events

The Galway Film Fleadh – Ireland’s leading film festival, is a six day international film event held every July and welcomes a mad diversity of filmmaking from around the world. The Fleadh is very much a film lovers’ festival, and attracts directors, actors, cinematographers and artists of all generations and cultural backgrounds. Now in its 27th year, the central goal of the Galway Film Fleadh remains unchanged: to bring together audiences and filmmakers within an intimate environment, and share a common experience – the wonder of cinema. The Fleadh’s diverse audience is made up of the general cinema going public, film buffs, industry professionals and invited guests.

Call for Entries – Feature Films

Following on the heels of Galway’s designation as a UNESCO City of Film, the Galway Film Fleadh Irelands leading film festival, is now accepting feature submissions for the 2015 edition of the festival, which will run from 7th  - 12th July.
In 2014, the Film Fleadh screened 18 World Premieres as well as countless European and Irish Premieres, many of which have gone on to secure distribution or be picked up for further international outings.  Films screened at the Fleadh frequently follow on to Toronto, Berlin, Sundance, Tribeca, Venice and London.
And with the Film Fleadh having been named one of the 25 Coolest Film Festivals in the World, a slot at our annual Galwegian event is now more than ever a hotly contested platform.
The Fleadh is an Oscar-Qualifying festival for Shorts (Animation & Drama). It also platforms excellence in filmmaking with retrospectives, public interviews, tributes and masterclasses from some of the world’s best filmmaking talent (Zachary Quinto, Saoirse Ronan, Fionnula Flanagan, Josh Olson, Brenda Fricker, Will Forte, Martin Sheen, Stephen Daldry,  Michael Fassbender, Ronald Harwood, Anjelica Huston, Christopher Hampton, Peter O'Toole, Jessica Lange, Kathy Bates, Robert Towne, Paul Schrader, Mira Nair, Patricia Clarkson, Abbas Kiarostami, Paolo Taviani and many more).

Alongside the festival, the Fair – Ireland’s only film market, co-ordinates pre-scheduled meetings between filmmakers and invited Film Financiers, Distributors and Major Producers, allowing new talent to be discovered and long term partnerships to be made.

The Galway Film Fair’s unique selling points:

•    Transatlantic Bridge
•    Intimate and informal atmosphere
•    Privileged access to the world’s leading financiers
•    Showcasing new European and International cinema to leading Film Buyers, Distributors and Festival Programmers

“The Galway Film Fleadh is unlike any other Irish film festival. It packs in films,
masterclasses, seminars, business meetings and gossip.” (Screen International)

“The Fleadh thankfully remains the most unpretentious and friendliest film gathering.” (The Guardian)

The Galway Film Fleadh accepts Feature films, Documentary and Animation. Screening at an earlier film festival will not preclude selection, although priority will be given to Irish, European and World Premieres. The audience selects awards for Best International First Feature, Best International Feature and Best International Feature Documentary, Best Irish First Feature, Best Irish Feature, Best Irish Feature Documentary while awards for Human Rights Cinema and The Bingham Ray New Talent Award are awarded by a Jury of Industry Professionals.
The earlybird deadline for feature entries is Friday 27th February at 5pm. The entry fee is €30. The regular deadline is Friday 27th March at 5pm, the fee for which is €40.
For the full list of rules and regulations for submission to the Galway Film Fleadh, as well as the application form, click here.