Dublin International Film Festival


The Dublin International Film Festival is an annual film festival that has been held in Dublin, Ireland, since 2003.
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History

The Dublin International Film Festival was established in 2003. It was revived by Michael Dwyer, international film critic and The Irish Times chief film correspondent, along with David McLoughlin, film producer. McLoughlin joined while still an undergraduate in Trinity College Dublin. The festival was established to present an opportunity for Dublin's cinema-going audiences to experience the best in Irish and international cinema.
"Dublin has remarkable film attendance per capita, among the highest in Europe, certainly the highest in the EU," Dwyer said in a 2003 interview. "It seems absurd that the city didn't have an international film festival."
In the first year, the festival secured €25,000 in funding from the Arts Council of Ireland for planning purposes. The funds then increased to over €100,000. Jameson Irish Whiskey was the title sponsor of the festival, providing significant support for many years and backing the festival with a major marketing campaign; the festival was called the Jameson Dublin International Film Festival. The festival was also supported by partners such as The Irish Times, FM104, Conrad Hotel, Cineworld, McConnells, MSL Mercedes-Benz, Windmill Lane and Cine Electric. Other funders include the Irish Film Board, Dublin City Council, Fáilte Ireland and a number of cultural institutions, including the Goethe-Institut.
In 2007, the festival introduced a career achievement award, the Volta Award, to celebrate individuals who have made a significant contribution to the world of film. In the same year, the festival introduced the Audience Award recipients, which include Once and a surfing documentary, Waveriders.
In 2025, the festival was almost exclusively at the Light House Cinema, Smithfield. Past festival venues included the Screen Cinema, Hawkins Street; Cineworld, Parnell Street; the Savoy Cinema, O'Connell Street and the Irish Film Institute, Eustace Street. In 2008 Movies@Dundrum was used as a venue. In 2009 the Light House Cinema, Smithfield, was added as a venue.
2008 saw a significant change to the festival's executive roles: Gráinne Humphreys replaced Michael Dwyer as festival director, and Joanne O'Hagan assumed the role, formerly held by Rory Concannon, of chief executive officer. Dwyer assumed the position of chairman of the Dublin International Film Festival Board, and David McLoughlin stepped down.
Over 38,000 admissions were recorded for the 2008 festival for ticketed events. Non-ticketed events included a citywide installation—Dublin on Screen—to celebrate Dublin's cinematic heritage. The initiative featured films shot on location in Dublin and screened on the very spot they were shot on.
The festival is regarded as an important event for the cinema of Ireland, bringing together filmmakers, actors, producers and other celebrities from Ireland and around the world. The festival is committed to supporting film. In 2008, it initiated a significant International Screen Writing Award: Write Here, Write Now. The winner of the award was announced at the 2009 festival, which took place from 12 February to 22 February 2009.
In 2016, the original sponsors, Jameson Irish Whiskey, were replaced by Audi after thirteen years of sponsorship. The festival was then called the Audi Dublin International Film Festival. The new sponsorship deal lasted three years.
In 2018, Virgin Media Ireland committed to sponsoring the festival for three years, starting in 2019, and the festival was called the Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival. Since 2022, the festival has had no name sponsor.

Awards

The festival introduced the Volta Awards in 2007. The award is named after Dublin's first cinema, the Volta Picture Theatre, established by author James Joyce in 1905. Awards are given for career achievement and audience favourite. Critics' awards were first presented in 2009. The Michael Dwyer Discovery Award' was created in 2010 after his death to honour Irish people working in film.

2007

2008

The 2008 festival was held from 15 to 24 February 2008.

2009

2010

The 2010 festival was held from 18 to 28 February 2010.
Career Achievement Awards:
Audience Award: His & Hers
Dublin Film Critics Circle Awards:

2011

The 2011 festival was held from 17 to 27 February 2011.
Career Achievement Awards:
Audience Award: Benda Bilili!
Dublin Film Critics Circle Awards:

2012

Volta Awards:
Audience Award: The Raid: Redemption
Dublin Film Critics Circle Awards:

2013

The 2013 festival ran from 14 to 24 February.
Volta Career Achievement Awards:
The Dublin Film Critics Circle selected the following winners:Best Film: Vanishing Waves by Kristina BuožytėBest Director: Mikhail Segal for Short StoriesBest Actor: Aleksey Vertkov for White TigerBest Actress: Dilan Aksüt, Night of SilenceBest Debut: Maja Miloš for KlipBest Screenplay: Oriol Paulo and Lara Sendim for The BodyBest Cinematography: Oleg Mutu for Beyond the HillsBest Documentary: Far Out Isn't Far Enough: The Tomi Ungerer StoryBest Irish Feature: Babygirl by Macdara VallellyBest Irish Documentary: Get the Picture by Cathy PearsonMichael Dwyer Discovery Award: Broken Song by Claire Dix
  • Audience Award: Broken Song
Jury Prizes were awarded to:BlancanievesAfter Lucia

2014

The 2014 festival ran from 13 to 23 February.
Volta Career Achievement Awards:
The Dublin Film Critics Circle selected the following winners:Best Film: The Reunion by Anna OdellBest Director: Paweł Pawlikowski for IdaBest Actor: Jack O'Connell for Starred UpBest Actress: Mira Barkhammar, Mira Grosin and Liv LeMoyne for We Are the Best!Best Debut Feature: The Rocket by Kim MordauntBest Screenplay: Georg Mass for Two LivesBest Cinematography: Daniel Landin for Under the SkinBest Documentary: Los Wild Ones by Elise SalomonBest Irish Feature: Love Eternal by Brendan MuldowneyBest Irish Documentary: Living in a Coded Land by Pat CollinsMichael Dwyer Discovery Award: Out of Here by Donal Foreman
  • Audience Award: Los Wild Ones
Jury Prizes were awarded to:Blue RuinThe Golden Dream

2015

The 2015 festival ran from 19 to 29 March.
Volta Career Achievement Awards:
The Dublin Film Critics Circle selected the following winners:Best Film: The Tribe, director Myroslav SlaboshpytskiyBest Director: Ruben Östlund for Force MajeureBest Screenplay: Yuri Bykov for The FoolBest Cinematography: Lyle Vincent for A Girl Walks Home Alone at NightBest Documentary: Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, director Brett MorgenBest Actor: Cliff Curtis for The Dark HorseBest Actress: Nina Hoss for PhoenixBest Irish Feature: Glassland, director Gerard BarrettBest Irish Documentary: Wheel of Fortune: The Story and Legacy of the Fairview Lion Tamer, director Joe LeeBest Debut: Chaitanya Tamhane for CourtMichael Dwyer Discovery Award: Piers McGrail, cinematographer on Glassland, Let Us Prey, The Canal
Audience Awards went to:Feature: The Salt of the EarthShort: Boogaloo and Graham
Special Jury Prizes were awarded to:A Pigeon Sat on a Branch Reflecting on ExistenceEdenYou're Sleeping, Nicole

2016

The 2016 festival ran from 18 to 28 February.
Volta Career Achievement Awards:
The Dublin Film Critics Circle selected the following winners:Best Film: Mustang, director Deniz Gamze ErgüvenBest Director: Lucile Hadžihalilović for EvolutionBest Screenplay: Jaco Van Dormael and Thomas Gunzig for The Brand New TestamentBest Cinematography: Mátyás Erdély for Son of SaulBest Documentary: Heart of a Dog, director Laurie AndersonBest Actor: Alex Lawther for DepartureBest Actress: Monica Bellucci for Ville-MarieBest Ensemble Cast: Green Room, director Jeremy SaulnierBest Irish Feature: Viva, director Paddy BreathnachBest Irish Documentary: Atlantic, director Risteard Ó DomhnaillBest Irish Short Film: Geist, director Eric Daniel DunnBest International Short Film: The Bathtub, director Tim EllrichGeorge Byrne Maverick Award: Stephen Rea for VivaMichael Dwyer Discovery Award: Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, actor on Sing Street
AUDI-ence Awards went to:Feature: VivaShort: Little Bear
Special Jury Prizes were awarded to:Black Mountain PoetsVictoriaAnomalisa
ADIFF Discovery Awards went to:
  • Barry Keoghan, actor on Mammal, Traders and The Break
  • Jack O'Shea, director/animator on A Coat Made Dark and Eat the Danger
  • Kathryn Kennedy, producer on My Name Is Emily, It's Not Yet Dark and ''After''

2017

The festival ran from 16 to 26 February.
Volta Career Achievement Awards:
The Dublin Film Critics' Circle selected the following winners:Best Film – Aquarius, director Kleber Mendonça FilhoBest Actress – Florence Pugh, Lady MacbethBest Actor – Sherwan Haji, The Other Side of HopeBest Director – Lav Diaz, The Woman Who LeftBest Cinematography – M. David Mullen, The Love WitchBest Screenplay – Kristina Grozeva, Petar Valchanov, GloryBest Irish Feature – Handsome Devil, director John ButlerBest Irish Documentary – The Farthest, director Emer ReynoldsBest Documentary – I Am Not Your Negro, director Raoul PeckGeorge Byrne Maverick Award: Emer Reynolds, editor
Special Jury Prizes were awarded to:
AUDI-ence Award:The Farthest, director Emer Reynolds
ADIFF Discovery Awards went to:

2018

The festival began on 22 February. Its ending was extended to 12 March due to the "Beast from the East" snowstorm.
Volta Career Achievement Award:
The Dublin Film Critics Circle selected the following winners:Best Film: Custody, director Xavier LegrandBest Director: Chloé Zhao for The RiderBest Irish Director: Rebecca Daly for Good FavourBest Screenplay: Lynne Ramsay for You Were Never Really HereBest Cinematography: Monika Lenczewska for Under the TreeBest Actor: Charlie Plummer for Lean on PeteBest Actress: Charlotte Rampling for HannahBest Documentary: So Help Me God, director Yves HinantBest Irish Film: The Lonely Battle of Thomas Reid, director Feargal WardMichael Dwyer Discovery Award: Coralie Fargeat, director-writer on RevengeGeorge Byrne Maverick Award: Stephen Rea, actor in Black 47
Jury Prizes were awarded to:
ADIFF Discovery Awards went to:
  • Mia Mullarkey, director of Mother & Baby
  • Rua Meegan and Trevor Whelan, directors of Bordalo II: A Life of Waste
  • TJ O'Grady Peyton, director of Wave
  • * Special Mention: Jessie Buckley
Short film awards:Best Irish Short Film: Mother & Baby, director Mia Mullarkey
  • * Special Mention: Time Traveller, director Steve KennyBest International Short Film: Retouch, director Kaveh Mazaheri
  • * Special Mention: Mary Mother, director Sadam Wahidi
AUDI-ence Awards went to:Feature: The BreadwinnerShort: Time Traveller
Fantastic Flix Children's Jury AwardsFeature: Room 213Short: ''Earthy Encounters''

2019

Virgin Media Ireland was the sponsor for the 2019 festival, which was held 20 February – 3 March.
Volta Awards:
Short film awards:Best Irish Short Film: Five Letters to the Stranger Who Will Dissect My Brain, director Oonagh Kearney
  • * Special Mention: The First was a Boy, director Shaun DunneBest International Short Film: Inanimate, director Lucia Bulgheroni
  • *Special Mention: Child, director Joren Molter
Audience Awards went to:Feature: Maiden, director Alex HolmesShort: 99 Problems, director Ross Killeen
Discovery Awards went to:
  • Alexandra McGuinness, writer-director of She's Missing
  • Ian Hunt Duffy, director of Low Tide
  • Oonagh Kearney, director of Five Letters to the Stranger Who Will Dissect My Brain
  • Madonna Bambino, makeup artist on Low Tide
Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival Documentary prize:
Dublin Human Rights Film Award:
Children's Jury Awards:
  • Feature – Winner: Mia and the White Lion, director Gilles de Maistre
  • Feature – Special Mention: Departures, director Peter Hutchings
  • Short – Winner: First Disco, director Helen M. O'Reilly
  • Feature – Special Mention: The Overcoat, directors Meelis Arulepp and Sean Mullen
Young Programmer's Choice Award:
The Dublin Film Critics Circle selected the following winners:Best Film: Transit, director Christian PetzoldBest Director: Rima Das for Bulbul Can SingBest Cinematography: Hiroshi Okuyama for JesusBest Documentary: GAZA, directors Garry Keane and Andrew McConnellBest Irish Film: Greta, director Neil JordanBest Screenplay: Bai Xue for The CrossingBest Actor: Bogdan Dumitrache for PororocaBest Actress: Jessie Buckley for Wild Rose

2020

The 2020 festival took place between 26 February and 8 March.
Volta Awards:
Audience Awards:
  • Virgin Media Audience Award: Endless Sunshine on a Cloudy Day
  • Virgin Media Audience Award, Short Film: Iarscoláire
  • Fantastic Flix Audience Award: Onward
  • Fantastic Flix Audience Award, Short Film: The Girl at the End of the Garden
Aer Lingus Discovery Awards:
Documentary Competition:
  • Special mention: Women Make Film: A New Road Trip Through Cinema
  • Winner: Confucian Dream, director Mijie Li
Short Film Awards, supported by Griffith College:
  • Special Mention International Short Film: Adnan
  • Best International Short Film: Quiet Land Good People
  • Special Mention, Irish Short Film : Innocent Boy, dir. John Connors
  • Best Irish Short Film: Welcome to a Bright White Limbo, dir. Cara Holmes
Irish Council for Civil Liberties Human Rights Film Award:
Lifetime Contribution Award: Liam Cunningham, actor
Fantastic Flix Jury Awards, as chosen by The Ark's Children's Jury:
  • Feature Film: Onward
  • Short Film: Streets of Fury, dir. Aidan McAteer
Dublin Film Critics' Circle Awards:

2021

The 2021 festival took place during 3–14 March.
Dublin Film Critics' Circle Awards:

2022

The 2022 festival took place from 23 February to 6 March. Adam McKay received the Volta Award.

2023

The 2023 festival took place from 23 February to 4 March. Actress Emily Watson received the Volta Award.
Dublin Film Critics Circle Awards 2023

2024

The 2024 festival took place from 22 February to March 2.

2025

The 2025 festival took place from 20 February to March 2.
DIFF Awards
  • Audience award feature: A Want In Her
  • Audience award short: Naked Lights
  • Discovery award: Cara Loftus, Clare Monnelly and Albert Hooi
  • Best documentary award: A Want In Her
  • Avalon World Cinema award: Santosh
  • International Short Film award: The Man Who Would Not Remain Silent
  • Animated Short Film award: Inside, The Valley Sings
  • Sue Bruce-Smith Irish Short Film: Trasna na Líne
  • Irish Council for Civil Liberties Human Rights Film Award: Testimony
Dublin Film Critics Circle AwardsBest film On Falling, directed by Laura CarreiraBest director Maura Delpero, for VermiglioBest editing Ramon Zürcher, for The Sparrow in the ChimneyBest actress Shahana Goswami, for SantoshBest actor Albrecht Schuch, for PeacockBest ensemble Backstage, directed by Afef Ben Mahmoud and Khalil BenkiraneBest documentary Riefenstahl, directed by Andres VeielBest cinematography Sverre Sørdal, for Sister MidnightBest debut Good One, directed by India DonaldsonBest screenplay Tracie Laymon, for Bob Trevino Likes ItMichael Dwyer discovery Ruby Conway Dunne, Molly Byrne and Alicia Weafer, for Ready or NotGeorge Byrne maverick Carrie CrowleyBest Irish film Beat the Lotto, directed by Ross WhittakerBest Irish documentary Born That Way, directed by Éamon LittleSpecial jury prize Latina Latina, directed by Adrian DuncanVolta Award: Jessica Lange and Ed Harris