Louth International Film Festival celebrates another successful festival in Dundalk

Established in 2019 and run entirely by volunteers, LIFF continues to grow as an important platform for independent cinema and emerging talent. The festival’s patrons include Hollywood director John Moore, Emmy Award-winning director Dearbhla Walsh and world-renowned cinematographer Seamus McGarvey (ASC, BSC, ISC). The judging panel includes acclaimed filmmaker Fred Dekker.

Local filmmaking was strongly represented through Sludge, the psychological drama written, directed and produced by Dundalk filmmaker Sinéad Murphy. Set across County Louth and South Armagh, the film drew an audience of more than 250 people to its LIFF screening at An Táin Arts Centre, highlighting the strong appetite for locally made cinema and the growing profile of filmmakers from the region. The screening was a major highlight of the festival and a celebration of Sinéad’s work and the wider filmmaking community in Louth.

The festival featured a number of major premieres, including the Irish and UK Premiere of Lilly, directed by Rachel Feldman and starring Oscar nominated actress Patricia Clarkson, and the World Premiere of Love Hate Hunt Kill, written and produced by filmmaker Niall Cassin and directed by Dutch Academy Award winner Roel Reiné. Cassin travelled from the United States for a special post screening Q&A.

There was a particularly strong DkIT presence throughout the festival, with students, graduates and staff involved both on screen and behind the scenes. The DkIT Student and Young Filmmakers Showcase featured 13 DkIT productions, while staff hosted and contributed to a number of Q&As, panels and screenings.

DkIT students were also represented across the festival awards, with All Is Behind, The Beekeepers and The Bright Side of Life nominated for the John Moore Best In Louth Award, and Adam Coates’ Gangster, Brother, Father, Son nominated for the Fred Dekker Award for Best Student Film.

Industry and networking events formed a major part of the programme, including the National Talent Academies Crew East industry event and The Actors Home networking event and industry panel. Dundalk-born international casting director Luci Lenox returned to LIFF, bringing her extensive experience of working across productions for Netflix, Amazon, Disney and other major platforms.

The festival also featured aemi’s Desire Lines touring programme, an industry discussion with Scottish filmmaker Mark Forbes exploring class and access in the film industry, and a range of filmmaking panels and Q&As.

LIFF organisers have expressed their sincere thanks to all volunteers, filmmakers, partners, staff, students and graduates who contributed to the festival, with particular thanks to DkIT, An Táin Arts Centre, Louth Filmmakers Society, The Actors Home, National Talent Academies Crew East, IMC Cinema, Toales and mo chara.

A special acknowledgement goes to the Shorts Programmers William O’Keefe and Shona Kelly, photographer Shauna Bowden, Social Media Coordinator Lauren McCartney, and the many others who volunteered throughout the weekend. The festival organisers would also like to extend their sincere thanks to Paul Wick Cumiskey for creating the unique trophies presented at this year’s festival. His craftsmanship and creativity added a distinctive local touch to the LIFF awards. 

LIFF Co-Founder and Artistic Director Colm Mullen, and Executive Festival Director Lorcan Dunne, said the festival once again demonstrated the strength of the filmmaking community in Louth and the importance of creating opportunities for emerging and established screen talent.

With its mix of international cinema, local filmmaking, education, industry engagement and community participation, LIFF 2026 provided a fitting celebration of its guiding principle:

Everyone Has a Story – Every Story Deserves a Screen.