Bonnie Arnold, Mark Cumberton, Maurice Galway, John Rice, Alan Shannon
Web Design: Robert Condon
Projection/Technical team: CAVS
Social Media
How to Fest
Welcome to Animation Dingle 2026! Animation Dingle is a ticketed event and can only be accessed by legitimate ticket holders.
The Animation Dingle Festival Desk
Location: The Dingle Skellig Hotel
Desk opening times are:
Thursday, 19th March............12:30-19:00
Friday, 20th March..................08:00-19:00
Saturday, 21st March .............10:00-17:00
Collecting Your
Festival Pass
You need a Festival Pass to access all Animation Dingle events. You can collect it from the festival desk.
On collection, you will receive:
- A Lanyard and a Festival Pass with your name printed on it.
- A wristband will be secured to your wrist.
To access all events, you need to present both your Pass and your wristband.
Attending Festival Events
Events are first-come, first-served. Arrive at a good time to secure your seat/space.
Event Locations
All Animation Dingle events are located within walking distance of one another, however allow for travel time between venues.
The Dingle Skellig Hotel
The Main Hub of Animation Dingle 2026.
Venues in the Dingle Skellig Hotel include:
- Conference Room
- Toon Boom Room.
- Breeches Room
St. James Church
Approx 15 minute walk from The Dingle Skellig Hotel
Wave Dingle Theatre
- Round Room
- Pirate Ship
Approx 20 minute walk from The Dingle Skellig Hotel
Sustainability
Help us reduce waste by returning your lanyards and passes to the Box Office at the end of the festival. Your help is greatly appreciated.
The Dingle Skellig Hotel has water taps supplied by their own well. We highly recommend everyone bring a water bottle for refilling at these stations.
Accessibiliity
Quiet Hour
Registration at Animation Dingle can be a hectic experience.
This year, a designated Quiet Hour for registration will be provided on Thursday 19th. Please email info@animationdingle.com for more information on how to book in.
Festival Shuttle Bus Loop
A Free Shuttle Bus service will run throughout the festival.
This is a FREE hop-on-hop-off shuttle departing from the Dingle Skellig Hotel and making stops at all Festival venues before returning to the hotel.
There is limited capacity and so we urge everyone to allow those who need it most to avail of a seat.
The Shuttle Bus will run continuously during the following times:
Thursday, March 19th 13.00 - 17.00
Friday, March 20th 10.00 - 17.00
Saturday, March 21st 10.00 - 17.00
Screening
Cur ar Scáileán / Taispeáint / Teilgean
Kur air scaw-lawn tash-paw-int Tel-ihgen
Programme / Program Clár clawr
Official Selection
Rogha Oifigiúil
Row-a Iff-i-gool
Closing Party
Cóisir Chlabhsúir
Co-shur khlow-soor
Awards Ceremony
Searmanas Gradam Shar-min-us Gra-dum
Workshop
Ceardlann Ci-yard-lon
Masterclass
Máistir-rang Mawsh-tir Row-ng
Panel Discussion
Plé Painéil Play Pan-ayl
Animation
Beochan Be-yo-khan
Animated Film
Scannán Beochana
Scon-awn Be-yo-khana
Hand-drawn Animation
Beochan Lámhlínithe Be-yo-khan Lawv-leen-aheh
Stop-Motion
Beochan Íomhá ar Íomhá Be-yo-khan Ee-vaw air Ee-vaw
2D Animation
Beochan 2T Be-yo-khan dhá-tee
3D Animation
Beochan 3T
Be-yo-khan tree-tee
Visual Storytelling
Scéalaíocht Fhísiúil
Sh-kayl-ee-ucht Eesh-ool
World-building
Tógáil Cruinne
Tow-gawl Crin-neh
Character Design
Dearadh Carachtar
De-yar-ah Car-ick-tear
Background Art
Ealaín Chúlra
Al-een Kh-ool-ra
Storyboard
Scéalchlár
Sh-kayl-kh-lor
Sound Design
Dearadh Fuaime
Jarr-ah Foo-im-eh
The Irish Language Award
Gradam na Gaeilge
Grad-om Nah Gw-ayl-geh
Map
Léarscáil
Lare-scawl
Mapa
Mop-eh
Storytelling
Scéalaíocht
Sh-kayl-ee-ukht
Creativity
Cruthaitheacht
Cruh-ha-hukht
Imagination
Samhlaíocht
Sow-lee-ukht
Story
Scéal
Sh-kayl
Tradition
Traidisiún
Trad-ish-oon
Culture
Cultúr
Kult-oor
Community
Pobal
Pub-ol
Language
Teanga
Tong-gah
Identity
Féiniúlacht
Fayn-ool-okht
Collaboration
Comhoibriú
Co-ib-roo
Welcome to the festival
Fáilte go dtí an fhéile
Fáwl-te guh dee un ay-le
Thank you (singular) for joining us
Go raibh maith agat as a bheith linn
Guh rev moh ag-ut os a veh lin
Thank you (plural)for joining us
Go raibh maith agaibh as a bheith linn
Guh rev moh ag-wiv os a veh lin
Please welcome…(singular)
Cuir fáilte roimh…
Cur fawl-teh riv …
Please welcome…(plural)
Cuirigí fáilte roimh…
Cur-iggy fawl-teh riv …
Congratulations to the winners
Comhghairdeas leis na buaiteoirí
Co-ghore-deg-gis lesh nu bua-tore-ee
Thank you to our filmmakers
Buíochas leis na scannánóirí
Bway-khus lesh nu scon-awn-ore-ee
Follow us on…(social media) (singular)
Lean sinn ar … (meáin shóisialta)
Lyan shing ar … (myawn hoe-shee-al-teh)
Follow us on…(social media) (singular)
Leanaigí sinn ar … (meáin shóisialta) (plural)
Lyan-aggy shing ar … (myawn hoe-shee-al-teh)
Dingle Sponsors
Animation Dingle Fáilte
Welcome to Animation Dingle! As Festival Director and Co-founder, it is my absolute pleasure to welcome you back to the Dingle Peninsula. This year, our theme is “Connected by Stories,” which is a tribute to the universal language of animation that binds our global community together. And this connection is highly treasured by Animation Dingle which is itself OUR collective Festival.
Our Festival would not be possible without our incredible main supporters. A heartfelt thank you to Jam Media, Screen Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, RTÉ Kids, Disney, StoryToys, and Leader for your support and your belief in our festival.
We are fortunate to be joined by an incredible list of special guests this year. From indie legends like Bill Plympton and Aardman’s Peter Lord, to industry leaders like writer/director Karey Kirkpatrick, and Cartoon Saloon’s Tomm Moore, our lineup reflects the breadth of our dynamic world of animation.
Over the coming days, you will experience a diverse schedule of events. Our inspiring conference sessions open this year with The Jim Henson Company celebrating an incredible 70 years. We also feature a highly anticipated sneak peek from The Cat in the Hat, as well as a fascinating look at adapting Irish folklore for the modern screen. Beyond the conference, enjoy world-class screenings, celebrate at our Awards, and hone your craft in our Workshops & Masterclasses with the likes of Rej Bourdages and Barry Purves. And don’t miss industry staples like the StoryToys Careers & Recruitment Fair and the ever-popular Pitch & a Pint!
I also want to highlight our NEW events designed especially for our student attendees. So, be sure to check out the Confessionals, our Meet & Mingle networking session, and the “My Untold Story” event, each giving students tools for supported entry into conversations and opportunities across the weekend. Finally, prepare to be blown away by our student closing spectacular featuring the incredible audiovisual stylings of ALEA(S).
Beyond the screen, I absolutely loved putting together our “Animation is Art” exhibition in Siamsa Tíre. A massive thank you to all the incredible artists who so generously loaned their work and their personal collection pieces to the show.
I want to give a special mention to our Art Auction this year, all funds raised will go to support Stephen Fagan and his family’s Emily-Rose Trust, so please give what you can.
A massive thank you to the tireless Animation Dingle team, our dedicated volunteers, our insightful selectors, and everyone who has helped make this festival a reality.
Enjoy OUR festival, make connections, and let’s share some stories!
Maurice Galway Festival Director and Co-founder
Welcome to Animation Dingle 2026
Fourteen years ago Animation Dingle began with a simple idea. Connect colleges with companies and create a bridge between students and the animation industry.
Over time the festival has grown into something much bigger than we first imagined. Today Animation Dingle brings together artists, studios, storytellers and students from across Ireland and around the world, forming a community that returns to Dingle each year to share ideas, experiences and a passion for animation.
In many ways it has become a tribe. Throughout history tribes have gathered around storytellers, the people who helped make sense of the world and pass imagination from one generation to the next. Animation is simply our modern version of that tradition. Instead of fires and cave walls we have screens and software. Instead of charcoal and paint we have pixels and code. The instinct remains the same. People coming together to tell stories.
What makes Animation Dingle special is the mix of people who come together here. Students sit beside industry veterans. Directors share ideas with animators who are just starting out. Conversations that begin in Dingle often turn into real collaborations and relationships.
This year our theme is Connected by Stories, which feels particularly relevant at a time when technology and the tools we use to create animation are evolving so quickly. While the way we make animation continues to change, storytelling remains at the heart of everything we do. Stories connect cultures, connect generations and connect the people who create them with audiences all around the world.
Over the next few days Dingle once again becomes a meeting place for this community of storytellers, a place to learn, share ideas and celebrate the craft of animation.
Welcome to Animation Dingle.
John Rice
CEO, JAM Media and Co Founder, Animation Dingle
Festival Locations
The Dingle Skellig Hotel
• The Main Hub - come here for the Festival Desk, Conference, Awards, Awards Reception, Awards Party, Pitch & A Pint, Sketch Trail, Games Hub and StoryToys Careers & Recruitment Fair.
Toon Boom Room
• This is located in the Dingle Skellig Hotel, beside the Conference Room. It will be the Student Networking Room on Thursday and Friday. On Saturday, come here for Q&As, workshops and panels.
Breeches Room
• Come here for workshopson Saturday only
• Approx 15 minute walk from The Dingle Skellig Hotel
• Come here for screenings, presentations, Q&As and workshops.
B B St. James Church
C C Wave Dingle Theatre
• Approx 20 minute walk from The Dingle Skellig Hotel
• Come here for screenings of shorts, features and Student Closing Party
A A
• There are two venues located at Wave Dingle Theatre, the Round Room and the Pirate Ship.
Schedule
Thursday 19th
Dingle Skellig Hotel
12.30 - Registration Desk Opens
14.00 - Student Networking Room Open (Toon Boom Room) - open
20:30 - Animation Dingle Quiz (Conference Room) - p. 134
10.00 - 17.00 Game Stings (Conference Room) - p. 58
11:00 - 15:00 Confessionals (Conference Room) - p. 60
10.00 - 17.00 Toon Boom Room
12.00 - 14.00 Sketch Trail (Meet in Foyer) - p. 135
St. James Church
10.00 - RTÉ KIDS: The Art of 2 Minutes - p. 62
11.15 - From Manga to Anime: Behind the Adaptation - p. 66
12.30 - Masterclass: Strange Stories with Bill Plympton - p. 85
14:15 - Masterclass: A Happiness of Puppets with Barry Purves - p. 86
Toon Boom Room - Dingle Skellig Hotel
10:00 - Fresh Frontiers in Storytelling - p. 64
11:30 - How Toys Shape Stories - p. 68
12.30 - The Heart of the Pipeline: Creating Teams & Creative Cultures - p. 74
13:15 - Meet Your Music & Audio Team! - p. 76
14:30 - Workshop: The Human Edge: Balancing Craft & Tech in Indie Animation - p. 87
Breeches Room
12:30 - Workshop: Directing the Voice Actor, Animating the Intention - p. 84
13:45 - Workshop: Dream it, Write it, Pitch It - p. 88
The Pirate Ship - Wave Dingle Theatre
11.15 - Peter Lord: Shape-Shifting for 50 years in Clay - p. 70
12.30 - In Conversation: Suzanne Kelly - p. 75
14:00 - Jill Beecher: From Concept to Screen - p. 77
15:00 - John Kelly (Retirement Plan) 365 Days from Dingle to the Oscars and back! - p. 81
Round Room - Wave Dingle Theatre
10:30 - Miyu Distribution Showcase: Survival of the Fittest - p. 126
11:30 - NTAA First Credit Film Scheme Production Panel - p. 73
12:45 - Free Family Feature: Wolfwalkers/Na Conríochtaí - p. 127
14:45 - Art as Activism - Gaza in Colour Screening & Q&A - p. 78
16:00 - Art Auction - p. 136
20.30 - ALEA(S) - Student Closing Party - p. 137
Date
Time Friday 20th
9:20 - 9:30
Venue
Dingle Skellig Hotel (Conference Room)
Sponsored by
YAOTY Award
Sponsored by Disney, Young Animator of the Year (YAOTY) 2025 awards our youngest up-and-coming animation talent.
Open to secondary school students and first year college students from throughout the island of Ireland, the Animation Dingle conference will kick off with a special presentation to this year’s winner, presented by Orion Ross from Disney Branded Television.
Ross
Vice President, International Animation, Disney Branded Television
Based in London, Orion develops and produces animated series for Disney’s global platforms in partnership with independent studios and artists around the world. Originals for Disney include Kizazi Moto: Generation Fire, Chip ’n’ Dale: Park Life, The Doomies, Magicampers, and Dragon Striker. Co-productions include PJ Masks, Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir and Messi and the Giants.
Orion
Date
Time Friday 20th
9:30 - 10:15
Venue
Dingle Skellig Hotel (Conference Room)
Sponsored by
Puppets and Pixels: The Magic of Jim Henson & Animation
As a pioneer in puppetry, Jim Henson believed great storytelling starts with performance, movement, and a whole lot of heart.
In this fun filled conversation, Bryan O’Connell, VP of Children’s Television, and Tara Billik, VP of Feature Films at The Jim Henson Company, follow the company’s adventurous journey with animation — from scrappy mixed-media experiments to bold animated series and feature films. At The Jim Henson Company, animation isn’t just a medium, it’s a way of thinking (and playing), one that still fuels the studio’s creative spirit and keeps the joyful art of “pretending” alive for new generations of storytellers.
Bryan O’Connell
Vice President of Children’s Television, The Jim Henson Company
Bryan O’Connell is Vice President of Children’s Television, where he oversees The Jim Henson Company’s slate of animated and live-action children’s content, including the new Amazon Kids+ series Jim Henson’s Monster Dance. Previously, Bryan spent 10 years at The Walt Disney Company, where he most recently served as Director of Development at Disney Jr. overseeing the creative development of multiple shows, shorts, and specials.
Vice President of Feature Films, The Jim Henson Company
Tara Billik is Vice President of Feature Films at The Jim Henson Company, overseeing a slate of fantasy, sci-fi, animated, and family film projects. She has over 15 years of experience in creative development and hands-on-producing across genres. Prior to joining Henson, Tara held executive roles at Gunpowder and Sky and Oscar winner Graham King’s GK Films. She began her career working under the legendary Wes Craven.
Tara Billik
Date
Venue Time Friday 20th
Dingle Skellig Hotel (Conference Room) 10:15 - 11:00
Sponsored by
Cat in The Hat: Reimagining a Classic
Join DFX Supervisor, Jean-Francois Leroux, as he shares how the talented team at DNEG Animation brought this beloved Dr. Seuss story to life. In this behindthe-scenes talk on The Cat in the Hat, Jean-Francois walks through the creative and technical animation journey from brief to final frame.
Come along and get a sneak peek at some of the shows early concepts and how the team balanced reverence with re-imagination - and translated Cat in The Hat’s legacy into a contemporary animated feature. Don’t miss it!
Jean-Francois Leroux
DFX Supervisor, DNEG Animation
Jean-François Leroux is a DFX Supervisor at DNEG Animation and former Head of 2D, contributing to acclaimed features including Nimona, Under the Boardwalk, The Garfield Movie, and Ron’s Gone Wrong. With over 20 years in VFX, he has worked on award-winning films such as Inception, Interstellar, and Harry Potter, earning a 2019 VES nomination for Altered Carbon.
Date
Venue Time Friday 20th
Dingle Skellig Hotel (Conference Room) 11:15 - 12:00
Bill Plymton, “The King of Indie Animation”
This is a rare and extraordinary opportunity to learn from the legendary Bill Plympton, the “King of Indie Animation.” Known for his instantly recognisable, hand-drawn style and fiercely independent spirit, Bill has twice been nominated for an Academy Award (Your Face, Guard Dog) and is the only person to have single-handedly drawn an entire animated feature film.
Cole Delaney - Host
Video Producer - Cartoon Brew
Cole Delaney is the Video Producer for Cartoon Brew, hosting interviews with some of the most influential figures in the animation industry. He is also the host of Animator’s Breakfast, a unique animation podcast that talks to creatives, at all levels, about what inspires them.
Bill Plympton
Director, Producer, Animator
Bill is an NYC Animator born in Oregon, “The King of Indie Animation” has hand-drawn 9 Feature Length and over 100 Short Films by himself. He’s two-time Oscar-Nominated, earned various awards, including Cannes Prix du Jury. His films have been featured on MTV, Cartoon Network, and holds the record for the most Couch Gags openings on The Simpsons.”
Date
Friday 20th
Time
12:00 - 13:00
Venue
Dingle Skellig Hotel (Conference Room)
I Want to Tell My Story: Creating an Original IP in a Risk-Adverse World
In a landscape where streamers are hedging their bets on proven franchises and reboots, where does the emerging creator fit in?
This panel brings together industry heavyweights to demystify Intellectual Property. We’ll discuss what IP really means, analyze what audiences are actually watching today, why we go back to proven IP and reveal how new voices can convince big platforms to take a bet on an original idea.
Dylan Haskins - Host
Commissioner, Podcasts - BBC Sounds
Dylan’s commissions have covered all genres with factual highlights including investigative series Stalked, Cover: Where Is George Gibney?, Stakeknife, I’m Not A Monster and Have You Heard George’s Podcast? – the first ever podcast outside of the US to win a Peabody Award; audio drama People Who Knew Me starring Rosamund Pike and Hugh Laurie; and entertainment hits like Miss Me? with Lily Allen & Miquita Oliver.
Max Minor
Supervising Producer, Green Street Pictures
Max Minor is the Supervising Producer at Green Street Pictures in Pasadena, California. There, he’s produced Common Side Effects for Adult Swim. Max supervises the functionality and liquidity of many project pipelines at once. His favorite thing about animation is the collaborative process between the creative, art and production departments - the beautiful mix of science and magic that makes working in animation so special.
Karen Davidsen
Producer / Production Consultant
Karen Davidsen is a multi-award-winning Producer who has worked on 1000’s of hours of quality children’s TV Series including BOB THE BUILDER, PINGU, ANGELINA BALLERINA, THOMAS and most recently PADDINGTON. She has held Director of Production roles at HIT Entertainment and Walt Disney, as well as working for Channel 4, Studio Canal and Netflix.
Tanya Green
SVP Development & Current Series, Mainframe Studios
Two-time Emmy Award winning producer, Tanya Green, has been working in the animated arena for 15+ years. In that time, she has overseen and managed many projects from development to final delivery. In her current role as SVP Development and Current Series for Mainframe Studios, she develops and produces content for the young and young at heart audiences.
Andrea Griffith
VP Content and Development, Sphere Media
Andrea Griffith is a creative executive with over twenty-five years production and development experience. At Sphere, Andrea leads the Kids and Family development strategy and is responsible for the execution of an exciting scripted, unscripted, and animation slate for the global marketplace.
Philippe Alessandri
Founder & CEO, Watch Next Media
Philippe founded Watch Next Media in 2015. Formerly the CEO of Zodiak France, he has been the Chairman of Animation in Europe, the Federation of E.U. Animation Producers Associations,, since 2016. He has worked on numerous animated projects over his 30 year career.
Date
Friday 20th
Time
14:00 - 14:45
Venue
Dingle Skellig Hotel (Conference Room)
Fireside Chat with Karey Kirkpatrick
Karey Kirkpatrick began his career at Disney Animation where he penned The Rescuers Down Under and James and the Giant Peach. He then went on to write a string of iconic hits including Chicken Run, Charlotte’s Web, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, The Spiderwick Chronicles and Over the Hedge, which he also codirected. He also wrote the English-language screenplays for Studio Ghibli’s The Secret World of Arietty and From Up On Poppy Hill.
In this talk, Karey will chat writing, career highlights and what it takes to make a good story.
Jean Kitson - Host
Agent
Jean Kitson is the head of Kitson Press Associates, representing writers and creatives across drama and kids media. The kid’s division, Kitson Press kids + family, is a leading agency for international kids media talent, from IP creators, directors and writers to new and diverse talent making their first steps in the industry.
Karey Kirkpatrick
Writer/Director
Karey is a writer and director whose credits include The Rescuers Down Under, James and the Giant Peach, Chicken Run, Chicken Run 2: Dawn of the Nugget, Charlotte’s Web, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy, The Spiderwick Chronicles and Over the Hedge, which he also co-directed. He directed Imagine That, starring Eddie Murphy, and the animated musical SMALLFOOT for which he also co-wrote the screenplay and the songs. He’s co-written book, music and lyrics to two globally successfully Broadway musicals – Something Rotten! (10 Tony nominations) and Mrs. Doubtfire and has most recently written the new Peanuts feature film for Apple TV.
Date
Time Friday 20th
14:45 - 15:30
Venue
Dingle Skellig Hotel (Conference Room)
Sponsored by
Adapting Our Folklore for the Modern Screen
Supported by Sound & Vision, this panel will examine the creative challenge of taking ancient Irish tales and transforming them into innovative and compelling screen projects. The discussion will focus on the balancing act of adapting our folklore faithfully while simultaneously expanding and modernising it to resonate with diverse audiences of all ages and cultures.
The panel is set to feature the creative minds behind some of Ireland’s most acclaimed folklore-inspired animated projects.
Cole Delaney - Host
Video Producer - Cartoon Brew
Cole Delaney is the Video Producer for Cartoon Brew, hosting interviews with some of the most influential figures in the animation industry. He is also the host of Animator’s Breakfast, a unique animation podcast that talks to creatives, at all levels, about what inspires them.
Tomm Moore
Co-founder and Creative Director of Cartoon Saloon
Tomm has worked as Director, Art Director, Storyboarder, Animator and Illustrator across a range of Cartoon Saloon’s projects . He is a 3-time Academy Award® nominee, nominated for The Secret of Kells (2010), Song of the Sea (2015) and his latest feature film Wolfwalkers (2020), co-directed with Ross Stewart. Wolfwalkers received several prominent critics awards including LAFCA Award and NYFCC Award as well as Golden Globe and BAFTA nominations and wins in several categories at the 2021 Annie Awards.
Trevor Courtney
Director, Producer and Creator, Igloo Animations
Trevor Courtney is a Dublin-born filmmaker and award-winning creator with a strong track record in television and animation. He has created, produced, and directed three acclaimed TV series: Fantasy Ireland, Tales from Dún Draíochta, and Holt. A two-time Irish Animation Award winner, Trevor received honours for Best Series and Best Script in 2023. His award-winning short films have earned critical acclaim both nationally and internationally, and he is also a Kidscreen Award nominee, further cementing his reputation as a standout creative voice in the industry.
Gráinne McGuinness
Creative Director, Paper Owl Films
Gráinne is a multi award-winning creator and director. Her standout stories for young children encourage audiences to see the world in different ways. A co-founder and Creative Director of Paper Owl Films, Gráinne leads the company’s development of ambitious content for international audiences.
Vanessa Robinson
Co-Founder & Showrunner, Little Moon Animation
Vanessa Robinson is Co-Founder of Dublin-based Little Moon Animation, an award-winning studio blending cutting-edge technology with heartfelt storytelling. Creator of the hit preschool series Fia’s Fairies, she leads a growing slate of original, cross-platform kids’ IP spanning television, games and digital content for global family audiences worldwide.
Date
Venue Time Friday 20th
15:30 - 16:15
Dingle Skellig Hotel (Conference Room)
Sponsored by
Women in Animation Panel
Animation Dingle’s Women in Animation Panel returns for its 7th edition.
Offering an opportunity to discuss the role of women within the animation, this insightful panel promises to explore a diverse range of experiences from within the industry.
Eleanor Coleman - Host
Executive Producer, Blue Spirit Creative
Eleanor Coleman is a Paris based American who has worked for over 25 years in the European animation community. She works independently in animated feature film acquisitions and development with Indie Sales, where she has built an innovative prestigious lineup including the Oscar nominated film My Life as A Zucchini by Claude Barras. Her animated television work concentrates on international business development for the award-winning studio, Blue Spirit. Her clients at Blue Spirit include Netflix Adult Animation, Blue Eye Samurai, WBA Gremlins the Secrets of Mogwai, Marvel CU What If?. Eleanor is a founding member and co-vice president of the French association Les Femmes s’Animent dedicated to gender parity and conscious content production.
Animation Talent Recruiting & Development
Brooke Keesling is currently scouting animation talent for Chronicle Studios. She has worked in the animation and VFX industry for decades as a filmmaker, in recruiting, development, and in education. Prior to joining Chronicle, Brooke recruited animation talent for Cartoon Network, Disney, and Warner Bros., and Bento Box Entertainment.
Development Producer at Tiger Aspect Kids & Family
Dee Stevens is Development Producer at Tiger Aspect Kids & Family, with a background in publishing and media. They have worked with Brown Bag Films, Penguin Random House Children’s Books, Scholastic and co-founded the award-winning publisher Knights Of and bookstore Round Table Books.
Writer & Story Editor
Alizée is a writer and story editor who recently published “The Art of Writing Animation” for publisher Creative Essentials. She began her career in script development through various freelance roles with companies such as Entertainment One, Amazon Studios, Ubisoft, and Walt Disney. Alizée also mentors writers through international development programs and previously worked with Screen Yorkshire and Screen Ireland.
Filmmaker
Since graduating from IADT with her first short film ‘Tenant’, Sarah has worked as a designer and animator for companies across Ireland, Finland and the UK. She directed her first professional short ‘Hermit’ through the Frameworks scheme and more recently was supported by the National Talent Academy of Animation to direct ‘Boglach’ - a short that represented Irish animation at the Osaka World Expo 2025 in Japan. Last year she completed a residency at the Open Workshop in Denmark where she began early development on her next short film and later began her masters degree in Paris where she is now based.
Brooke Keesling
Dee Stevens
Alizée Musson
Sarah Benson
Date
Time Friday 20th
Venue
Dingle Skellig Hotel (Conference Room) 16:15 - 17:30
Sponsored by
The Big Pitcher
Do you have what it takes to pitch to a live audience?
The Big Pitcher is back with six brand new hopefuls, all ready to get on stage and pitch to the crowd and a panel of experts.
The winner of The Big Pitcher will receive a three month internship with JAM Media and the opportunity to pitch their idea at Cartoon Springboard 2026.
Estrella Vázquez Cabeza Spain Universitat Politècnica de València (UPV) Amalthea’s Children (ENG)
A unicorn with no horn and a pegasus unable to fly embark on a journey toward self-acceptance.
Gray Lawless
ATU- Galway(present), IADT(graduate 2025)
Stray Street
Where every family is purr-fect as they are!
Bobby Kelly
Institute of Art, Design and Technology
Good Morning, Gloomington!
The happy adventures of a brother and sister on their mission to turn the most miserable town in the world into a place full of smiles. With their can do attitude and cheery demeanour, nothing is going to stop the local do-gooders of Gloomington.
Caoimhe O’Brien
Ballyfermot College of Further Education Mighty Knighticorn
A lazy unicorn knight is thrust into a fantastical adventure to find out who cut off his horn, in a world filled with mythical and extinct animals.
Darragh O’Connor
Ballyfermot College of Further Education Patchy-saurus
When the family hen hatches a pachycephalosaurus in rural Ireland, Conor must quickly learn about and care for the dinosaur resulting in friendship and a most memorable summer.
Maiko Berteska
Technological University of the Shannon Ghoul Girls Rock!
A group of four unpopular creature girls ploy their days away on getting their garage-band famous by any means necessary, in hopes of gaining popularity and admiration among their peers
Meet The Big Pitcher Judges
Alan Shannon - Host
CCO, Jam Media
Suzanne Kelly
Head of Children’s & Young People’s Content RTÉ
Richard Goldsmith
Executive Vice President, Kids & Family Sales and Brands Blue Ant Media
Head of Commissioning and Acquisitions for 7-12, BBC
Tyler Martin
Acquisition Executive at ITV
Manager Development & Production, Paramount International Kids & Family
Sarah Muller
Animated Series, Netflix
Will Cartwright-Harwood
Francesca Alberigi
DISTILLERY TOURS
Visit Ireland’s most westerly distillery. Taste our award winning whiskey, gin and vodka
This guided tour will take you through all aspects of whiskey, gin and vodka production in our independent and artisan distillery. During the tour, you will get the opportunity to sample our spirits.
Valid ID required upon tour check in.
Scan the QR and book your tour today
Pitch & Pint
The hugely popular Pitch & A Pint returns. Breaking down the barriers between students and executives, this is a real chance to have quick chats with industry experts one-on-one, pitch your ideas and receive some feedback. Ready to get started? Join the queue!
9 Story
Aardman Animations
Boulder Media
Brown Bag Films
CBBC/Cbeebies
Cartoon Saloon
D11 Stories
DNEG Animation
Disney
Dream Games Animation
Elk Studios
Green Street Pictures
Igloo Animations
Jam Media
Kavaleer
Kitson Press
Little Moon Animation
Mainframe Studios
Mattel
Date
Time Friday 20th
17:30 - 18:30
Venue
Dingle Skellig Hotel (Blaskets Bar)
Media Wan Milkshake! Channel 5
Monster Entertainment
Netflix
Nickelodeon
Paper Owl Films
RTÉ KIDS
Sixteen South
Sphere Media
StoryToys
Studio Meala
The Jim Henson Company
TG4
Turnip + Duck
TVOkids
Watch Next Media
Warner Bros
Dingle Distillery Awards Reception
Before taking your seat for the Big Event, join us for a complimentary drink or two. Dingle Distillery is a great friend to Animation Dingle and we are always grateful that they support us so completely. So join us at our Pre Awards Dingle Distillery Reception for your complimentary Dingle Distillery drink of choice…or 2…G&T… Dingle Donkey…Cheers!
Here’s to you, to us, to OUR Festival and to these being the Good Days!
Date
Time Friday 20th
Dingle Skellig Hotel (Conference Room) 20:00 - 22:00
Venue
RTÉ KIDS
Animation Dingle Awards
We are delighted that RTÉ KIDS continues as our title sponsor for The Animation Dingle Awards.
After receiving record-breaking number of entries, a whopping 108 short films are screening in competition this year.
Animation Dingle is an Academy Awards® qualifying festival. The recipient of Animation Dingle’s Best Irish Professional Short Award is eligible for consideration in the Animation Short Film category of the Academy Awards®. Student films selected in competition are eligible to be considered for the Student Academy Awards®.
Without further ado… here are our nominees!
Hosted by
Sharon Mannion
Comedian
Sharon Mannion is an Irish comedian and writer best known for her role as ‘Concepta’ in the RTE2/UKTV hit comedy, ‘Bridget & Eamon’. She is resident host of The Comedy Cellar at the International Bar, the longest running comedy club in Ireland and is currently touring the country with her solo show JUKEBOX DONKEY
Nominees
Best Irish Student Award
Anam // Ailbhe Fearon, Muireann Mulvihill // IADT
Assimilation // Piotr Chodup, Iris Aghedo // TUS
Landfall // Áine Morris // LSAD
My Marigolds! // Holly Emerson-Byrne // IADT
REM // Laura Masterson // IADT
Sponsored by
Best Irish Professional Award
Boglach // Sarah Benson
Jesus And The King Of Rock And Roll // Domhnall Cotter
// Louise Bacou, Mathieu Leguay, Ludivine Miermont, Elisa Martin, Marion Fuchs, Achille Houplain, Olessia Fedko, Luna Schwertz // ENSI // France
L’OMBRE DU KIVU
// Paul Beaumond, Maëlle Durin, Benjamin Garandel, Charlotte Occhio, Mathilde Piscione, Blandine Rebourg, Timothée Rousseau, Victor Verger, Maicheng Wang // ESMA // France
The Fall
// Maxime Tevissen, Tom Alcamo, Hugo Hannache, Dylan Cam, Alexandre Velves, Titouan Kervajan, Yaëlle Alberti // ENSI // France
The Nest // Aurélien Coquery, Léa Kermanach, Soline Mauguin, Abel Tixador, Jean Baounon, Romane Selter-Fiette // Supinfocom Rubika // France
Sponsored by
Best Stop Motion Award
Death’s Peak
// Willy Fair // National Film & Television School // UK
Acquisitions and Programme Director, Milkshake!, Channel 5, Paramount UK & Ireland.
Eimear O’Mahony
RTÉ
Suzanne Kelly
Kyle Jenkins
C5)
Louise Bucknole
Louise Burgess
Creative Director, Boulder Media
Gillian Comerford
Head of Studio Production, Boulder Media
Colm Tyrrell
Managing Director, Turnip + Duck
Colm Tobin
Creative Director, Turnip + Duck
CCO Chief Creative Officer & Co-founder, JAM Media
Creative Director,Aardman Animations
Composer, Score Draw Music
Manager, Production & Development, Paramount Kids & Family
Alan Shannon
Peter Lord
Mark Gordon
Aidan O’Donovan
Fran Alberigi Director, Cartoon Saloon
Louise Bagnall
DFX Supervisor, DNEG
Jean-Francois Leroux Composer
Amy Fitzgerald
Chief Product Officer, StoryToys
CEO - StoryToys
Colum Slevin
Agent, Kitson Press
Jean Kitson Writer & Director
Karey Kirkpatrick
Founder & Story Consultant
Creator
Lena Byrne
Chris Dicker
Emmet O’Neill
Commissioning & Acquisitions BBC
Director of Marketing, Development & Partnerships, TG4
Channel Manager, Cúla4/TG4
Director of Outreach, DNEG
Producer, StoryToys
Lís Ní Dhálaigh
Karina Feirtear
Dara McGarry
Francesca Saunders
Guy Phenix
Murakami Award
村上輝明
Jimmy T. Murakami (1933-2014) inaugural Recipient 2013, was one of the founding fathers of Irish animation. He was a key figure in the establishment of the thriving Irish animation industry that we know today. The Murakami Award honours his legacy and continues to celebrate those who contribute to the Irish Animation scene.
This year’s recepient is Suzanne Kelly, Head of Children’s & Young People’s Content RTÉ.
photo provided by Sean Breithaupt & Yvette Monahan
Suzanne Kelly
Head of Children’s & Young People’s Content RTÉ
Suzanne Kelly has headed up the RTÉ Children’s division since 2018 with responsibility for all content commissioned and created across RTÉ’s video, audio and digital platforms for kids. Content is divided as follows; RTÉ KIDS our master brand, specifically targeting the 7+ audience, & RTE KIDSjr, our preschool channel for 0-6 years.
Suzanne & her dedicated team work hand in hand with producers from across the Live action, Animation & Audio sectors to deliver stand out moments for TV audio & online; recent commissions include, scripted drama series’ The Unreal, Showkids, Bellie & Whizz Minding Me, Beddybyes, & Maddie + Triggs. Prior to joining RTÉ, Suzanne worked as an independent Producer/Director, creating & developing programme formats, script writing and producing & directing in studio and on location for linear and digital platforms.
Party
Date
Time Friday 20th
22:00 - Late
Venue
Dingle Skellig Hotel (Conference Room)
Animation Dingle Awards Afterparty
So, you or someone you know has won an Award at Animation Dingle…what do you do next? Parties only kick off when everyone gets on the floor, so once the chairs from the Awards have been pulled back, the dance floor will be revealed! Be sure to finish off the night with our annual Awards After-Party!
Stick around the hotel for music, dancing and fun as we celebrate this year’s winners.
ROCK ON!
Careers & Recruitment Fair
Date
Time Saturday 21st
Venue
Dingle Skellig Hotel (Conference Room) 10:00-17:00
Sponsored by
StoryToys
Careers & Recruitment Fair
The StoryToys Careers & Recruitment Fair allows you to interact directly with studios and make direct enquiries in relation to jobs and vacancies. If the studio you are interested in is busy, you are encouraged to wait.
This space is a hub for students to interact and chat, so please relax and enjoy the fair!
Zone 1: Jam Media
Zone 2: Campus France
Zone 3: Kerry College
Zone 4: Boulder Media
Zone 5 - StoryToys
Zone 6 - WACOM
Zone 7 - Animation Ireland
The National Talent Academy for Animation
Zone 8: BCFE/Games/VR
Zone 9: Pulse College
Zone 10: Book Signing
Zone 11: Confessional
Careers & Recruitment Fair
Date
Time Saturday 21st
10:00-17:00
Venue
Dingle Skellig Hotel (Conference Room)
Game Stings
Visit the StoryToys Careers & Recruitment Fair on Saturday 21st to play all of this year’s entered Game Stings.
You can also check them out early by clicking here: https://itch.io/c/7037962/animation-dingle-game-sting-competition-2026
A Silent Hero
Elisabeth Sykorova / SETU
A Silent Hero is a narrative-driven, fable-themed side-scroller. You play as the silent Little Lamb, living in a quaint town on Ireland’s southwestern coast, until one day when you are chosen to slay the monster An Phiast.
An Phiast in... Fishy Business
Riona Kelly / SETU
An amnesiac An Phiast must try to solve the mystery of who stole The Perfect Fish and Chips. Meet a cast of colorful characters and gather evidence to find the culprit.
Phiast’s Big Adventure
Theodore Goodwin
An exciting story of a friendly, monster named Phiast as he journeys through the magical land of Dingle. With only his bravery and trusty backpack, Phiast must do whatever it takes to rescue his beloved sheep friends from St. Cuan’s capture.
Eternity’s End
Sean Deans Holland / BCFE
In 1847, the once mighty but now blind, An Phiast, enlists the help of his archrival, Saint Cuan (or his skull at least). They join forces in this puzzleplatformer on a quest of self-discovery and forgiveness.
An Phiast Untold Story
Mikey Holmes / SETU
Players must escape a mysterious cave, exploring underground environments without knowing what lies ahead.
An Phiast, An Spiaire
Caoimhe O’Brien / SETU
In this game you will play as An Phiast as you complete your secret mission! Are you up for an adventure into the sunny seaside town of Dingle?
An Phiast: The disappearance of Fungi
Naoise Ryan / SETU
A 2.5D Action platformer where you control An Phiast and navigate dangerous areas, battle enemies and find collectables.
An Phiast’s Colourful Adventure
Kacie Franklin / SETU
An Phiast learns that since he was defeated, all the colour has drained from the surface. Through his own creativity and three magic hats, the monster that once destroyed the town is now the only one that can save it.
Dul ó dheas
Sean Browne / BCFE
Dul ó Dheas is a underwater platformer inspired by getting over it. The player must traverse the lake to reach the bottom, using their magical hands to pull them against the floating force of the pot stuck on the players head.
Date
Saturday 21st
Time
Venue
Dingle Skellig Hotel (Conference Room) 11:00 - 15:00
Confessionals
Do you suffer from Imposter Syndrome… Experience WRA? (Writer’s Room Anxiety). Well join the club!
During the StoryToys Careers & Recruitment Fair, a rotating group of industry professionals will be on hand to offer tools and tricks to help wrinkle out your amazing feature, series or short and pitch it to the world.
Don’t be shy. Come up and say hello!
Find a pew and confess your idea to one of our friendly festival guests:
• Alizée Musson, The Art of Writing for Animation
• Andrea Griffith, VP Content and Development, Sphere Media
• Brooke Kreesling, Animation Talent Recruiting & Development
• Chris Dicker, Artist and Creator
• Courtney Arumugam, Head of Development/Executive Producer, Blink Industries
• Dara McGarry, Head of Outreach, DNEG Animation
• Dave Ingham, Writer
• Emily Paige, Co-Fondatrice, Directrice Générale, E.D Films
• Jean Kitson, Head of Kitson Press Associates
• Jo Allen, Commissioning Editor for Animation 7+ BBC
• Katie Davies, Writer, Story & Script Consultant for Film & Television
Date
Time Saturday 21st
10:00 -11:00
Venue
St James’ Church
Sponsored by
RTÉ KIDS:
The Art of 2 Minutes
This screening and panel discussion, will explore what makes a good 2 minute short, shown through the lens of the RTÉ KIDS Sparks series.
From direction, to writing, to music, these all need work in perfect harmony to make the perfect 2 minute film. It can feel a lifetime or it can feel like the perfect piece of art. This panel of experts will tell us just how they do it!
Eimear O’Mahony - Host
Executive Producer, RTÉ KIDS
Eimear O’Mahony has worked in RTÉ in Ireland for more than 20 years. Over that time, she has worked in Sport, Current Affairs, Irish Language Programmes and Entertainment. She has produced & directed documentaries, entertainment shows and live events. She was producer on the Late Late Toy Show, the annual ratings blockbuster in Ireland, in 2018. She began commissioning in Young Peoples Programmes in 2019. She has overseen all RTÉjr’s animated shorts anthology series since then aswell as numerous live action and animation series. Eimear founded and runs The RTÉ Women’s Network.
Founder & Story Consultant
Lena is the founder of D11 Stories and producer of the award-winning short ‘No Worries!’ With 25-years industry experience as a script consultant, Lena was Script Producer on TV series for Amazon Studios, CBBC, CBeebies, Nickelodeon & RTÉ. She is a mentor for Screen Ireland, the NTAA & MCM, a board member for Fresh Film and a company director for Pikkukala Ireland.
Creator
Chris Dicker is a creator, writer, and artist working across film, television, and digital platforms. He is producing his original CG theatrical feature, based on a story he created and wrote, currently in production with Spin Master. He is also collaborating with the New York Toy Fair Collectible of the Year–winning Deddy Bears and developing the original digital series The Powers, slated for production in 2026, as well as the Screen Ireland supported hybrid feature film Locker.
Co-Founder & Showrunner, Little Moon Animation
Vanessa Robinson is Co-Founder of Dublin-based Little Moon Animation, an award-winning studio blending cutting-edge technology with heartfelt storytelling. Creator of the hit preschool series Fia’s Fairies, she leads a growing slate of original, cross-platform kids’ IP spanning television, games and digital content for global family audiences worldwide.
Lena Byrne
Chris Dicker
Vanessa Robinson
Date
Time Saturday 21st
10:00-10:45
Venue
Dingle Skellig Hotel (Toon Boom Room)
Fresh Frontiers in Storytelling
The way stories reach audiences is changing faster than ever – from online platforms and apps to grassroots community models.
This panel brings together innovators who are rewriting the rules of distribution, finding new ways to get their stories into the world. Together, they’ll explore how creative entrepreneurs are bypassing traditional gatekeepers, harnessing new platforms, and building communities to share their stories globally.
Emily Horgan - Host
Streaming and YouTube Specialist
Emily Horgan is an independent media consultant and former Disney executive specializing in streaming and YouTube. She works with global clients on the strategic development of kids’ IP, distribution analysis, brand marketing, and franchise management. Her research on Netflix’s kids strategy led to the creation of the Netflix Kids Content Performance Report, used by major streamers, toy companies, and producers. Emily also writes the Substack newsletter The Kids StreamerSphere and co-hosts the Kids Media Club Podcast.
CEO - StoryToys
Emmet is CEO of StoryToys, a multi-award-winning developer and publisher of apps and games for children. StoryToys creates digital experiences in partnership with many of the world’s leading children’s brands, including The LEGO Group, The Walt Disney Company, BBC Studios, Paramount, Sesame Workshop and Netflix. Emmet has 25+ years in product design and leading creative content-focused teams.
Dáire Bohan
CEO and Founder, Bura Games
Dáire Bohan (24) is a leading games developer, entrepreneur, and co-founder of Bura Games. His Roblox titles, including Anime Fighters Simulator (1.3 billion plays), established him as a UGC gaming specialist and industry thought leader. A passionate advocate for STEM education, he champions inclusive design and gaming’s positive societal impact.
Daniel Chis
Daniel has been a devoted gamer and creator since the age of 8. Today, he leads a team which creates games on Roblox. His games have been played over a billion times, and have gathered an audience of over 30 million monthly active users.
Emmet O’Neill
Panels & Chats
Date
Time Saturday 21st
11:15-12:15
Venue
St. James Church
From Manga to Anime: Behind the Adaptation
Keiichiro Saito (Director) and Takafumi Nakame (Producer), known for Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End Season 1, explore how manga is transformed into anime.
Learn how directors and producers interpret story, pacing, and visuals to bring a manga to life, and how Japan’s unique production system supports the process. Saito will also share insights from directing Bocchi the Rock!, showing how different manga inspire different creative approaches.
Gain a rare glimpse behind the scenes from two leading next-generation creators in the anime industry.
Global Anime Challenge is a three-year program funded by Agency for Cultural Affairs. Its purpose is to nurture the Japanese anime industry’s next generation of the creatives by supporting talented young animators, producers, and directors in experiencing internships at world-class studios outside of Japan.
After graduating from Kyoto Seika University in 2016, Saito-san worked on various projects as a key animator, storyboard artist, episode director, character designer, and animation director including OVA ACCA: 13-Territory Inspection Dept. Regards,Bocchi the Rock!, and Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End. He is one of the most anticipated young emerging talents in the Japanese anime industry. His graduation work from Kyoto Seika University won numerous awards including Production I.G. Award in 2016.
Working in animation since 2013. Nakame-san has worked as a line producer on Makoto Shinkai’s The Garden of Words and Your Name, before joining Studio Chizu and working on Mirai and Belle. In Frieren: Beyond Journey’s End, Nakamesan teamed with Director Saito-san at Madhouse to show to the world what the young talents in Japan are capable of.
Keiichiro Saito
Takafumi Nakame
Global Anime Challenge
Date
Time Saturday 21st
11:30 - 12:15
Venue
Dingle Skellig Hotel (Toon Boom Room)
How Toys Shape Stories
From action figures to animated blockbusters, the world of toys and the world of storytelling are deeply connected.
In this panel, leading figures from the sector will unpack how intellectual property is created, developed, and expanded across platforms – from toys and games to television, film, and beyond, offering a unique window into the business of creativity: how stories and characters become brands, and how brands inspire new storytelling opportunities.
Emily Horgan - Host
Streaming and YouTube Specialist
Emily Horgan is an independent media consultant and former Disney executive specializing in streaming and YouTube. She works with global clients on the strategic development of kids’ IP, distribution analysis, brand marketing, and franchise management. Her research on Netflix’s kids strategy led to the creation of the Netflix Kids Content Performance Report, used by major streamers, toy companies, and producers. Emily also writes the Substack newsletter The Kids StreamerSphere and co-hosts the Kids Media Club Podcast.
Chris Dicker
Creator
Chris Dicker is a creator, writer, and artist working across film, television, and digital platforms. He is producing his original CG theatrical feature, based on a story he created and wrote, currently in production with Spin Master. He is also collaborating with the New York Toy Fair Collectible of the Year–winning Deddy Bears and developing the original digital series The Powers, slated for production in 2026, as well as the Screen Ireland supported hybrid feature film Locker.
Rob David
Senior Vice President, Mattel Studios Animation
Rob is a showrunner, executive producer, and creative development leader who crafts captivating kids and family content for industry giants like Netflix, Disney, Nickelodeon, PBS Kids, DC Comics, Dark Horse, and Scholastic. As an Executive Producer and Senior Vice President of Animation for Mattel Studios, Rob oversees animation development, creative and production for Mattel’s entire portfolio of beloved classics such as BARBIE, UNO, MAGIC 8 BALL and PINGU.
Courtney Arumugam
Head
of
Development and Executive Producer Blink Industries
Courtney Arumugam serves as Head of Development and Executive Producer, working across the animation development and production slate,. Courtney also manages an exclusive first-look deal with BBC Studios, Kids & Family. Prior to joining Blink, Courtney was an Executive Producer at LEGO. She has also worked at Mattel, Fremantle, Channel 4 and the BBC.
Gavin Lawler
Co-Founder of Innov8 Creative Academy / Chief Executive Officer / Director of Sales / Creative
Gavin Lawler is a toy innovator and brand builder. As Co-Founder of The Irish Fairy Door Company in 2013, he helped pioneer the worldwide “fairy door” phenomenon. He later founded Innov8 Creative Academy, the company behind globally successful plush collectibles including Deddy Bears, winner of Collectible of the Year at the 2025 Toy of the Year Awards (TOTY).
Date
Venue Time Saturday 21st
Wave Dingle Theatre (The Pirate Ship) 11:15-12:15
Peter Lord: Shape-shifting for 50 Years in Clay
Peter Lord founded the iconic Aardman Animations with David Sproxton in 1972. Built on the dream of finally producing an animated feature, Aardman would soon go on to be the home to a cast of iconic claymation characters, including the charming and curious Morph.
A two-time Academy Award nominee, multi-BAFTA nominee and veritable stopmotion legend, this exciting conversation will delve into Peter’s fascinating career, chatting films, stories and most importantly, clay.
Cole Delaney - Host
Video Producer - Cartoon Brew
Cole Delaney is the Video Producer for Cartoon Brew, hosting interviews with some of the most influential figures in the animation industry. He is also the host of Animator’s Breakfast, a unique animation podcast that talks to creatives, at all levels, about what inspires them.
Peter Lord
Co-founder and Creative Director, Aardman Animation
Peter Lord is creative director of Aardman, a British studio which specialises in stop-frame animation. Their work includes everything from pre-school series to feature films. He is best known for the character Morph, and for the feature films Chicken Run and The Pirates! In An Adventure with Scientists.
NTAA First Credit Film Scheme Production Panel
The panel, chaired by Deirdre Barry, will feature a selection of participating teams selected for the NTAA First Credit Short Film Scheme 2025.
The participants will discuss their projects and production experiences, as well as the scheme overall.
The First Credit Short Film Scheme is an initiative from the NTA Animation targeted at new and emerging filmmakers, providing them with carefully tailored mentoring, training, and workshops throughout the production, and enabling them to gain their first professional credits as Writers, Directors, or Producers.
Deirdre Barry
Programme Director, National Talent Academy
for Animation
Deirdre Barry is the Programme Director of the National Talent Academy for Animation, an initiative by Screen Ireland, managed by Animation Ireland, providing support and training to Irish-based creative talent. Deirdre has been in the industry for over 25 years. She has produced and executive produced numerous animated series, including Flix, Sir Mouse and Yabba Dabba Dinosaurs.
Date
Venue Time Saturday 21st
Wave Dingle Theatre (Round Room) 11:30 -12:30
Date
Saturday 21st
Time
12:30 - 13:15
Venue
Dingle Skellig Hotel (Toon Boom Room)
Sponsored
by
The Heart of the Pipeline: Creating Teams & Creative Cultures
In a special fireside chat hosted by Toon Boom, Emmy-winning producer Nora Keely traces her journey from handcrafted beginnings to leading major large scale animated series. Blending creative insight with calm, people first leadership, Nora reflects on how strong team culture, clear communication, and the right tools come together to create world-class storytelling.
Andy Wyatt - Host
Director, Animation Associates
Andy works in the UK and Ireland as animator, writer, director, producer and educator. Many of the productions Andy has directed have received awards including three BAFTA nominations. Andy is currently a channel partner for Toon Boom Animation in UK/Ireland and Director of Animation Associates.
Nora Keely
Senior Animation Production Executive
Nora is an Emmy and Canadian Screen Award-winning Senior Animation Production Executive with over 20 years leading large scale, multi series productions spanning stop motion, 2D, 3D, and hybrid animation. Now based in Belfast, she’s an active contributor to the Irish animation sector.
In Conversation with Suzanne Kelly
This year’s Murakami Award recipient, Suzanne Kelly has led a fascinating career as head of RTÉ Children’s & Young People’s Content at RTÉ, working exclusively in children’s content since 2007.
Time Saturday 21st
Wave Dingle Theatre (The Pirate Ship) 12:30 - 13:15
During this chat, Suzanne will sit down with Dylan Haskins to discuss her career and contributions to the world of Irish animation. Date Venue
Dylan Haskins - Host
Commissioner, Podcasts - BBC Sounds
Dylan’s commissions have covered all genres with factual highlights including investigative series Stalked, Cover: Where Is George Gibney?, Stakeknife, I’m Not A Monster and Have You Heard George’s Podcast? – the first ever podcast outside of the US to win a Peabody Award; audio drama People Who Knew Me starring Rosamund Pike and Hugh Laurie; and entertainment hits like Miss Me? with Lily Allen & Miquita Oliver.
Head of Children’s & Young People’s Content RTÉ
Suzanne Kelly has headed up the RTÉ Children’s division since 2018 with responsibility for all content commissioned and created across RTÉ’s video, audio and digital platforms for kids. Content is divided as follows; RTÉ KIDS our master brand, specifically targeting the 7+ audience, & RTE KIDSjr, our preschool channel for 0-6 years.
Suzanne Kelly
Date
Venue Time Saturday 21st
13:15 - 14:15
Dingle Skellig Hotel (Toon Boom Room)
Meet Your Music And Audio Team!
Creating a piece of animation requires a huge range of audio and music decisions across the production timeline.
In this session, composer Amy Fitzgerald (Peppa Pig Tales / My Little Pony) and audio and music producer Mark Gordon (Doodle Girl, Yukee, Isadora Moon) will go through the end to end process of creating a perfect audio and music pipeline for your project!
Mark Gordon
Composer
Mark Gordon is a multi award-winning composer who runs the music production company Score Draw Music, which provides original music, audio and songs for children’s TV. Current work spans content for Nickelodeon Jr, Cartoon Network, Netflix, CBBC, Channel 5, Milkshake and Sky. Score Draw are now also producing content, and their first show - a 52 part animated pre school music series called “Yukee” which Mark cocreated , airs on Cbeebies / BBC from Feb 2024.
Amy Fitzgerald
Music Composer
Amy FitzGerald is a composer with a background in animation. She is currently the lead composer and songwriter on Peppa Pig Tales. Her previous credits include music for Billie the Oddpaw Vet, Irish Fairy Doors, and advertising work such as a BOSCH Christmas advert. Amy holds an MA in Composition for Film & TV from the University of Bristol.
Date
Venue Time Saturday 21st
Wave Dingle Theatre (The Pirate Ship) 14:00 - 14:45
From Concept to Screen
Jill Beecher is a production designer and concept illustrator, working on a variety of cinematic gems including Avatar: Fire and Ash, Marty Supreme, The Revenant, Killers of the Flower Moon, Sing 2, Space Jam: A New Legacy and much, much more.
In this illuminating conversation, discover what it takes to be a concept illustrator for film, learning Jill’s process from page to screen and what it takes to work for Hollywood.
Dylan Haskins - Host
Commissioner, Podcasts - BBC Sounds
Dylan’s commissions have covered all genres with factual highlights including investigative series Stalked, Cover: Where Is George Gibney?, Stakeknife, I’m Not A Monster and Have You Heard George’s Podcast? – the first ever podcast outside of the US to win a Peabody Award; audio drama People Who Knew Me starring Rosamund Pike and Hugh Laurie; and entertainment hits like Miss Me? with Lily Allen & Miquita Oliver.
Jill Beecher
Production Deisgner & Concept Illustrator
Jill Beecher is a production designer, art director and concept illustrator with extensive experience in film, television and print. Her work includes cinematic projects such as Marty Supreme, Frankenstein, Killers of the Flower Moon, Alien: Covenant, Elvis and The Revenant. Jill brings a wealth of proven creative expertise from page to screen, helping bring imaginative worlds to life.
Date
Time Saturday 21st
Venue
Wave Dingle Theatre (Round Room) 14:45 - 15:45
Art as Activism - Gaza in Colour Screening & Q&A
Throughout the war and devastation in Gaza, award-winning animator Haneen Koraz has persevered, teaching stop-motion animation workshops for children in refugee camps. By providing the children the time and space to use their imagination and create by hand, Haneen “tried to change the reality, even if just a little”
The resulting catalogue of films is a powerful display of imagination and creativity, in which the children reflect on their circumstances, their past and hopes and dreams for the future.
This illuminating event will feature short films made by children in Gaza, as well as a live Q&A with Haneen, during which we will explore art’s ability to subvert and challenge the status quo, bring change and provide hope to all.
Shauna Cullen
Producer,
JAM Media
Shauna is currently on the production team for JAM’s animated series BeddyByes for CBBC. Most recently, she produced Dembaya which won Best Animated Short at the 2025 IFTA Award, Nova Jones and the short Worry World. She was nominated for the Bingham Ray New Talent Award in 2023.
Haneen Koraz
Animator and Educator
Haneen Koraz is an animator and stop-motion educator who lives in Gaza, Palestine. She has collaborated with numerous arts and cultural organisations both in Gaza and beyond. Her work is devoted to empowering women and young girls in particular.
Notice
Since this is a free public screening we ask that you book your place if you are interested in attending. Booking link - http://tiny.cc/r530101
Scéalta na hÉireann
á dtabhairt go barr uisce
John Kelly (Retirement Plan) 365 days from Dingle to The Oscars and back!
John Kelly’s short, Retirement Plan was the winner of our Best Irish Professional Short Award in 2025. Since then, it has been on a wild journey, winning awards and capturing hearts across the world, and even landing an Oscar nomination!
In this illuminating chat, John Kelly will talk all about Retirement Plan and its trip to the Oscars!
Maurice Galway - Host
Festival Director & Co-Founder, Animation Dingle
Maurice Galway is the Festival Director and co-founder of Animation Dingle. Maurice has over 30 years of festival experience and he brings this each year to Animation Dingle. As a festival director, programmer, exhibitor and as an artist and filmmaker himself, Maurice has a deep understanding of what works, what needs to be seen, what audiences want to see, how to exhibit that and, ultimately, what is good.
John Kelly
Filmmaker
John Kelly is a filmmaker specialising in animation. He studied at the Royal College of Art in London, and lives and works in Dublin, Ireland. His film RETIREMENT PLAN Won both the Grand Jury and Audience Awards in the Animated Short Competition at SXSW 2025 and is nominated for an Oscar® at the 2026 Academy Awards. He’s currently developing a feature-length animated documentary, alongside too many other things.
Date
Venue Time Friday 20th
14:15 - 15:15
St. James Church
The Storyteller’s Toolkit: Why Connection Matters?
Join Lena Byrne and Katie Davies as they link in with this year’s festival theme, Connected By Stories, and delve once more into their Storytellers’ Toolkit to explore “Why Connection Matters?”
This is a lively interactive discussion and relaxed exploration into the nature of connection in storytelling. How do we use connection? With whom are we connecting? How can you strengthen connection when telling your own stories?
Lena Byrne
Founder & Story Consultant
Lena is the founder of D11 Stories and producer of the award-winning short ‘No Worries!’ With 25-years industry experience as a script consultant, Lena was Script Producer on TV series for Amazon Studios, CBBC, CBeebies, Nickelodeon & RTÉ. She is a mentor for Screen Ireland, the NTAA & MCM, a board member for Fresh Film and a company director for Pikkukala Ireland.
Writer and Script/Story Consultant
Katie has twenty years’ experience working in animation and live action, children’s and grown-up telly. She has worked on fan favourites such as Roy, Sir Mouse, The Wee Littles, Fia’s Fairies, The Scavengers, Nova Jones and most recently the highly acclaimed pre-school series, BeddyByes. Katie is passionate about imaginative story-telling and puts her head, heart and soul into all her collaborations.
Katie Davies
Brainstorming - The Blank Page
We’ve all got ideas and stories floating around in our heads. The hard part is figuring out how to get them out.
Brainstorming strong ideas and gags is a key part of storyboarding, and in this workshop, Rejean Bourdages will share ways to jump-start your creativity— especially when you feel stuck. Taking a closer look at comedy and the process behind writing effective gags and jokes, participants will put these tips into practice by writing gags in the moment.
Rejean Bourdages
Storyboard Artist
Armed with a pencil and a lifelong love of drawing, Rej Bourdages has spent more than 40 years in animation. He started as a traditional 2D animator on classics like Who Framed Roger Rabbit, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin, and The Lion King, before discovering his true passion in storyboarding. Since then, Rej has worked across the industry at studios including Disney, DreamWorks, and Aardman, and has called Pixar home for over 15 years. His storyboard work can be seen in films such as Shrek, Madagascar, Soul, Cars 3, Inside Out 2, Chicken Run, and Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, The Good Dinosaur, Inside Out 2 and Elio.
Date
Venue Time Saturday 21st
12:30 - 13:30
Dingle Skellig Hotel (Breeches’ Room)
Directing the Voice Actor, Animating the Intention
A powerful story is built on characters whose actions and emotions feel real, no matter how fantastical the world!
Join Julie-Ann Dean for a presentation focused on creating characters that people truly connect with. You’ll learn best practices for directing voice actors to achieve those magic moments, and explore how applying acting techniques can be a tool for animators to build characters that audiences will relate to and care about.
Julie-Ann Dean
Voice Actor and Owner of Scripts Out Loud
Julie-Ann is a multi-award-winning voice actor with 30 years’ experience in animation, including the new beloved Milkshake! series Stan and Gran. As the founder of Scripts Out Loud, she combines her passion for casting and voice directing to provide affordable development services for animation studios and creators. Julie-Ann is thrilled to be here; she is rarely allowed out of her small, padded room.
Masterclass: Strange Stories with Bill Plympton
In this exclusive workshop, Bill Plympton, the “King of Indie Animation” will share his journey from cartoonist for The New York Times and National Lampoon to a world-renowned filmmaker who built a career outside the studio system. Students will gain first-hand insights into his creative process, his approach to storytelling and design, and the art of sustaining an independent animation practice.
For anyone passionate about animation, this session is not just a workshop, this is a chance to sit with a true master of the craft and one of the most original voices in animation history.
Director, Producer, Animator
Bill is an NYC Animator born in Oregon, “The King of Indie Animation” has handdrawn 9 Feature Length and over 100 Short Films by himself. He’s two-time OscarNominated, earned various awards, including Cannes Prix du Jury. His films have been featured on MTV, Cartoon Network, and holds the record for the most Couch Gags openings on The Simpsons.
Bill Plympton
Workshop
Date
Saturday 21st
Time
14:15 - 16:15
Venue
St. James Church
Masterclass: A Happiness of Puppets with Barry Purves
In this two-hour masterclass, Oscar and BAFTA-nominated director and animator Barry Purves will take us deep into the art and soul of puppet animation.
Beginning with a screening of Barry’s award-winning and controversial short Rigoletto, the workshop will explore performance, process, and the enduring magic of bringing inanimate objects to life.
One of the world’s most celebrated voices in puppet animation, Barry has directed iconic series such as The Wind in the Willows, Rupert Bear, Postman Pat, and Twirlywoos, and contributed to features including Mars Attacks! and King Kong. His own acclaimed shorts have won over seventy international awards, renowned for their theatrical flair, innovation, and emotional depth.
Barry Purves
Animation and Theatre Director
Barry has been involved with mainly stop motion for more than 45 years, directing his own short films, tv series and in significant roles in feature films. He teaches around the world, writes, and also directs for theatre and has his own calming radio show.
The Human Edge: Balancing Craft & Tech in Indie Animation
Compelling animation relies on a symbiosis of craft and technology.
In a digital world, how do we keep the “hand-made” feel alive? Join Canadian art & tech animator (and sometimes filmmaker) Daniel Gies to explore workflows that balance human artistry with modern tools. Bring your projects—let’s ensure your work retains its soul and stands out.
Daniel Gies
Co-Founder, Creative & Technical Director at E.D.Films
Daniel Gies is a self-taught animation director and creative technologist who learned filmmaking through online tutorials and the guidance of generous mentors. Known for pushing off-the-shelf animation techniques, he blends handcrafted visual artistry with innovative digital workflows. He also develops custom production tools and shares his expertise through a global online tutorial community of over 100,000 followers.
Dingle Skellig Hotel (Toon Boom Room) 14:30 - 15:30
Date
Time Saturday 21st
13:45 - 14:45
Venue
Dingle Skellig Hotel (Breeches’ Room)
Sponsored by
Dream it, Write it, Pitch it.
How do you develop ideas into stories? What’s the best way to sell them? And what do animated film and TV producers want? Script consultant Alizée Musson, author of “”The Art of Writing Animation””, highlights all the basics for you.
Learn the dos and don’ts of writing and selling your project in this 1-hour session.
Writer & Story Editor
Alizée is a writer and story editor who recently published “The Art of Writing Animation” for publisher Creative Essentials. She began her career in script development through various freelance roles with companies such as Entertainment One, Amazon Studios, Ubisoft, and Walt Disney. Alizée also mentors writers through international development programs and previously worked with Screen Yorkshire and Screen Ireland.
Notice
Alizée will also be doing a book signing at Zone 10 in our Careers & Recruitment Fair on Saturday, 15:00-16:00
Alizée Musson
Screening programme
Animation Dingle are delighted to once again present an exciting and dynamic screening programme.
First up is our In-Competition programme - comprising short films from around the world, representing top colleges and studios from Ireland and beyond.
Alongside this,
• Survival of the Fittest, our continuing collaboration with Miyu Distribution, which showcases exciting French student voices.
• A screening of Little Amélie or The Character of Rain, nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 98th Academy Awards.
• A free family screening of Wolfwalkers/Na Conríochtaí
• Plympton’s Toons, a collection of Bill Plympton’’s favourite shorts.
Plenty to watch! So come on down to St James’ Church and Wave Dingle Theatre for a break from all the activity.
Thank you to our wonderful selectors for aiding us in creating such a varied and eclectic programme this year.
Happy watching!
Meet the Selectors
Festival Coordinator, Animation Dingle
Amy Louise O’Callaghan
Production Coordinator, Aardman Academy
Amy Upchurch
Character and Prop Designer/Illustrator
Jamie Chua
Layout Artist
Emory Dinning
Writer & Script/Story Consultant
Katie Davies Director, Chimera
Mark Rusk
Emerging Animator/Technical Artist
Saorfhlaith Martin
Freelance Artist
Merlin Roche
Development Producer
David Deignan
Festival Director & Co-Founder, Animation Dingle
Maurice Galway Writer & Voice Actor
Paddy C. Courtney
Television Writer
Senibo Myers
Date
Time Thursday 19th
Irish Students 1
STING
An Phiast en Vogue
Hugo Whelan / ATU Donegal
At the annual Dingle fashion show, An Phiast shows off his unique take on sustainable fashion!
Anam
Ireland / 2025 / 4:30
Directed by Ailbhe Fearon & Muireann
Mulvihill
IADT
As Fionn patiently awaits his inevitable end on a lonely island, an innocent voice disrupts his peace and leads him back to the beginning...
Assimilation
Ireland / 2025 / 4:50
Directed by Iris Aghedo and Piotr Chodup TUS
Our main character attempts to find her wife, a space traveller, on an alien world.
Wave Dingle Theatre (Round Room) 15:00 - 16:15
Venue
STING
Only the Night Knows
Myra Matsepa / MTU Kerry
Seen as a monster, he is only a soul missing home. Fallen from the Moon, he leaps into its reflection night after night, believing it will carry him back.
Business Man
Ireland / 2025 / John Stenson
Directed by John Stenson
LSAD
An animation based on the song by Musical Comedian Tom Cardy; 2 coffee shop patrons get accosted by a business man who insists he’s not a cop.
Handprints
Ireland / 2025 / 4:11
Directed by Naoise Walsh ATU Donegal
When his dog runs off during a mental health walk, Noe, a burnt out graffiti artist, chases after him into a mysterious cave. What he discovers is a glimpse into an ancient past.
Lipstick
Ireland / 2025 / 3:53
Directed by Éilis O’Neill
Follows the lives of three women within a family as they deal with sickness, ageing and interdependence
Ireland / 2025 / 2:36
Directed by Nicole Morgan Diez IADT
A short multi media film, showing childhood to the present through home footage.
My Marigolds!
Ireland / 2025 / 4:57
Directed by Holly Emerson Byrne IADT
A little hedgehog goes about his day, gardening and enjoying the world, until his gloves get swept away by the wind!
Ireland / 2025 / 5:10
Directed by Áine Morris LSAD
Fate calls upon the young captain of a skyship when a mysterious relic falls into her hands.
Our Father
Ireland / 2025 / 7:17
Directed by Stuart Hill IADT
When a bible-basher’s midnight streetsermon can’t draw a crowd, he hatches an erotic plan to lure the masses away from the late-night porno shop.
Hola Mi Amor
Landfall
REM
Ireland / 2025 / 7:28
Directed by Laura Masterson IADT
When a strange substance threatens to disturb our protagonist’s sheltered comfort she must travel through her own subconscious to answer the question: is growing up really that bad?
Voice of Fire
Ireland, Canada / 2025 / 4:11
Directed by Naomi Golanowski MTU
Belle, an injured ex-dancer, is taken to a gallery to renew her passion for life by her overenthusiastic best friend, Beau. There, she comes to face her past in an unexpected form.
Ireland / 2025 / 4:12
Directed by Saoirse Kelly BCFE
When scaredy-cat Pumpkin misinterprets a news broadcast, he starts an investigation and points his paws at all the wrong suspects.
Ireland / 2025 / 3:42
Directed by Florangela Condori LSAD
Following the story of a little girl’s dream of soaring the sky, “Vuela” is a film about dreams, immigration, resilience, and a mother’s unwavering support.
Ireland / 2025 / 9:57
Directed by Charlie Beimers
In a bleak, industrial future where humans have exhausted Earth’s resources, one volunteer’s search for a plentiful new planet yields an unexpected dilemma.
Waiting Room
Ireland / 2025 / 2:49
Directed by AmberAmelia Kelly IADT
Waiting Room is a semi autobiographical, experimental short which explores difficult emotions and trauma in living with a loved one with a terminal illness.
Vuela
The Cat Burglar
The Volunteer
We are in Production, completion date October 2026
We are actively Hiring, Production positions and Art Department positions
We are a Hybrid working studio with 3 days a week in our Dundalk office
International Students 1: Odd Couples
STING
An Phiast in: The Corroding Comet! Faye McNamara / BCFE
After an eerie comet crashes into Loch Corraillí , An Phiast and his friend go forth to investigate only to be faced with an insidious new threat from beyond the stars.
Hungry Hollow
USA / 2025 / 5:36
Directed by Sarah Ruyle Rhode Island School of Design
A gaggle of forest sprites mingle and cavort at the local watering hole, so to speak.
When The Tide Comes
UK / 2025 / 10:29
Directed by Fêt-Nat Bailly National Film and Television School
Within the dunes, a sand creature and a baby sea turtle meet by a sudden turn of events. Together they will journey to the ocean where they will both learn what it is to be a part of their world.
Ape Shit
USA / 2025 / 2:57
Directed by Dahlia Kressler Aardman Academy
Two monkeys embark on a mission from an unlivable earth. They are the last hope. They set their sights on a lush green planet galaxies away. The last hope for monkey-kind.
Will a pedantic train conductor and a chaotic musician be able to save the train from disaster?
Learning Swordsmanship
China / 2025 / 8:30
Directed by MeiXiao Yang
Beijing Film Academy
As a child, Nie Yinniang encountered a weasel diligently practicing swordsmanship. They became companions in training.
Screenings
Date
Time Thursday 19th
19:45 - 20:15
Venue
Wave Dingle Theatre (Round Room)
International Students 2: After Dark
STING
An Phiast’s Untold Story
Melanie Smith / TUS
An Phiast is everyone’s favourite celebrity, He’s charming and charismatic on the outside however on the inside there may be different story... Who is he really?
The Nest
France / 2025 / 7:12
Directed by Aurélien Coquery, Léa Kermanach, Soline Mauguin, Abel Tixador, Jean Baounon, Romane Selter-Fiette
Supinfocom Rubika
When shy young luthier Aurore reunites with her beloved mother, she uncovers a monstrous family secret. Will she find the strength to break free from her mother’s nest?
L’OMBRE DU KIVU
France / 2025 / 6:06
Directed by Paul Beaumond, Maëlle Durin, Benjamin Garandel, Charlotte Occhio, Mathilde Piscione, Blandine Rebourg, Timothée Rousseau, Victor Verger, Maicheng Wang
In an equatorial forest, Hélène, a dedicated primatologist, is left for dead after the slaughter of her gorillas by poachers. In desperation, Hélène uses a Nkondi to help her seek revenge.
Closing Hour
The Netherlands / 2025 / 8:34
Directed by Tim Smink
Utrecht University of the Arts
While working the night shift at a remote gas station, a lone girl must try to survive when a violent guest arrives.
JUDY1964
Belgium / 2025 / 5:10
Directed by Marie-Hélène Van Thuyne RITCS Brussels
In 1960s suburbia, young Judy is captivated by a new toy gun commercial, but when she stumbles upon her parents’ real firearm, the line between playful fantasy and real danger blurs.
Venue Time Thursday 19th
Wave Dingle Theatre (Round Room) 20:30 - 22:00
Little Amélie or The Character of Rain
Dir: Liane-Cho Han Jin Kuang, Maïlys Vallade France-Belgium // 2025 87 mins
Amélie, a Belgian child in Japan, happily explores life with her companion Nishio-san. When her third birthday arrives, a critical turning point marks the beginning of life-altering events.
Winner of the Audience Award for Best Feature at Annecy Nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 2026 Academy Awards
Date
Time Friday 20th
10:00 - 11:00
Venue
St. James Church
International Professionals 1: Bluff, Bravado, Loneliness
STING Sharp Dressed Phiast
Niamh Kelly / BCFE
An Phiast is an important businessman who is living a double life.
EDU´SFEAR
Brazil / 2025 / 11:26
Directed by Bruno Mazzilli and Tiago Judas
Edu, a child transitioning into adolescence, faces his fears and discovers courage when choosing between the comfort of the past and the freedom of growth.
You Play Too Much
USA / 2025 / 13:00
Directed by Rob Shaw
In 1980’s Philly, dangerous situations, crazy characters and dope beats create the backdrop for eight year old lil’ Robbie as he navigates the rules of the schoolyard.
The Ottoman
USA / 2025 / 12:53
Directed by Mike Stamm
The Ottoman, an amateur robot gladiator, is looking forward to proving himself in the arena. But when his obsession with winning endangers the lives of his wife and son, he faces a harsh lesson about what victory truly requires.
The Piano
USA / 2025 / 7:53
Directed by Avery Kroll
One night, a young girl discovers her father bent over the keys at the piano, sparking a lifelong bond that resonates far beyond their final note.
My Neighbor
USA / 2025 / 5:00
Directed by Dominic Carola
Carl, a territorial cardinal, has his quiet life upended when he helps Misty, a cheerful bluebird with three chicks. His reluctant act of kindness transforms his life forever.
STING
The Puppet Show
Hannah Collins / MTU
When a puppet show about the TRUE story of An Phiast spirals out of control, the audience is shocked to find out who the storytellers are.
Gaïa
Germany / 2025 / 4:08
Directed by Gwenola Heck Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg
Gaïa’s organs are inhabited by people. Once her body is not a sufficient habitat anymore, they try to impregnate her in order to create a new planet.
Tears of the Mountain
France / 2025 / 7:38
Directed by Luke Ashworth, Yehor Bondarenko, Alp Kurdoglu, Romane Talva, Ange Yajima Gobelins
Jaya sets out to hunt the spirit of the mountain, a sacred beast with valuable feathers. As she approaches the heart of the mountain, she’s interrupted by her younger sister, Amala, devout on protecting the spirit.
International Students 3: The Process of Becoming
Knot
UK / 2025 / 4:44
Directed by Zihan Chen Royal College of Art
A young girl gets accused by her teacher of stealing a classmate’s glasses. At the same time, she feels a lack of trust from her mother, which leads to a long period of self-doubt.
Chère fin
France / 2025 / 7:49
Directed by Khéma Cousin, Lien Franckel, Laora Le Boursicot, Alissende Masson, Joséphine Mounier, Clément Saden
An old postman goes through his last tour of deliveries in the archipelago that he worked in his whole life, gliding on water with his old bike. He finds himself confronted to the reality of his coming retirement.
Jincheng Driving School
China / 2025 / 9:40
Directed by 焦炳豪/Jiao BingHao China Academy of Art
Jincheng Driving School is an animated short film that uses daily driving practice as a narrative medium.
ima wa ima
Hong Kong, Taiwan, United Kingdom / 2025 / 4:43
Directed by Greg Keung Royal College of Art
When an office worker discovers a caterpillar at work, a forgotten childhood memory resurfaces, one that loops through time, blending the mundane and the magical.
Screenings
Date
Time Friday 20th
Venue
Wave Dingle Theatre (Round Room) 11:00 - 12:00
International Professionals 2: Intimate Observations
STING
Caught in Phiasticuffs
Aedammair Ryan / BCFE
An Phiast regales his date with an actionpacked explanation for his black eye. Should they believe him?
HUGS
Belgium / 2025 / 6:30
Directed by Nicolas Fong
During a bike ride, someone catches two people tenderly embracing. He let himself be carried away by daydreams, imagining all sorts of cuddles...
Belgium, France / 2025 / 17:00
Directed by Sylwia Szkiłądź
In the 1990s, 8-year-old Agata leaves Poland for Belgium. Through her eyes, the reality of migration becomes an initiatory experience.
Brain Space
UK / 2025 / 8:21
Directed by Laura Tofarides
Propelled into her own mind, Rhi explores the thoughts, fears and impulses that shape our internal world.
Whereabouts
USA / 2025 / 2:00
Directed by Suejee Lee
A riso-printed animated short following a woman’s journey through NYC— unfolding through small, intimate moments.
DUNDUN
China / 2025 / 15:34
Directed by Wangbin
In an old toy store that is going out of business, two dolls try very hard to dress themselves up in order to be bought.
Autokar
Date
Time Friday 20th
11:15 - 12:15
Venue
St. James Church
STING
The Untold Origin of An Phiast
Kathryn Doporto Diaz / TUS
In a time far away, in a land that’s pretty close, An Phiast’s story begins...Once Mama Phiast gets him out of his egg and into the great big world!
Dad Said
The Netherlands / 2025 / 6:47
Directed by Livia May University of the Arts Utrecht
Young Freya loves her dad, even though he doesn’t always give the same amount of love back.
International Students 4: Growing Pains
The joy of being
Denmark / 2025 / 9:44
Directed by Emma Bruun Ruus
The National Film School of Denmark
Follow 1-year-old Balder on a journey of discovery through everyday moments. Through his curious eyes, a sensory and gentle drama unfolds, where everything is new and must be explored with care.
Death’s Peak
UK / 2025 / 9:08
Directed by William Fair
National Film and Television School
Desperate for connection, David digs up his brother’s corpse. With their trusty red wagon, they ascend a treacherous mountain in pursuit of their childhood dream.
Lucy and the Boundless Sky
USA / 2025 / 6:58
Directed by Anthony Mora Massachusetts College of Art and Design
A father brings his daughter to a ceremony, where she will fly off to become a star in the sky.
France / 2025 / 6:48
Directed by Johanna Bouaoiche, Louis Creuzet, Marie Hareaux, Wilson Hinh, Arthus Mariet, Masha Moran Gobelins
Hurle, a young woman, dreams of a future beyond the coffee shop where she works to support her mother. Her life is disrupted when she goes in pursuit of an eccentric petty thief who will turn her daily life upside down.
Canada / 2025 / 2:55
Directed by Olivia Wilyman OCAD University
Through a personal retelling of childhood memories, “Freshwater” explores the mind and serves as a reminder to embrace the parts of ourselves that may have been left behind in youth.
Tumbleweed
Freshwater
Date
Time Friday 20th
Venue
Wave Dingle Theatre (Round Room) 12:15 - 13:15
International Professionals 3: Forces Seen & Unseen
STING
ノヒミツノセイカツ (An Phiast’s Secret Life)
Jason Brady Byrne / BCFE
An Phiast must protect the dingle shores from a vicious monster - luckily, he has a magical trick up his sleeve, and can do battle with a girly flair!
Paper Daughter
USA / 2025 / 15:00
Directed by Cami Kwan
To secure her family’s future, Joy assumes a dead girl’s identity, wearing a fragile paper mask and memorizing “Mae’s” life.
The
Magician
Romania, Croatia, France / 2025 / 24:01
Directed by Bogdan Muresanu
Sulina, 1910. It is the inauguration of the first electric power station in this Romanian port city. In the jubilation of a modern and cosmopolitan crowd, Ilarion, a prestidigitator from another time, tries to play his last card.
The Gnawer of Rocks
Canada / 2025 / 14:38
Directed by Louise Flaherty
Two young women out for a walk follow a trail of coloured stones left on the ground, which leads them to danger. They are trapped in the lair of the Mangittatuarjuk, the Gnawer of Rocks.
Welcome Home Retreats supporting guests at Animation Dingle
Retreat Your Way
Ireland, 2 Nights
Think: Serenity, Quietness, Elegant Spaces Deep Rejuvenation
Think: Heat & Luxury, Long Days, Strong Connections Diving Deeper into Practices
www.welcomehomesretreats.com
Irish Professional Shorts
* This film is co-funded by Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland and RTÉ under the Frameworks short film scheme.
** This film was commissioned by RTÉ KIDS for its ‘Schools Out’ series.
*** This film was commissioned by Fís Éireann/ Screen Ireland, in partnership with Animation Ireland and the National Talent Academy for Animation, as part of the Osaka Expo 2025 Short Film Fund.
**** These films were funded as part of the National Talent Academy for Animation’s “First Credit Scheme, Animation” and “Short Film Fund, Animation”. NTAA is an initiative of Screen Ireland that is managed by Animation Ireland.
Ai Solves Climate Disaster
Ireland / 2025 / 5:00
Directed by David Quin
The world’s collective AI systems, oligarchs, billionaires and autocrats all team up to solve the Climate Disaster! Their plan is to move the earth’s population to a NEWLY discovered planet. As ever, NOTHING can go wrong!!!
Boglach
Ireland / 2025 / 1:56
Directed by Sarah Benson
A community of characters throughout a familiar green island are connected by their obsession with the weather.
STING
An Phiast’s Untold Story
Luke Bracken / TUS
As An Phiast rises from the waters of Dingle once again, he realises he is not the famous mascot anymore.
Brón
Ireland / 2025 / 3:43
Directed by Cat Mangan Williams
A man on the edge of oblivion is granted a chance at redemption. In the form of a curious fox.
Cineál Fiáin
Ireland / 2025 / 7:28
Directed by John McDaid
Voiced by three generations of one family, WildKind is a poem painted to awaken the senses, a fluid journey of hope and healing across our shared watercolour motherland.
Éiru
Ireland / 2025 / 13:00
Directed by Giovanna Ferrari
When the water disappears from the well in a warrior clan’s village, an intrepid child descends into the belly of the earth to retrieve it.
No Worries!
Ireland / 2025 / 2:00
Directed by Chris Dicker
With the new school year looming, 10-year-old PJ’s anxiety manifests as a 300-pound gorilla only he can see! Now he has to face his fears, a smelly schoolbag and last year’s lunch.
Jesus And The King Of Rock And Roll
Ireland / 2025 / 8:41
Directed by Domhnall Cotter
Fourteen-year-old Tommy lives in a quiet apartment with his mother, but, inside his mind, a war rages.
Meteoric
Ireland / 2025 / 6:38
Directed by Paul Ó Muiris
When an artist is hit by a meteor, the result is a “painting” that captivates the world. But the people want more.
Open Éire
Ireland / 2025 / 2:00
Directed by Walter Giampaglia
Six year old would-be animator Dáire takes us on a doodle sketch journey across Ireland’s culture, heritage and nature.
Placeholder
Ireland / 2025 / 7:17
Directed by Elisa Beli Borrelli
A young transmasc from a far away land finds a new home in the country of Ireland, but its problems quickly start to take a toll on him.
Quantum Quest
Ireland / 2025 / 3:00
Directed by Niamh Asple & James Naughton
Alice and Bob play hide-and-seek in the quantum realm, discovering superposition, observation, and quantum mechanics with a clever cat in a fun, kidfriendly adventure.
Unanimated Strangers
Ireland / 2025 / 4:55
Directed by Róisín Kelly
Surrounded by strangers, a woman’s memories of her past relationship unravel and mesh with the people around her.
Tales of the Curragh
Ireland / 2025 / 5:07
Directed by Joshua Brown & Iobhar Stokes-Rodriguez
During a storm, a mother tells her daughter stories of the history, mythology and culture of the Curragh of Kildare.
Violent Volition
Ireland / 2025 / 5:23
Directed by Graham Holbrook
A conversation about free will versus determinism through the eyes of two fighting game warriors. Do they have the power of choice, or are they puppets on a string?
Ireland / 2025 / 7:05
Directed by Aidan McAteer
An ageing herder protects her flock of clouds from a ferocious storm of her own making.
Weather This, Climate That
Ireland / 2025 / 1:27
Directed by Fausto Pontes
A weatherman and his inept handling of the weather leads to misfortune for a farmer on the ground.
The Cloud Herder
Date
Time Friday 20th
13:30-14:15
Venue
Wave Dingle Theatre (Round Room)
International Students 5: Meditations on War
STING
The Dingmuta Triangle
Adam Grier / ATU Donegal
Ships have started going missing off the coast of Ireland in the “Dingmuta Triangle”
My Grandmother is a Skydiver
Germany / 2025 / 13:00
Directed by Polina Piddubna Filmuniversität Babelsberg Konrad Wolf
In 1960s Tajikistan, a skydiver gets a call from her granddaughter in 2022 Ukraine, sparking an intergenerational journey through trauma, memory and identity.
A Sparrow’s Song
Germany / 2025 / 9:11
Directed by Tobias Eckerlin Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg GmbH
Inspired by a true story, a widowed air raid warden in the midst of World War II struggles to overcome grief and rediscover joy in her life—until she finds a dying sparrow she hopes to save.
La fille du Lac
France / 2025 / 9:23
Directed by Louise Bacou, Mathieu Leguay, Ludivine Miermont, Elisa Martin, Marion Fuchs, Achille Houplain, Olessia Fedko, Luna Schwertz ENSI
Bombs sound in the dark, the old house shakes. One night, something appears from the lake. A young girl will learn to grow and move on, carrying old memories with her.
Gauze
France / 2025 / 7:45
Directed by Noran Fikri Alezabi, Nicholas Arujah, Xinyue Ma, Yulin Yue, Xiaonan Zhou Gobelins
14-year-old Zain, a Palestinian swimming champion, faces war and man-made famine. He becomes the sole caregiver to his little brother. When aid drops into the sea, desperate for food, Zain is forced to swim—not for passion, but for survival.
Date
Time Friday 20th
14:30 - 15:30
Venue
Wave Dingle Theatre (Round Room)
Irish Students 2
STING
That One Time An-Phiast Fell Through Reality
Padraig Whyte / BCFE
Be it a glitch in the universe or other plans, when faced with certain death, An-Phiast falls through time and space, causing and confirming the truths of our world.
Arcade
Ireland / 2025 / 2:35
Directed by Lara C. Rosello
Stop motion short film following teenagers MJ and Tatsu as they explore an abandoned arcade.
Arcane Botany
Ireland / 2025 / 2:38
Directed by Cillian Ryan, Daniel Adigun TUS
Join Barry the Botanist as he uses his wizard staff to teleport to different worlds in search of a magical flower to complete his collection.
STING What’s Your Deal?
Shannon Mc Brearty / ATU
A boy reads the terrible tale of An Phiast while out fishing with his father. Tragedy strikes as the beast attacks the boat. But who really is the bad guy?
Common Ground
Ireland / 2025 / 5:27
Directed by Lauren Hannon LSAD
A unique insight into the Irish kitchen table conversation; a moment that is relatable to us all and yet not truly treasured for the resource that it is.
Súile
Ireland / 2025 / 2:06
Directed by Kellie Flaherty TUS
During a performance, a mistake causes a dancer to spiral under the pressure to be perfect.
Ireland / 2025 / 6:17
Directed by Myla Sirvyte NCAD
Dannie, a dedicated mail carrier, is on a mission to deliver a letter addressed to Joan Reaves—only to discover the town it’s meant for no longer exists.
Madra Dáná
Ireland / 2025 / 1:47
Directed by Isabelle MacNeaney IADT
Great escape film about my little dog, Jasmin!
Foundations
Ireland / 2025 / 3:05
Directed by Theo Whelan-Hayes IADT
In the far future, in escape of rising tides, humans decide to build upon the backs of newly emerging megafauna
Hulderskogen
Ireland, Norway, France / 2025 / 3:28
Directed by Danya Grigorev, Siv Bryn, Mia Jiang-Jiang Halling, Alex Adamiak IADT, Høgskulen i Volda, École des Arts Décoratifs (ENSAD)
Chasing his goat into the woods, a boy gets lost as the night settles in. There, he meets a mysterious creature who might have been calling him all along…
Perfect Places
Ireland / 2025 / 0:58
Directed by Anastasija Culkova IADT
Two sisters spend an evening by the lake, fishing, crafting necklaces out of water lilies, and making memories.
Ireland / 2025 / 2:44
Directed by Kate Hamilton IADT
The filming of a kids animal edutainment show goes horribly wrong as a demonic lemur puppet tries to bully one of the show hosts off set.
PHOBOSPLUNKER
Ireland / 2025 / 4:20
Directed by Bee Mulvihill LSAD
Follow Deimos, a spaghetti hungry inventor, who must traverse the inside of her own mind in order to track down the source of her sudden wormy hallucinations.
Ghost Post
LALA LEMUR
Rail Against
Ireland / 2026 / 5:09
Directed by Gray Lawless IADT
After the passing of their beloved dog, a grieving owner notices his spirit partaking in the activities he once loved.
Spark!
Ireland / 2025 / 2:26
Directed by Salma Elkey IADT
Have you ever wondered what happened to your lighter? Where it possibly could’ve gone?
Ireland / 2025 / 2:40
Directed by Sean O Boyle IADT
What’s the point of racing to catch a lost opportunity? A boy learns the hard way that when things go wrong, the best plan may be to try again later.
Sun King Moon Thief
Ireland / 2025 / 4:03
Directed by Sibel Ozmen
Colaiste Dhulaigh
The Moon continues his nightly goal to steal as many riches as possible from the Sun King before daybreak.
Smoke Break
Ireland, Norway / 2025 / 4:07
Directed by Milena Fiodorow IADT
An angry rat chef who works in a restaurant infested with cockroaches goes out for a smoke break, there he meets his greatest rival, the roach who has infested his restaurant.
The Edge of Silence
Ireland / 2025 / 3:08
Directed by Lili Dora IADT
A lone wolf travels through a snowcovered wilderness, trapped in solitude.
Púca
Date
Time Friday 20th
Venue
Wave Dingle Theatre (Round Room) 15:45 - 16:30
International Students 6: Passion/Obsession
STING
A Clearer View
Billie Jean Lynch / ATU
An Phaist hears a boat passe overhead, waking him from his sleep.
After another tiring day, An Phiast finds a reminder of his past in the shape of an old drawing.
Warp and Weft
UK / 2025 / 3:46
Directed by Isolda Milenkovic
Central Saint Martins
A love letter to the act of hand-making, traditional craft practices, and the people who love them.
Le Jardin Rossini
France / 2025 / 9:58
Directed by William Burger, Siméon Jacob , Odelia Laine, Garance Mondamert, Tara Rewal, Mathilde Vergereau, Arthur Wong
Herve Rossini is a renowned artist who expresses himself through his surrealist garden. Upon revealing his final artwork to the public, his daughter, Rosalie, announces that she is leaving the garden forever.
Niccolo
France / 2025 / 5:35
Directed by Clémentine Di Prizio, David Florian, Axelle Granet, Sirui Liu, Hugo Michalet, Njolai Pachomius Gobelins
A gifted musician’s pursuit of fame traps him in the audience’s demands—until a broken violin forces him to choose between hollow applause and true artistic freedom.
STING Old Dream
The Famous Last Show
France / 2025 / 6:53
Directed by Celia Alcina Matesanz, Fuxuan Deng, Pontheera Nimmanakiat, Ané Quintana, Hongru Su Gobelins
Bruce, a young theatre director, is desperately trying to rehearse the perfect birthday only to realize that the unexpected cannot be avoided in his play nor in his life.
The Undying Pain of Existence
Germany / 2025 / 5:20
Directed by Oscar Jacobson
Filmakademie Baden-Württemberg
A nude model is posing with statuesque stillness for an elite drawing class – until an unfortunate mosquito bite challenges his self-control.
Skin Flick
France / 2025 / 8:05
Directed by Louise Bailly, Daniela Del Castello, Alice Levy, Bruno De Mendonça, Elifsu Meriç, Joey Quoc Tran Gobelins
An X-actress stars in the Devil’s cannibalistic snuff movies in exchange for a beautiful bombshell skin. As she lures a runaway-bride to the studio, she develops feelings that will disrupt the Devil’s scenario.
Screenings
Date
Time Friday 20th
Venue
Wave Dingle Theatre (Round Room) 16:45 - 17:30
International Professionals 4: Let’s Get Absurd
STING An Phiast Gets BUFF!
JC McClintock / ATU
An Phiast wants to become Mr. Olympia, and in order to do that he gets BUFF, or so it seems?
STING Secret Identity
Stephen McBride / ATU
An Phiast pretends to be a lonely lighthouse worker, but when a boat is caught in a storm he has to don his secret identity
We’re Kinda Different
USA / 2025 / 3:17
Directed by Ben Meinhardt
A peculiar protagonist sings his way through a mundane office building to profound effects.
Carcassone-Acapulco
France / 2025 / 13:49
Directed by Marjorie Caup, Olivier Héraud
As flight 7836 reaches cruising speed above the Atlantic Ocean, the pilot, copilot and flight attendant are startled by an unexpected knock at the door!
Just One Peek
USA / 2025 / 4:50
Directed by Mulan Fu
A girl is pulled into her phone’s whirlwind of doomscrolling, vanity, and viral chaos, struggling to escape its addictive grip.
Yearn
USA / 2025 / 4:26
Directed by Ben Smith
During an earthquake, two statues in an art museum finally hook up – defying the laws of religion, society, and physics. A story about love, lust, and the beauty that can be found in letting go.
Hexapod
Canada / 2025 / 8:59
Directed by Axel Kinnear
A lone goblin prisoner must attempt a dazzling escape from a labyrinthine castle, as a mad noble struggles to retain his reluctant audience.
My game
Spain / 2025 / 4:48
Directed by David Navarro Bravo
Leaving everything to fate is liberating. It relieves us of all responsibility and makes it possible to enjoy the present. Fate, however, always has an ace up its sleeve.
17:15 - 18:45
Plympton’s Toons
Dir: Bill Plympton
US // Various
71 mins
Plympton’s Toons is a collection of the weirdest, wildest, and most innovative short films of Oscar-Nominated Animator, Bill Plympton.
Crowned the “father of indie animation” by Terry Gilliam, Bill Plympton has been fascinating audiences for decades with hand-drawn, mind-blowing glimpses into the images and stories floating around in his head. Always provocative, always satirical, and always entertaining, Matt Groening asserted, “Bill Plympton is God”. In fact, Groening even asked Bill to animate a sequence of The Simpsons which is included in Plympton’s Toons.
Other shorts in the collection include Bill’s Oscar®-Nominated films Your Face and Guard Dog.
The full lineup of Plympton’s Toons include: Whale 52, Duckville, Your Face, Homer’s Face, Guard Dog, Hot Dog, 25 Ways to Quit Smoking, The Cow that Wanted to be a Hamburger, Eat, How to Kiss, Santa: The Fascist Years and Push Comes to Shove.
International Professionals 5: As the Years Pass By
STING
An Phiastroid
Malissa Lombardo / MTU
An Phiast’s untold origins are revealed. He is not of planet earth at all, but from a fallen asteroid, trapped on earth for the rest of his days.
WHALE 52 - Suite For Man, Boy, And Whale
USA / 2025 / 11:14
Directed by Daniel Neiden
An elderly man, silently grieving the loss of his partner, volunteers at a school where he’s assigned to mentor a young boy who hasn’t spoken all year.
STING
When the Sea Learned to Skate
Jade Gray / ATU
When night falls on Dingle’s coastline, one of the sea’s greatest untold stories comes to life. Beneath the moonlight, An Phiast’s seemingly secret performance unfolds.
Hell
USA / 2025 / 5:24
Directed by Parker Croft
A place where dreams are real, wishes come true, and everything is always awful for everyone.
Wave Dingle Theatre (Round Room) 17:45 - 18:45
Murmuration
The Netherlands / 2025 / 12:30
Directed by Janneke Swinkels, Tim Frijsinger
Piet, an elderly man in a nursing home, finds himself limited in his actions when he suddenly begins to transform into a bird.
Chilies
China / 2025 / 17:13
Directed by Hexuan Zhang
A man whose deep faith in chili cultivation is tested, undone, and ultimately reformed, revealing how his ideals gradually dissolve.
Screenings
Date
Time Saturday 21st
10:30 - 11:15
Venue
Wave Dingle Theatre (Round Room)
MIYU Distribution Showcase
STING Ripped Off
Patrycja Olowska / TUS
A delightful day in Dingle is interrupted when a ravenous seagull steals An Phiast’s comic after he sees the delicious fish on the front cover.
Les Vieux
France / 2025 / 6:09
Directed by Axelle Fuset, Boris Boidron, Fanny Ghesquiere, Lucile Brunet, Jérémy La, Lauren Félines, Maëlys Guillemoteau, Manuel Mabayog
ENSI
A brief interlude of life, where the end gently unfolds beneath laughter and warmth.
Klonter
Argentina, Canada / 2025 / 11:10
Directed by Gervasio Canda, Patricio Plaza and Paula Boffo
Martín, a flamboyant raver, is involved in a strange accident on the road on his way to a party. Finding refuge with two strange locals, Martín’s paranoia begins to take over him.
Reaper
France / 2025 / 4:46
Directed by Cassandra Fenech, Cléa Fernandez
Robles, Emilie Friess, Léa Gisbert, Morgane Jama, Aiden Mallet, Axel Pancioni, Émeline Vann La ENSI
After many years of garbage collecting, Oktave’s routine is upended when, one night, unsettling apparitions disturb his reality.
Belgium / 2025 / 14:20
Directed by Levi Stoops
Frankie believes he is about to die. On his way to the stars, he accidentally turns into a planet and an explosion of life occurs, including creatures that look like Frankie. Although he is no longer alone, the love for his newly found friends is severely put to the test.
The
Fall
France / 2025 / 7:13
Directed by Maxime Tevissen, Tom Alcamo, Hugo Hannache, Dylan Cam, Alexandre Velves, Titouan Kervajan, Yaëlle Alberti ENSI
A mountaineer practicing his passion in the high mountains is surprised by a money ticket, then a second... and a third... He senses an opportunity and decides to follow the trail.
Luz Diabla
Free Family ScreeningNa Conríochtaí/Wolfwalkers
Dir: Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart Ireland, Luxembourg, France, China, US // 2020 103 min
The Animation Dingle Family Screening is for the local community, offering the opportunity for younger children to engage with alternative forms of cinema and non-mainstream animation.
Cartoon Saloon’s Wolfwalkers/Na Conríochtaí follows a young apprentice hunter and her father who journey to Ireland to help wipe out the last wolf pack. Everything changes when she befriends a free-spirited girl from a mysterious tribe rumored to transform into wolves by night.
Presented as Gaeilge with English subtitles.
Winner of Best Film at IFTA 2021 Nominated for Best Animated Feature at the 2021 Academy Awards®
The screening will be introduced by Tomm Moore.
Notice
Since this is a free public screening we ask that you book your place if you are interested in attending. Booking link - http://tiny.cc/bv20101
Date
February 27th - March 19th
Time
Venue
Siamsa Tíre
Sponsored by
Animation is Art
Experience the magic behind the screen! Animation is Art is a unique exhibition showcasing original, hand-drawn works and production art from some of the most beloved animated films in history. Hosted at the Siamsa Tíre Gallery from February 27th to March 19th, 2026, this exhibition aims to widen the understanding of animation as a foundational art form.
Bring the family! The exhibition includes an interactive area for children and screenings of films made by the next generation of Irish talent.
Date
Time Thursday 19th
10:00 - 12:00
Venue
Siamsa Tíre
Sponsored by
Schools Workshop: RTÉ Schools Out with Lena Byrne
A very special Animation Dingle event for children and schools comes to Siamsa Tíre.
Starting with a RTÉ KIDS School’s Out Animated Short Film screening young audiences will be captivated by the imaginative worlds on screen as they learn of the vast talent and creativity in Irish animation. After the screening, participants will learn how to create their own characters and stories in an imaginative workshop.
Date
Time Thursday 19th
14:00 - 15:00
Venue
Wave Dingle Theatre (Round Room)
Meet & Mingle: Student Networking Event
To kick off the festivities, attendees can come to WAVE Dingle to meet other attendees, mingle and make new connections!
To start you off on the right foot, Brooke Keesling, Animation Talent Recruiting & Development and who is currently scouting animation talent for Chronicle Studios will introduce the event and provide an inspiring talk for all attendees, to help you get the best tips and make the most of the experience.
Animation Talent Recruiting & Development
Brooke Keesling is currently scouting animation talent for Chronicle Studios. She has worked in the animation and VFX industry for decades as a filmmaker, in recruiting, development, and in education. Prior to joining Chronicle, Brooke recruited animation talent for Cartoon Network, Disney, and Warner Bros., and Bento Box Entertainment.
Brooke Kreesling
My Untold Story: Storytelling Event
A perfect reflection of our festival’s theme, “Connected by Stories”, this event will shine a spotlight on new and unheard narratives from our community.
Selected through our open call, each participant will have approximately 5 to 6 minutes to share their unique, untold tale. Tune in for a deeply personal and engaging evening. Hosted by Eimear O’ Mahony of RTÉ KIDS.
Eimear O’Mahony
Executive Producer, RTÉ KIDS
Eimear O’Mahony has worked in RTÉ in Ireland for more than 20 years. Working in Sport, Current Affairs, Irish Language Programmes and Entertainment and producing & directing documentaries, entertainment shows and live events. She was producer on the Late Late Toy Show in 2018. She began commissioning in Young People’s Programmes in 2019. She has overseen all RTÉjr’s animated shorts anthology series since then as well as numerous live action and animation series. Eimear founded and runs The RTÉ Women’s Network.
Date Venue Time Thursday 19th
Wave Dingle Theatre (Round Room) 17:30 - 19:30
Date
Time Thursday 19th
20:30 - 22:30
Venue
Dingle Skellig Hotel (Conference Room)
Animation Dingle Quiz with DAM
Think you’re an expert on all things animation? Test your knowledge with the Animation Dingle Quiz, hosted by DAM.
DAM/Dublin Animation Meetup is a community of animators who host monthly meet-ups and events. Sharing knowledge and experience, no matter your experience level, qualifications, or credentials. Dublin Animation Meetup is place for everyone who wants to be a part of our exciting and talented community.
2D Compositor, Boulder Media
Cillian has been running events under the DAM name for over three years now, from casual meetups for day-long film festivals. His biggest passions are film and community so it was almost inevitable he would end up running film themed events!
Merlin Roche is a rigged character animator and editor who studied at Ballyfermot College and jumps between studio jobs and independent work. His passion for animation and game design is outweighed only by his passion for spaceships.
Freelance Artist
Cillian Grant
Merlin Roche
Sketch Trail
Stretch both the legs and drawing muscles with an inspiring walk around Dingle Town. Led by JAM Media Art Director Borja Espana, participants will get to explore Dingle, observe and draw to their heart’s content.
Borja Espana
Art Director & Development Creative, JAM Media
Borja has been the Art Director and Development Creative with JAM Media for over 20 years and is responsible for overseeing many aspects of the creative process: from pre-production conceptual ideas to production-ready final designs. His work with JAM Media includes Funky Fables, Baby Jake, Zig and Zag, Tilly and Friends, Little Roy, Jessy and Nessy, Nova Jones and Beddybyes. In 2023 Borja wrote and directed the short “”Dembaya””, winner of the IFTA for Best Animated Short.
Art Auction
Our annual Art Auction is back and bigger than ever!
Taking place in WAVE, our fabulous hosts Alan and Mark are on hand to auction off one-of-a-kind pieces of art and prizes from this year’s guests.
Stephen Fagan (Studio Meala), a member of the animation community here in Ireland, has suffered a terrible blow: his 8-year-old child, Emily-Rose has only months to live. We in Animation Dingle feel we must support the family as much as we can. The family has set up a funding campaign and we have had an overwhelming response from our community asking if we can use the funds from our art auction to support Stephen and his family this year.
Last year all proceeds were donated to UNICEF Ireland, and the Art Auction raised over €40,800 for the Children of Gaza.
Since our first Art Auction in 2017, we have raised a total of €159,053.00
Do you want to contribute? Come to WAVE and join in!
Mark Cumberton
Alan Shannon
Student Closing Party
ALEA(s)
Finish off the festival with our Closing Party in WAVE, featuring an exciting live performance from ALEA(s).
ALEA(s) is an audiovisual collective based in Brussels joining the skills of illustrator Pierre Coubeau,musician and synth manufacturer François Gaspard, and visual artist Boris Wilmot.
Born from the will to offer a unique live experience, ALEA(s) delivers boiling performances created from scratch, mixing drawing, live animation and electronic music. Surrounded by their audience, the three members create their show without any safety net. While the intense, organic electronic music fills the room, illustrations and animations, crafted alongside the performance are projected onto the big screen to create an immersive and unique show.
