Culture Ireland creates and supports opportunities for Irish artists and companies to present their work at international festivals, venues, showcases and arts markets.
Working in partnership with Screen Ireland/Fís Éireann and IFI International, this includes supports for Irish filmmakers to present their work at film festivals across the globe.
Culture Ireland provides an annual programming grant to IFI International, facilitating Irish film programming services for cultural exhibitors worldwide. Liaising with sales agents, distributors, producers and film directors, as well as the resources of the IFI Irish Film Archive, IFI International provides access for cultural exhibitors to new and classic Irish cinema.
IFI International works with over 100 exhibition partners in more than 50 countries annually to strategically develop a global audiences for Irish film culture.
Further information is available here: https://ifi.ie/irish-film/international/
Each year, Culture Ireland supports many Irish Film Festivals to present the best of new Irish cinema to local audiences. This network of festivals is an important outlet for a varied range of Irish film – features, documentaries and shorts. Culture Ireland funding is provided to these Festivals to assist with travel costs for Irish filmmakers so please check directly with the Festival if your film is programmed here.
Belgrade Irish Festival
Annually in March www.eng.belgradeirishfestival.rs
Dinard British and Irish Film Festival
Annually in October www.dinardfestivaldufilm.fr
British & Irish Film Festival Luxembourg
Bi-Annually in March and September www.festivalevents.lu/filmfestival/about
Capital Irish Film Festival, Washington
Annually in March www.solasnua.org/ciff
Irish Film Festa, Rome
Annually in March www.irishfilmfesta.org
Irish Film Festival Australia
Annually from October to November www.irishfilmfestival.com.au
Irish Film & TV UK
Year-round programme www.irish-london.com/irishfilmandtvlondon
SF Irish Film Festival, San Francisco
Annually www.sfirishfilm.com
Irish Film Festival Ottawa
Annually in April www.irishfilmfestivalottawa.ca
Since 2019, Culture Ireland has supported Irish filmmakers to travel to the Festivals listed below when their film has been selected as part of the official programme. If your film has been selected, you may apply for support for key personnel to travel to the Festival to attend the screening and engage with both audiences and industry.
Your application should be submitted as soon as possible after selection through Culture Ireland’s online application system. It is advisable to contact the Culture Ireland team (info@cultureireland.gov.ie) in advance of submission to ensure you include all relevant documentation. Assessment usually takes about four weeks and you can apply for eligible costs to assist with travel expenses.
Annecy International Animation Festival, Annecy, France
Berlin Film Festival (Berlinale), Germany
Black Nights Film Festival, Tallinn, Estonia
Boulder International Film Festival, Colorado, USA
Busan International Film Festival, South Korea
Cannes Film Festival, France
Clermont-Ferrand International Short Film Festival, France
Edinburgh International Film Festival, UK
Glasgow Film Festival, UK
Hot Docs Canadian International Film Festival, UK
Indie Lisboa International Film Festival, Lison, Portugal
International Film Festival Rotterdam, The Netherlands
LGBTQIA+ Film Festival, BFI Southbank, London
New Jersey Film Festival, USA
Newport Beach Film Festival, California, USA
Palm Springs International Film Festival, California, USA
Phoenix Film Festival, Arizona, USA
Santa Barbara International Film Festival, USA
Sao Paulo International Short Film Festival, Brazil
Seattle International Film Festival, USA
Shanghai International Film Festival, China
Sheffield DocFest, UK
Sundance Film Festival, Utah USA
SXSW Film Festival, Texas, USA
The New York Film Festival, USA
Thessaloniki International Documentary Film Festival, Greece
Torino Short Film Market, Turin, Italy
Toronto International Film Festival, Canada
Tribeca Film Festival, New York, USA
Valladolid International Film Festival, Spain
Venice International Film Festival, Italy
Vienna International Film Festival, Austria
If your film has been selected for a screening at an international film festival and the festival is taking place outside of Culture Ireland’s Regular Funding windows, you can apply for Out of Rounds funding. Out of Rounds applications are submitted via the Culture Ireland Regular Grant online application form. If you are considering applying for Out of Rounds it is advisable to get in touch at info@cultureireland.gov.ie for more information.
Established in 2005, Culture Ireland’s mission is to promote Irish arts worldwide.
Through grant programmes and showcase initiatives, it supports and develops opportunities for Irish artists and companies to present their work across the globe. Through this work, it builds relationships and networks with arts and cultural organisations, relevant public bodies, state agencies and Government departments at home and abroad to advance the global impact of Irish artists.
Culture Ireland runs a regular funding scheme to support the international presentation of work by Irish artists and companies. Applications are accepted from both participating artists and from international presenters.
Culture Ireland also operates See Here, a scheme to support the inward travel to Ireland of international presenters, curators and promoters to see new Irish work on the island of Ireland available for touring.
Full details of Culture Ireland’s activities and grant schemes are available at: www.cultureireland.ie
Culture Ireland is a division of the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport.