CIFF Young Programmers

Cork International Film Festival is delighted to announce the return of our Young Programmers project.

CIFF is looking for six young cinephiles interested in joining the CIFF2026 team as part of our Young Programmers Project.

Under the tutelage of CIFF’s Programming Team, a panel of six young people will learn about the curatorial process of film festivals, developing a comprehensive understanding of festival programming, from screener to screening, along with marketing, licensing and distribution, event management and networking.

CIFF’s Young Programmers will support our Programming team in the selection of the films eligible for our Festival Lookout Award, support the marketing team with promotion of the films and present the Lookout Award Programme at our Festival in November 2026.

The aim of this project is to provide young cinephiles with a professional training opportunity to engage with the film festival industry, and engage with cinema programming for young people, by young people.

APPLICATION PROCESS

To apply for this programme, please send the following to benjamin@corkfilmfest.org by Friday, 24th April, 2026:

• A cover letter detailing why you are interested in the programme and in cultural cinema.
• A short (200 words max) review of a feature film that you have watched in the last year.
• Confirm that you are eligible to be part of the programme, as per the following requirements:
  • 18 – 24 years old at the time of application
  • Strong interest in Irish and international cultural cinema
  • Available to attend 3-4 meetings in-person in Cork between May and September. The meetings will be scheduled taking into account participants’ availability.
  • Availability to watch 15+ feature films and provide feedback on each between May and September.
  • Availability to attend the 71st edition of Cork International Film Festival 12th-22nd November 2025 and introduce the relevant screenings.

FEEDBACK

“So eternally grateful to everybody, this has been a fantastic experience with wonderful people. Doing this has shown me how passionate I am about being involved with film and the industry. ” 2025 Young Programmer

The CIFF Young Programmers Project has been invaluable for me. I finally had a chance to put my film journalism skills to the test, and developed greater confidence in my abilities – something I’ll carry forward for the rest of my career. In addition, the project was an ideal opportunity to meet young people who share my interests, and grow my network.” 2024 Young Programmer