The Dingle Distillery International Film Festival will return to venues across Daingean Uí Chúis from 7 to 9 November 2025, offering a mix of Irish and international films, masterclasses and workshops for emerging filmmakers.
Now in its third year, the festival will feature interactive sessions with well-known figures from the film industry, including actors Aidan Gillen, Joe Azzopardi and Gearóid Kavanagh, and producer Winston Azzopardi, whose credits include Gladiator II, Napoleon and Troy.
Hollywood screenwriter, director and producer Todd Komarnicki will lead Writing and Directing Your Way to Success, sharing insights from his work on Sully, Elf and Bonhoeffer.
Casting director Ros Hubbard will host How to Make It in Hollywood in collaboration with Michael Fassbender's West End House School of Arts, joined by Aidan Gillen, Joe Azzopardi and Gearóid Kavanagh for a live audition workshop offering feedback and advice to actors and casting professionals.
The festival will also focus on documentary filmmaking with Elusive Truths: Documentary Today, led by Alan Gilsenan, and Directing and Screenwriting with Ruán Magan. Magan’s recent projects, Báite and Our Blue World: A Water Odyssey, narrated by Liam Neeson, will both screen at the festival.
This year’s programme, curated by new festival programmer Anna Kopecka, includes four zones - feature, short, masters and documentary - with screenings at the Díseart Centre, Dingle Skellig Hotel, the Sacred Heart University campus and the Blasket Centre.
Highlights from the first slate of films include:
Christy - a family drama from director Brendan Canty
An Taibhse - the first-ever Irish language horror film, directed by John Farrelly
Báite - a mystery set in rural Ireland, directed by Ruán Magan
Bonhoeffer - Todd Komarnicki’s World War II drama
Phoenician Scheme - an espionage comedy from Wes Anderson
Saturday Night - Jason Reitman’s behind-the-scenes look at the launch of Saturday Night Live
Documentary screenings will include Bogancloch, Dónal Lunny – In Time, Stolen Lives and We Only Want the Earth.
The Dovinia Award for Best Short Film carries a €2,000 prize and a handcrafted trophy created by jeweller Brian de Staic and John Benny’s Pub.
Tickets and the full festival programme are available at dingledistilleryfilmfest.ie.
