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New SDGI Events and Admin Manager & Weekly Open Office
We are delighted to welcome Aurélie Boulommier as the new Events & Admin Manager at the Screen Directors Guild of Ireland. Aurélie will be supporting members and working with you all over the coming months.
Aurélie will also be hosting a weekly Open Office for any members who would like assistance or have questions every Monday from 14:00 to 15:00.
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Work in Progress Meet up
Thank you to all the directors who attended last night's Work in Progress Meet up monthly session at 2 Curved Street. It was a great evening and it was inspiring to see our members come together - from established to emerging directors. They shared their work, talked through their process, and offered a range of helpful advice. The conversations flowed effortlessly and were full of insight.
And a special shout out to our friends at Visual Artists Ireland for hosting us. We look forward to seeing you at our next event in May.
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The Voice
SDGI would like to congratulate all the directors whose projects have been selected for The Voice, Screen Ireland’s concept development fund.
The scheme will support a director or directing team to develop a concept from its earliest stages before bringing the project to producers, financiers or directly to the market.
It's fantastic to see concrete, much valued support for Screen Directors!
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Basic Income for the Arts Scheme 2026-2029 Guidelines for Application
Yesterday, the Department of Culture, Communications and Sport published guidelines for application to the Basic Income for the Arts Scheme 2026-2029.
The portal opens 15th April and the closing date for applications is 12th May 2026. Funding for 2,000 applicants is available.
The scheme exists:
- To incentivise the development and growth of professional creative practice through self-employment;
- To counter the earnings instability and precarious nature of working in the arts, and the detrimental effect it has on artists’ mental health;
- To foster artists’ agency and safeguard freedom of expression.
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The NTA Film & TV Shadowing Database for 2026
We are delighted to see The National Talent Academy for Film & Television Drama (NTA Film & TV) seeking applications from Directors for shadowing opportunities on upcoming feature films and television drama productions.
This application will remain open on a rolling basis until 2027, with the aim of building a panel of available shadow candidates for both NTA Film & TV and industry productions to draw from.
Eligible applicants are encouraged to apply as early as possible.
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Méabh O’Hare
Méabh O’Hare directs Ag Taisteal Siar, a feature length ilDÁNA documentary for TG4 that explores the rich musical heritage of the Irish Traveller community that has shaped Irish music for centuries.
Ag Taisteal Siar screens on TG4 on 5th April 2026.
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Lee Cronin
In Lee Cronin's The Mummy, the young daughter of a journalist disappears into the desert without a trace. Eight years later, the broken family is shocked when she's returned to them. However, what should be a joyful reunion soon turns into a living nightmare as she starts to transform into something truly horrifying.
The Mummy is in cinemas from 17th April 2026.
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Alan Gilsenan
With a film and theatre career spanning almost forty years, the IFI present an Alan Gilsenan Retrospective, which includes two of his four feature dramas (All Souls' Day and Unless), and provides an introduction to a vast array of documentary films, including The Road to God Knows Where, The Yellow Bittern: The Life and Times of Liam Clancy (pictured), and the world premiere of The Journey of Weather-Exposed Bones.
The Alan Gilsenan Retrospective runs from 8 - 30 April 2026.
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David Gleeson
Once Upon A Time In A Cinema, the new feature from David Gleeson, is set over the course of one eventful evening in a cinema in 1980s Ireland as a cinema owner wrestles with the legacy of the past and the challenges of the future in a drama that is funny, wise and rings of authenticity.
Once Upon A Time In A Cinema is in cinemas from 1st May 2026.
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Damian McCarthy
In Damian McCarthy's latest feature, Hokum, a reclusive novelist travels to a remote Irish inn to scatter his parents’ ashes, but unsettling local legends of an ancient witch and disturbing visions draw him into a nightmarish confrontation.
Hokum is in cinemas from 1st May 2026.
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Mia Mullarkey
Mia Mullarkey directs Season 3, Episodes 4 & 5 of Hidden Assets, the Irish-Belgian-Canadian crime drama developed by Peter McKenna. The third season, which premiered on RTÉ in November 2025, is now screening on BBC and available on the BBC iPlayer.
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CDFTV at Kerry College
CDFTV at Kerry College First Round Interviews May 2026. Starts September 2026.
Would you like to write or develop your Film and Television projects with working industry professionals? Learn the craft of Screenwriting, Directing & Producing. Develop Film and Television Content. Be coached and mentored by industry professionals. Get your projects industry ready. Pitch to Producers/Executives. IFTA Affiliated. No Fees. Full Time. Training Allowance Paid. 40 Weeks. Kerry College.
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Catalyst Short Documentary Bursary
The Catalyst International Film Festival Short Documentary Bursary Award 2026 is open to emerging and early career filmmakers. The successful applicant will be awarded €10,000 to finance the making of a short documentary.
The deadline is 6th April 2026.
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Talent Camp Odense 2026
The National Talent Academy for Film & TV and Ardán collaborate with the Odense International Film Festival, to support an Irish filmmaker to attend the festival and talent camp this August.
Talent Camp is a week of masterclasses, workshops, and networking between young filmmakers from all over the world from 24 - 29 August during the Odense International Film Festival.
The deadline is 6th April 2026.
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Words Across Europe
Words Across Europe is an innovative paid programme that provides participants with a deep understanding of the broader industry landscape and the confidence to navigate successful series writing for television.
9 chosen participants will be invited to work in virtual writers’ rooms through the latest VR technology to conceptualise original series for presentation to major industry players.
Words Across Europe is co-funded by the European Union and Dublin-based production company, Wide Eye Films.
Deadline to apply is 7th April 2026.
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Donegal Film Office Emerging Talent Fund 2026
Donegal County Council’s Film Office, in collaboration with Creative Ireland, offers the Emerging Talent Fund 2026. This fund is designed to empower an emerging writer, producer, or director by providing vital support to secure their first production credit. This will equip them with the confidence and the necessary credit to apply for larger national funding and future industry opportunities.
The deadline to apply is 10th April 2026.
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Lasair
Lasair is a cross-border, project-led development incubator for high-quality short documentary films in the Irish language.
The scheme is open to filmmakers at all career stages, from emerging to established talent, who will be supported through a curated training and development programme, and given an opportunity to pitch for production funding for their film.
The deadline is 10th April 2026.
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TIFF Directors’ Lab
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) Director's Lab is now accepting applications from emerging international directors to engage in an intensive 5-day professional development experience, receiving tailored creative mentorship and project guidance from internationally acclaimed filmmakers and industry professionals.
The deadline is 13th April 2026.
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Screen South East Workshops, Expert Panels & Crew Networking
Screen Southeast is set to deliver a full day of creativity, connection, and opportunity. Join a vibrant community of emerging talent as you take part in dynamic, hands-on workshops designed to spark collaboration and inspire new ideas. The day will feature two powerful panel discussions—one focused on breaking through as emerging talent, and another exploring how to build and sustain a long-term career in the screen industries.
The deadline to RSVP is 13th of April 2026.
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Sundance Sandbox Fund
The Sandbox Fund from Sundance offers grants for film project development, production, and post-production for independent artists engaged in innovative storytelling. The fund offers support to projects at all stages of development, production, and post-production.
International feature-length nonfiction projects are eligible.
The deadline is 13th April 2026.
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PRIOSMA – Queer Film Festival Cork
PRIOSMA hosts a selection of feature and short film screenings, talks and industry events, as well as collaborations with local community projects, all focusing on LGBTQ+ representation and promoting inclusivity and diversity in the film community and industry.
The deadline for submissions is 15th April 2026.
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Queer Spectrum Film Festival (QSFF) 2026
The Queer Spectrum Film Festival is a groundbreaking event in Ireland’s cultural landscape, recognised as the first film festival dedicated to LGBTQIA+ people of colour and immigrants. Organised by Queer Asian Pride Ireland (QAPI) — a community of LGBTQIA+ individuals of Asian descent living in Ireland — QSFF creates space for diverse voices too often marginalised in mainstream film culture and this year takes place at the Irish Film Institute 12 -14 June.
The deadline for submissions is 15th April 2026.
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Creative Europe Skills + Talent Development
The objective of Skills and Talent Development support is to enhance the capacity of audiovisual professionals to adapt to new creative processes, market developments and digital technologies that affect the whole value chain.
The deadline to apply is 16th April 2026.
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Docs Ireland Marketplace
The Docs Ireland Marketplace is an opportunity for filmmakers to meet one-to-one with leading international documentary industry decision makers, including international funders, broadcasters, distributors and exhibitors. It is the only marketplace dedicated to documentary on the island of Ireland, providing an opportunity for filmmakers to pitch their project through carefully curated meetings organised by the Docs Ireland team.
The deadline for application is 17th April 2026.
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dlr Emerging Artist Bursaries
Emerging Artist Bursaries support individual emerging artists from Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown to develop and further their practice through the creation of new work at this vital stage in their career development. Successful recipients will receive an award of €2,000 for the development and creation of new work during the period June-December 2026.
The deadline for application is 17th April 2026.
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Listening Pitch 2026
Aesthetica Film Festival teams up with Audible, offering two grants of up to £10,000 to fund new documentaries.
The Listening Pitch 2026 invites storytellers to explore listening as both subject and method – an attentive creative practice that shapes how stories are made and how audiences engage with them. Two grants of up to £10,000 are available. Winning filmmakers will work with Aesthetica and Audible to create a festival-ready film, with regular check-in points throughout the process. The emphasis is on thoughtful storytelling with strong public and industry visibility.
Free to enter.
Filmmakers from across the world are invited to apply for this grant.
The deadline to submit is 20th April 2026.
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The Galway Pitch Pilot Workshop
The Galway Pitch Pilot Workshop is an intensive three-day workshop 25 to 27 May 2026 in Galway City for documentary filmmakers wanting to develop and re-edit their pitch pilots.
The event combines open sessions accessible for a wide group of documentary makers and a workshop process tailored for a small group of six project teams and observers.
If you are a documentary maker wanting to enhance your project's market potential and make essential decisions about the narrative construction, this workshop is for you.
20th April 2026 is the deadline for submissions.
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Pop Up Film Residency Eurimages
Together with the Council of Europe Eurimages Fund, Pop Up Film Residency presents the 6th edition of Pop Up Film Residency Eurimages — a residency created to support experienced women filmmakers at a crucial stage of their careers.
While emerging filmmakers can often access a range of development platforms, support becomes far scarcer for directors and screenwriters working on their third or later feature film.
This call is open to women filmmakers of any age who:
- are nationals or citizens of one of the Council of Europe Eurimages member countries
- have written or directed at least two feature films
- are currently developing a third or later feature film
The deadline to apply is 20th April 2026.
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starGAZE
starGAZE, a professional development initiative supporting six emerging LGBTQIA filmmakers, returns for its third year.
starGAZE will provide a platform for LGBTQIA talent through an internationally recognised film festival with access to Irish and international creatives, with the ambition to increase the number of Irish LGBTQIA stories on screen and showcase the next generation of Irish queer and trans voices.
starGAZE will accept applications from LGBTQIA people of all backgrounds, particularly encouraging applicants from the global majority, trans and non-binary people, people from working-class communities, the Travelling community, people with disabilities and all equity-seeking individuals facing additional challenges within the film industry.
Applications close 20th April 2026.
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Bloomsday Film Festival
The Bloomsday Film Festival encourages artistic innovation within the medium, artists who do things their own way, and films that seek to push the craft forward, as Joyce did so greatly within his own craft of literature. The festival welcomes submissions from all backgrounds offering a diverse, global programme.
The deadline to submit is 23rd April 2026.
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Northern Ireland Screen Pitch
The Northern Ireland Screen Pitch is back. Northern Ireland Screen and Docs Ireland , in association with Yellowmoon Post Production, are offering a chance for new and emerging documentary makers to receive an award of up to £9,000 towards a pilot for a documentary feature.The shortlisted filmmakers, selected from open application, will present their projects at Docs Ireland 2026, where they will receive feedback from a panel of leading Irish film industry players.;
The deadline for consideration is 24th April 2026.
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Agility Award & Artist in the Community Scheme Mentoring Award
The Arts Council Agility Award supports individual professional artists and arts practitioners who have not been previously funded as an individual by the Arts Council. It focuses on enabling artists to develop their practice, develop their work and develop their skills.
Maximum award of €5,000.
The deadline to apply is 23rd April 2026.
The Arts Council is hosting online clinics for artists interested in applying for the Agility Award on the following dates: Tuesday 7th April, 1pm. Friday 17th April, 10am. Wednesday 22nd April, 1pm.
The Artist in the Community Scheme Mentoring Award is aimed at artists who are emerging or who are transitioning into collaborative, socially engaged arts. The Award will support five successful applicants to build capacity and develop their collaborative, socially engaged arts practice through a mentorship programme that will take place over an eight-month period. Each successful artist will be paired with an experienced collaborative, socially engaged artist mentor selected from the Artist Mentor Panel.
The deadline to apply is 27th April 2026.
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(Egg)celerator Lab
Open to directors based anywhere in the world, (Egg)celerator Lab supports nonfiction filmmakers or filmmaking teams working on their first or second feature-length documentary.
The deadline to apply is 29th April 2026.
In this year-long program, 9 filmmakers will receive:
- $40,000 USD in grant funding for the production of their feature-length film Mentorship with Chicken & Egg Films team members
- Two creative retreats focused on career building and creative development
- Travel stipend for director and producer upon acceptance to a forum or market during program year
- Tailored industry meetings and funder connections
- Peer support from their cohort
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Screen Stars of Tomorrow 2026
Applications are now open for the 23rd edition of Screen International’s Screen Stars of Tomorrow, an annual portfolio of new talent from the UK and Ireland. Directors should be on the point of making their first feature, although rare exceptions may be made for those who have completed their debut feature.
The submissions window will close on 30th April 2026.
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Frameworks
Screen Ireland and RTÉ's flagship scheme supporting short animation filmmaking is open for applications for 2026.
Frameworks encourages projects combining creative exploration with an ability to appeal to a general audience. The scheme seeks high-quality, concise and imaginative storytelling which can achieve international success.
The deadline to apply is 1st May 2026.
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Kerry International Film Festival
The Kerry International Film Festival (KIFF) is a vibrant four-day event held every October, dedicated to showcasing a carefully curated selection of Irish and international short films and feature films. The festival celebrates Kerry as a hub for filmmaking and creativity. 2026 marks KIFF's 27th edition.
The deadline to submit is 1st May 2026.
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Coimisún Na Meán Sound & Vision Round 56 | VMTV Call for Submissions
Virgin Media Television is currently accepting Entertainment, Factual and Scripted proposals for Sound & Vision Rounds 60 (Shared Island, Shared Stories) & 61 (Open Round).
Seeking bingeable, easy watch factual entertainment series and original formats, with a particular focus on celebrity driven formats that offer access, personality, humour and unfiltered emotion; reality formats that are character driven, high energy and talkable; and innovative reality/gameplay hybrids.
Deadline for submissions is 7th May 2026.
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Deasceal
Deasceal is a new regional short film funding and development scheme, supporting the production of four live-action narrative short films in 2026, providing vital opportunities for emerging and early-career filmmakers based in Cork, Kerry and Waterford, developing, producing and promoting work that reflects the region's distinctive voice.
The call is for script applications from filmmakers based in Cork, Cork City, Kerry and Waterford. Original live-action narrative short films, 8 to 15 minutes. One film funded per local authority. Production bursary of €14,000. Script development, mentorship and production support included.
The deadline is 12th May 2026.
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Arts and Disability Connect
The Arts and Disability Connect scheme is designed to support artists with disabilities to be ambitious, to develop their practice and to connect with arts organisations and arts professionals in the Republic of Ireland.
Round One Opening: Monday 23rd March 2026
Closing: Tuesday 12th May 2026
Round Two Open: Monday 10th August 2026
Closing: Tuesday 29th September 2026
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Cinemadamare 2026
Filmmakers from around the world are invited to take part in Cinemadamare 2026, the largest international gathering of film creators, running from June 15 to September 15, 2026.
Participants will be hosted for free, including accommodation, while working on real film productions. Each week features new projects, screenings, and awards for standout films in a different location. The programme is open to directors, actors and actresses, screenwriters, editors, producers, camera operators, and sound technicians, offering a hands-on training experience in continuous film production.
No registration or participation fees apply, and travel within the campus is also covered. Filmmakers can take part for a minimum of three weeks and gain practical experience while collaborating with international peers in a vibrant, immersive environment.
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Safe to Create
Safe to Create continue to deliver training programmes developed specifically for the arts sector to address dignity at work issues, including Tackling Bullying and Harassment, Addressing Unconscious Bias, Bystander Training, Intimacy Coordination and many other training opportunities.
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April 2026 Irish Film Festivals Submission Deadlines
Missed a deadline? Or want to submit your film early? Keep an eye on all Earlybird and Late Deadlines this month.
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Cork Animation Day 2026
The National Talent Academy for Animation, in partnership with Screen Cork, present the Cork Animation Day 2026.
This industry day will feature a variety of panels, talks, screenings and networking events and will be taking place in the Metropole Hotel, MacCurtain Street on 11th April 2026.
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TRANS IMAGE/TRANS EXPERIENCE (TITE)
The next edition of Ireland’s first festival of trans and non-binary cinema. takes place 16 - 19 April 2026 at the Light House Cinema, Dublin.
Through screenings of short and feature films from Ireland and the international trans filmmaking community, TITE aims to shift the focus of trans film from representation to craft, championing trans and non-binary filmmakers and fostering lasting connections between artists and audiences.
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Storyhouse Screenwriting Festival
The Storyhouse Screenwriting Festival returns 16 – 17 April 2026 at the Light House Cinema, Dublin.
The festival champions, cultivates, and celebrates the art and craft of storytelling for the screen over a two-day programme of panels, keynote talks, interviews, and case studies featuring an exciting line up of acclaimed Irish and international screen storytellers.
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Catalyst International Film Festival
Based in Limerick, Catalyst International Film Festival will host the 7th edition of the festival presenting films, panel discussions, workshops and networking events in venues across the city 23 - 25 April. Catalyst International Film Festival presents a film programme that prioritises stories and storytellers currently under-represented on screen and behind the camera.
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IFI Spotlight
IFI Spotlight returns on 24th April 2026 with a lively morning of discussion on the current state of the Irish Film and Television industry. Dr Barry Monahan (UCC) and Dr Anthony McIntyre (UCD) will present an incisive review of the past year, exploring developments in the industry and providing critical analysis of the year’s film and television output. Panellists Aoife Barry (Freelance Arts & Culture Journalist), Charlene Lydon (Programmer, Galway Film Fleadh), and Daniel Hegarty (Chair SPI Factual & Creative Documentary Committee; Marmalade Films) will respond to the presentation and offer their reflections.
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BBC Production Unlocked
Production Unlocked will be in Birmingham on 29th April 2026 with an exciting programme of masterclasses, panel discussions and practical skills sessions focusing on production. Sessions will be livestreamed.
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2026 RTS Ireland Awards
The shortlist for the 2026 Royal Television Society (RTS) Ireland Awards / Gradaim RTS has been announced across the 12 categories decided by the RTS judging panel.
Public voting is open, providing an opportunity for Irish audiences to recognise their favourite television show that has been broadcast in 2025 on one of the partner broadcasters (Virgin Media Television, RTÉ, TG4 or Sky).
Voting closes 6th April 2026.
The 2026 Awards will be hosted by RTÉ. The awards ceremony will take place 16th April 2026, in the Douglas Suite at the Dublin Royal Convention Centre.
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Cultural and Creative Sectors in the Age of AI
Europe’s authors, performers, and cultural workers have called for an ambitious approach to safeguarding the creative community in the age of AI, in a joint letter to the European Parliament’s CULT Committee regarding its upcoming own-initiative report on “Cultural and Creative Sectors in the Age of AI.”
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Cultural and Creative Sectors in the Age of AI
In early March, the Federation of European Screen Directors (FERA) board unanimously endorsed the AG DOK protest on the debate around the Berlinale leadership and Freedom of expression and art.
The discussion was sparked during the Berlinale 2026 official opening, when jury President Wim Wenders started a lively public debate by rejecting the notion that artists and cultural institutions must actively take political stances.
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Cultural and Creative Sectors in the Age of AI
On 10th March 2026, the Federation of European Screen Directors (FERA), the Federation of Screenwriters in Europe (FSE) and the Society of Audiovisual Authors (SAA), welcomed the adoption by the European Parliament in plenary of its resolution on Copyright and Generative Artificial Intelligence – opportunities and challenges, led by MEP Axel Voss.
The three organisations call on the European Commission to turn this clear political mandate into concrete action without delay.
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Oliver McGoldrick
Three Keenings’ director Oliver McGoldrick was named among six emerging filmmakers set for Cannes La Résidence.
See More
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Aaron Chalke
Aaron Chalke's The Dead House was the recipient of the 2025-2026 Ardán/ RTÉ Short Film Commission – awarded €18,000 to fund a live action 10-minute short film.
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John Crowley
Production is underway on John Crowley's upcoming Netflix film Walk the Blue Fields, starring Andrew Scott and Emily Blunt.
See More
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