Coming soon: Dublin International Film Festival

The Dublin International Film Festival (DIFF) has made its way back again to our city, with plenty of international releases and meetings with renowned filmmakers.

One of the most iconic events in Ireland’s cultural calendar will take place in a variety of Dublin’s cinemas from February 22nd to March 2nd with a lot of screenings and Q&A sessions with famous filmmakers.

“We have a whole host of famous people attending this year’s festival. Director Steve McQueen and actor Isabelle Huppert will both be recognised for their contribution to film by receiving the Volta Award,” spokesperson Melanie Mullan, said.

The DIFF, which launched in 2003, aims to promote contemporary and classic international cinema and to bring the film world to Ireland – while showcasing Ireland to the world.

Pictures taken during the last year’s festival by Patryk Goron, showcasing Emily Watson and Paul Mescal
on a red carpet during the opening night of DIFF 2023

This year’s programme will feature spotlight African cinema, presenting seven movies including Oscar favourite “Four Daughters”, as well as Sundance award winner “Mami Wata”.

During the ten-day celebration of international cinema, people will have the chance to get acquainted with over 70 feature films and over 60 short films from Ireland and across the world offering numerous opportunities to celebrate this unique form of art.

As part of the Dublin International Film Festival, a documentary called “Brendan Gleeson’s Farewell To Hughes’s” will have its premiere at the Irish Film Institute (IFI) on March 1st.

The film is about Hughes’s – the legendary bar which was located on a side street behind the Four Courts in Smithfield and which served as a hub for traditional music before it closed its doors in 2021.

The documentary stars Oscar-nominated Irish actor Brendan Gleeson, who meets with musicians, dancers and singers in and around the pub and gathers them one last time to “recreate the magic of Hughes’s”.