinical Psychologist). An activity organised by the filmmakers will follow both screenings.
- Peak Everything, Anne Émond, filmmaker in attendance
Culinary
- The Dinner: Post screening hosted by Brians Wines at Plugd.
- Farming is Medicine: Conversation with physician, activist and writer Professor Rupa Marya and agri-food researcher Dr. Ollie Moore. Followed by a late lunch of traditional Palestinian food at Izz Café.
- Mam: Special guest in attendace, Nan Feix. After screening Tiger Balm Club x The Glass Curtain brings you All Killer, No Filler Vietnamese Snacks, Street Food and Drinks.
- Rioja: The Land of a Thousand Wines: Rioja Wine Master class with delicious bites to match at L’Atitude 51. Regional Screening with wine tasting with Jason cheese at Ballymaloe Grainstore.
Disruptors
- If I Had Legs I’d Kick You: Introduced by Clare Binns (Picturehouse Entertainment)
Parallax
- The Memory Blocks: Q&A with Andrew Kötting
- Mismantler: Q&A with Andrew Keogh
Family and Young People
- Tales From The Magic Garden, With Live Narration in English from Hilary Rose
- Fantastique, Marjolijn Prins
Cork Lens
- Guests of the Nation: Josh Johnston will be providing musical accompaniment.
Jury
You can find the 70th Edition Jurors on the Awards page.
