Who we are

The Irish Film Festival is Australia’s finest source of innovative, quality film that showcases the culture, traditions, history and character of Ireland and the Irish people. Since 2015 IFF has gone from strength to strength to premiere moving dramas, inspiring documentaries, eerie horror, darkly funny comedies and captivating family films to become the country’s biggest celebration of Irish culture, language, music and history alongside St Patrick’s Day.

 

 

 

Our Festival is a not-for-profit cultural event, brought to you by passionate industry professionals and supported by Irish artists, filmmakers and cultural institutions, the Irish expat community in Australia, and thousands of Australians (hardly surprising given 30% of Australians claim Irish ancestry).

Part of an international network of Irish Film Festivals, we’re supported by the Irish Embassy and Consulate in Sydney, as well as a champion team of sponsors, event volunteers and loyal audience members.

 

 

Festival Director: Dr Enda Murray

Enda is an award winning filmmaker and educator. His body of creative and academic work spans his interest in culture, education and social change. Enda is a Drogheda man from the banks of the Boyne and a life-long Johnny Cash fan. More

 

ENDA LOOKS BACK AT 8 YEARS OF IFF

 

“One of the festival highlights has been our bold and fearless coverage of Irish politics and the screening of films which are both revealing and risky. Primary among these was the screening of No Stone Unturned by the Oscar nominated director Alex Gibney
in 2018.

The film’s producer, Trevor Birney, introduced the film in Sydney and was then subsequently arrested in Belfast and charged under the official secrets act for material which he included in the film.

In July 2020, the charges against Trevor were dropped and the chief of the Police

Service of Northern Ireland, Simon Byrne, made an unreserved apology.

Continuing on the topic of Northern Ireland we screened John Hume In America in 2018 which chronicled the role of Northern Irish politician John Hume in the signing of the 1998 Good Friday Peace Agreement.

While collecting tickets, I was approached by a man who bore an uncanny resemblance to John Hume and discovered he was none other than John Hume’s brother Harry, who had settled many years before in Melbourne.

On several occasions we were ahead of the curve in championing new talent. The festival screening of The Young Offenders was memorable for the impenetrability of the Cork duo’s accent, and the fruitless search for a Cork person who could translate the dialogue! We’ve screened a number of diverse, first-class music films including The Drummer And The Keeper and Dublin Oldschool in 2019 which explored rock ‘n roll and mental  illness, and the Dublin rave scene respectively.

Rewinding back to 2015 and our first film festival brought a screening of the Irish language film AN DUBH INA GHEAL (Assimilation) which explored the connections between Irish and Indigenous ancestry, language and poetry. I’m delighted to have kept strong links to the Irish language and to screen the breakout hit AN CAIlÍN CIÚIN (THE QUIET GIRL) in 2022.

The Festival’s Opening Night Parties are now legendary, with the Irish community letting their hair down in a congregation of arts and music. It’s wonderful to be the catalyst for events where the Irish community can celebrate their creativity and storytelling.”