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Fréamhacha

Fréamhacha revolves around care worker Shoo (Clare Monnelly), who is sent to a remote Irish-speaking village to care for an agoraphobic woman (Bríd Ní Neachtain), who fears both the neighbours and the Na Sídhe – sinister folkloric entities she believes abducted her decades before. As the pair develop a deep connection, Shoo becomes consumed by the old woman’s paranoia, rituals, and superstitions, eventually confronting the horrors from her own past.

Book tickets here. Director Aislinn Clarke will be in attendance and participate in the festival's Industry Days.

The Magic Reindeer - Saving Santa's Sleigh

In his third adventure, the flying reindeer boy Niko’s biggest dream is to become a member of Santa’s Flying Forces. But he gets challenged by the super talented reindeer girl Stella who shatters that dream. Niko has to decide between trust and loyalty.

Book tickets here. This screening will have additional accessibility for young people with sensory sensitivities.

Bring Them Down

Bring Them Down is an Irish-set thriller written and directed by Christopher Andrews, and starring Christopher Abbott, Barry Keoghan, Colm Meaney, Nora-Jane Noone, Paul Ready and Susan Lynch. The film follows Michael, the last son of a shepherding family, who lives with his ailing father, Ray. Burdened by guilt over the death of his mother, Michael has isolated himself from the world. When a conflict with rival farmer Gary and his son Jack escalates, Michael is drawn into a devastating chain of events, forcing him to confront the horrors of his past and leaving both families permanently altered.

Book tickets here. 

Chasing the Light

Chasing The Light dissects the history and legacy of Dzogchen Beara, Ireland’s best-known spiritual retreat centre. Initially established in 1974 as a retreat by hippies Peter & Harriet Cornish, this West Cork refuge would go on to become a respected centre of Tibetan Buddhist practice in the West. But for its Buddhist community, drawn from all over the world, it quickly becomes clear that the road to enlightenment contains many challenges. When allegations against their revered spiritual teacher force the formerly peaceful haven into an existential crisis, the community must pull together or fall apart.

Book tickets here. 

Blue Road: The Edna O'Brien Story

Sinéad O’Shea’s Blue Road: The Edna O’Brien Story is a portrait of a bastion of the Irish Literary landscape, with narration from Jessie Buckley and contributions from Edna’s family, friends and collaborators. Featuring an insightful and affecting interview with Edna from just before her passing earlier this year, the film richly honours her legacy, as well as her profound passion and dedication to art.

Book tickets here. Director Sinéad O'Shea will introduce the screening.

September Says

September Says is based on the novel ‘Sisters’ by Daisy Johnson and adapted to the screen by Ariane Labed. Sisters July and September are thick as thieves, though very different -September is protective and distrustful of others, while July is open to and curious about the world. Their dynamic is a concern to their single mum, Sheela, who is unsure what to do with them. When September is suspended from their school, July is left to fend for herself and begins to assert her own independence - which does not go unnoticed by September. Tension among the three women builds when they take refuge in an old holiday home in Ireland, where July finds her bond with September shifting in ways she cannot entirely understand or control - and a series of surreal encounters test the family to their limit.

Book tickets here.

The Damned

In this atmospheric drama set in the 19th century, Eva, a young widow, faces an impossible choice when a ship sinks off the coast of her isolated fishing village during an especially cruel winter. With their food supplies dwindling, Eva and her crew must decide whether to rescue the shipwrecked sailors or let them perish to ensure their own survival. As the consequences of their actions begin to manifest, the villagers find themselves grappling with the weight of their decisions and begin to believe they are all being punished.

Book tickets here.

The End

The End is the highly anticipated upcoming feature film from director Joshua Oppenheimer, starring Tilda Swinton, George MacKay, Michael Shannon, Moses Ingram and Bronagh Gallagher. After the sudden arrival of a stranger, GIRL (Moses Ingram), threatens the family’s luxurious compound deep underground, SON (George MacKay) begins to question their seemingly perfect existence.

Book tickets here.

The 69th Cork International Film Festival takes place from Thursday 7th to Sunday 17th November. Visit corkfilmfest.org for more information.