DocArena: BAFTA-Winning Director John Dower (The Balloonists, Thriller in Manila, My Scientology Movie)

Podcast: Actor Diarmuid Noyes (Christy, A Knock at Your Door, The Walsh Sisters)

In this episode of the Film Ireland podcast, we catch up with actor Diarmuid Noyes (Pure Mule, The Clinic) as his short A Knock at Your Door is about to premiere at the Galway Film Fleadh. In this conversation, he discusses his creative practice, exploring his approach to character development, performance, and collaboration across film, television, and theatre. Listen now on SoundCloud, Apple, Spotify, Acast and Amazon, or subscribe to Film Ireland wherever you get your podcasts [https://www.filmireland.net/film-ireland-podcast/]. https://www.filmireland.net/podcast-actor-diarmuid-noyes-christy-a-knock-at-your-door-the-walsh-sisters A Knock at Your Door  A Knock at Your Door tells the story of Florence, a nurse, and James (Noyes), an internet-obsessed tech worker, whose lives are turned upside down when a teenager accused online of committing a heinous crime arrives at their door seeking shelter. As tensions escalate outside, the couple's relationship is pushed to breaking point, forcing them to confront uncomfortable truths about themselves and exposing the biases they each carry. Emerging from a climate of mounting social unrest fuelled by fear and misinformation spread across social media, the film draws inspiration from recent events in Ireland, including anti-immigration riots in Dublin city centre and the sustained public disorder outside the Citywest accommodation centre in Saggart, where protesters clashed with Gardaí over multiple nights, hurling fireworks, stones and bottles and setting a Garda van alight. The cast features 2026 IFTA nominee Diarmuid Noyes (Christy), Yemisi Oyinloye (Cold Feet), Jonathan Heed (The Lost Children of Tuam, Lemonade, The Boys of Tommen) and Michael Mullen (The Problem With People). Shot on location in Dublin in early 2026, the film is positioned to resonate with audiences as an urgent cinematic response to Ireland's recent social upheavals. About Diarmuid Noyes Irish actor Diarmuid Noyes works across film, television and theatre. He first came to prominence as a teenager with acclaimed Irish dramas The Clinic and Pure Mule. His film credits include Christy, opposite Danny Power; Double Blind; Good Vibrations, alongside Jodie Whittaker and Richard Dormer; Killing Bono, starring Ben Barnes and Robert Sheehan; Five Minutes of Heaven, opposite Liam Neeson and James Nesbitt; Parked, with Colm Meaney; and The Secret Scripture, directed by Jim Sheridan and starring Rooney Mara, Vanessa Redgrave and Theo James. His television credits include the BBC hit Line of Duty; HBO's The Tudors, alongside Jonathan Rhys Meyers; Canal+'s Borgia; Virgin Media Television's Blood; The Gone; The Walsh Sisters; Pure Mule: The Last Weekend; and Cooper & Fry. Throughout his career, Noyes has received multiple Irish Film and Television Academy (IFTA) Award nominations, including Best Supporting Actor nominations for Double Blind and Christy, as well as a nomination for his performance in Pure Mule: The Last Weekend. Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today. So make sure to subscribe and listen back! ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Presents: Filmmakers Alan Hopkins, Jaro Waldeck & Thomas Bennett at Galway Film Fleadh

In this Film Ireland podcast, we’re delighted to shine a light on three filmmakers whose short films are screening at this years’s Galway Film Fleadh. Gemma Creagh chats with Alan Hopkins (A Knock at Your Door), Jaro Waldeck (Linger) and Thomas Bennett (The Galley). Watch the recording here: https://www.filmireland.net/podcast-filmmakers-alan-hopkins-jaro-waldeck-thomas-bennett-at-galway-film-fleadh A KNOCK AT YOUR DOOR - DIR/WRI: ALAN HOPKINS A young couple's life is thrown into disarray when they receive a late night knock on their door. Florence and James’s quiet evening in front of the TV comes to an abrupt end when a young teenager, Alex, arrives at their door badly beaten and in clear distress. Florence, a nurse, acts quickly and brings him inside, but James, who spends most of his free time in the darker sections of the internet, is immediately unsure. The situation escalates when James is sent a video purporting to show Alex, accompanied by extremely serious sexual allegations. Before James can eject Alex from the house, a mob, whipped up by online extremists, arrives outside seeking vigilante justice. Florence stands firm and won't hand Alex over based on an online accusation. Can their relationship survive as the mob's pressure grows?  A Knock at Your Door screens on Saturday, 11th of July in the Town Hall Cinema at 11.30 as part of Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland World Premiere Shorts [https://www.galwayfilmfleadh.com/project/fis-eireann-screen-ireland-world-premiere-shorts-2/] LINGER - DIR: JARO WALDECK • WRI: BOBBY MOLONEY In a secluded house, Eve cares for her bedridden husband, David, who is now a shell of the man he once was. With only an AI assistant to keep her company, Eve longs for the love and connection they once shared. When offered a miraculous pill that can restore David to full health for seven days, Eve chooses to seize one last chance at happiness, knowing she will set off the countdown to his final moments. As David awakens, unaware of the years lost or the sacrifice Eve has made, their reunion is joyful but fleeting. Linger screens on Saturday, 11th of July, Town Hall Cinema at 11.30 as part of Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland World Premiere Shorts [https://www.galwayfilmfleadh.com/project/fis-eireann-screen-ireland-world-premiere-shorts-2/] THE GALLEY - DIR: THOMAS BENNETT • WRI: THOMAS BENNETT, NIALL MCCLOSKEY As the coast of Northern Ireland sinks deep into the hands of gentrification, the workers of Crillis Arcade are struck with this reality when their workplace is sold for redevelopment; this news affects nobody greater than Helen (Bríd Brennan), a down on her luck woman living in a caravan along the coastline. When finding herself short on cash at the local chippy, Helen commits a victimless crime to pay for dinner... The Galley screens on Friday 10th July, at 11:45 in the Town Hall Theatre as part of Irish Fiction 4. ALAN HOPKINS Alan Hopkins is a Dublin-based writer, director and co-founder of HAL Pictures. A graduate of the National Film School at IADT, he holds both a BA in Film & Television Production and a Master’s Degree in Screenwriting. His work has screened at festivals across Ireland and internationally, as well as on RTÉ. In 2024, his Screen Ireland Focus Short Ogham premiered at the Galway Film Fleadh before continuing its international festival run, receiving awards for cinematography and original score. JARO WALDECK Jaro has been working in the Irish film and TV industry largely as a freelance cinematographer for 15 years. She shot over 50 short films (live action and documentary) as well as feature films DREAMTOWN and HOUSEWIFE OF THE YEAR. Jaro studied at Columbia College Chicago and FAMU Prague, two prestigious film universities, where she earned Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in cinematography, respectively. THOMAS BENNETT Thomas is a Belfast based artist and director focused on Hi-8 tape and Super 8. His short film directorial work has been funded by BFI Network, Arts Council NI and has been recognised and awarded nationally and internationally, showcasing at Academy®, BAFTA, BIFA & IFTA qualifying Film Festivals. Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today. So make sure to subscribe and listen back! ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Presents: Writer/Director Rebecca Zlotowski on 'A Private Life'

In this episode of the Film Ireland podcast, we are delighted to welcome writer/director Rebecca Zlotowski. In this discussion, we chat about her career, creative inspiration, and her latest film, A Private Life, which stars Jodie Foster in her first-ever French-speaking role. In cinemas 26th June, A Private Life sees Jodie plays renowned psychiatrist Lilian Steiner, who embarks on a private investigation into the death of one of her patients... convinced that it was no accident, but murder. Rebecca will be at the Irish Film Institute this evening for a very special Q&A. Listen now on SoundCloud, Apple, Spotify, Acast and Amazon, or subscribe to Film Ireland wherever you get your podcasts [https://www.filmireland.net/film-ireland-podcast/]. Watch the original recording here. https://www.filmireland.net/podcast-writer-director-rebecca-zlotowski-on-a-private-life Rebecca Zlotowski Rebecca is a French director and screenwriter. Born in Paris, she initially pursued an academic path in literature before turning to filmmaking at La Fémis, where her graduation film became her debut feature, Belle Épine (2010), earning major critical awards.  Her cinema is marked by a strong authorial voice, blending psychological realism with stylised storytelling. Across films such as Grand Central (2013), Planetarium (2016), and An Easy Girl (2019), she has developed a body of work attentive to female subjectivity, sexuality, and the emotional complexities of modern relationships.  With Other People’s Children (2022), she further refined her exploration of intimacy and non-traditional family structures. Her latest film, A Private Life (2025), starring Jodie Foster, premiered at Cannes and received nominations at the 2026 Lumière Awards (Best Actress for Jodie Foster) and at the 2025 San Sebastián and Warsaw International Film Festivals for their respective Audience Awards. Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today. So make sure to subscribe and listen back! ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Presents: Filmmaker Dennis Harvey on Útóipe Cheilteach / Celtic Utopia

In this Film Ireland podcast, recorded live on location in Washington, D.C. at the Capital Irish Film Festival, Gemma Creagh speaks with filmmaker Dennis Harvey about his exciting documentary Útóipe Cheilteach / Celtic Utopia. Útóipe Cheilteach / Celtic Utopia screens this Saturday, 20th June, at the Oh Yeah Music Centre as part of Docs Ireland. https://docsireland.ie Presented annually by Solas Nua, the 20th edition of the Capital Irish Film Festival takes place in March each year, showcasing one of the largest programmes of Irish cinema in North America. Docs Ireland runs until the 21st, celebrating the best of new international documentary filmmaking, showcasing the work of Ireland’s indigenous non-fiction culture and creatives. Read more here: https://www.filmireland.net/podcast-filmmaker-dennis-harvey-on-utoipe-cheilteach-celtic-utopia DENNIS HARVEY Dennis is a filmmaker from Ireland. He is best known for his short documentary The Building and Burning of a Refugee Camp (2024), which won the Swedish Academy Award for Best Short Film, was selected by the French Academy of Cinema as one of the Best Short Films of 2024, and received many other awards. Dennis mainly writes and directs documentaries, but has also produced and edited his own films. His first feature, I Must Away (2023), was a kaleidoscopic essay about movement filmed over seven years in six countries. His latest short, The New Policy Regarding Homeless Asylum Seekers (2025), is an uncompromising interrogation of Ireland’s inhuman asylum system and a dedication to those resisting it. His second feature, Útóipe Cheilteach (2025), a ballad tour through postcolonial Ireland, premiered at Locarno. With a cinema vérité approach and a particular sensitivity to the human, Dennis’ work interrogates the political through the personal. He is a member of the European Film Academy. He is a member of Noncitizen, a film collective which works to hand over the means of making films to migrants. Útóipe Cheilteach / Celtic Utopia What do we do with the violent history we’ve inherited? Do we accept a repressive culture as is, or do we reshape it in our own image? In a world where oppression, occupation and war have become ambient, Útóipe Cheilteach plays at a different frequency, where hope is possible and a brighter future may be realised.  Featuring music from artists including The Mary Wallopers, Poor Creature and Lankum, Celtic Utopia tells the story of a new Ireland and its vibrant music scene, but also that of a post-colonial society wrestling with its heritage. A society where folk music carries both the oppression of the past and the dream of a bright future. The Irish folk music renaissance sees artists coming from punk, hip-hop, and beyond, rediscovering an ancient tradition and taking it in unexpected directions. Winner of the Grand Prix Semaine de la Critique at Locarno Film Festival and the Audience Award at Leeds International Film Festival 2025. Capital Irish Film Festival Solas Nua’s annual Capital Irish Film Festival in Washington, D.C., presents one of the largest programmes of Irish cinema in North America, showcasing the latest Irish dramatic and documentary features, shorts, art films and animation releases by Irish and Ireland-based filmmakers. Read more on SolasNua.org [https://www.solasnua.org/ciff?ref=filmireland.net], follow Capital Irish Film Festival on FilmFreeway [https://filmfreeway.com/CapitalIrishFilmFestival?ref=filmireland.net] here. Docs Ireland Docs Ireland is Ireland’s international documentary film festival. It celebrates the best of new international documentary filmmaking and showcases the work of Ireland’s indigenous non-fiction culture and creatives. It is highly regarded internationally for its cutting-edge film programming and distinctive industry initiatives. Established in 2019 as the sister festival of the long-standing Belfast Film Festival, Docs Ireland takes place each June in Belfast. Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today. So make sure to subscribe and listen back! ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Out of the Box: Paul FitzSimons & Dan Airey on Filmmaking & Disability

Film Ireland, supported by the Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland Stakeholders Fund, are delighted to present Out of the Box, the first in a six-part podcast series exploring different perspectives in media today. Hosted by writer and filmmaker Róisín Kearney, each episode features conversations with people paving the way for greater equity and inclusion in the screen industries. Together, they discuss what has worked so far, what still needs to be done, and how we can all ensure that all creative voices are properly heard. For the inaugural discussion, Róisín sits down with Paul FitzSimons, a writer, musician and producer who founded Prelude Content to create high-end film and television drama; and Dan Airey, presenter, producer, filmmaker and one half of the award-winning podcast duo behind Dan and Darragh Do Ability. OUT OF THE BOX Media has always played a powerful role in shaping society. When public health campaigns in the United States sought to promote the idea of a designated driver and reduce road deaths among young men, they turned to popular television shows such as Cheers, L.A. Law and The Cosby Show to help shift public attitudes. Since its inception, media has influenced how we see the world...and each other. So what happens when that media does not reflect the full breadth of society? What happens when people are told which stories they can tell, who they can tell them about, or how those stories should be told? There have been countless studies examining how marginalised communities are perceived by wider society, but far fewer exploring how people from those communities perceive society itself. This series seeks to contribute to that conversation, placing those perspectives front and centre. PAUL FITZSIMONS Paul is a producer, screenwriter and tutor with 15 years' experience in the film industry. He runs Prelude Content, producing films and TV dramas, working with creatives in Ireland, the UK, Spain and Japan. He recently produced feature film Verdigris, which premiered at the Galway Film Fleadh, won awards at festivals around the world, was nominated for five IFTA awards and was released in April 2025. Paul is now producing the comedy series Starless and developing a number of features and TV dramas.He has a postgraduate diploma in Advanced Producing from TU Dublin and is an EAVE Producers’ Workshop graduate. Paul was previously Development Executive at production company Danú Media. He also wrote and produced the feature film The Gift (2017, OC Productions, 15A) and worked as a story writer on the Irish TV drama Fair City. DAN AIREY Dan Airey is a presenter, podcaster, producer and filmmaker. He is the co-producer and co-presenter of the award-winning Dan and Darragh Do Ability Podcast, which features conversations with people with disabilities, encouraging listeners to see the world through different perspectives. Dan holds a four-year degree in Creative Digital Media and a Master’s in Broadcast Production for TV and Radio. He has worked across multiple genres and formats, from short documentary to prime-time television. His short film L.I.F.E. (Live. It. Fully. Everyday) was written and directed as part of the Virgin Media Sharp Shorts 2023 initiative, exploring themes of resilience and identity. Other production credits include the documentaries A Deluge of Memories and Swim With Richard, which centre on powerful human stories. He has worked as a researcher on major RTÉ programmes including Angela Scanlon’s Ask Me Anything, The Late Late Show, and The Late Late Toy Show, and has contributed to content development for future programming. Over the years, the podcast has featured acclaimed guests such as Phyllida Lloyd, Lenny Abrahamson, M. Night Shyamalan, John Boorman, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell, Aisha Tyler, Colm Meaney, Paul Reiser, Niamh Algar, David Freyne, Ciarán Donnelly, Joshua Oppenheimer, John Crowley, Niamh Algar, Gene Stupnitsky, and Terence Davies, alongside many of the most influential voices working in film and television today. So make sure to subscribe and listen back! ---------------------------------------- Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.