70th ANNIVERSARY CORK INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL 2025 WRAPS UP WITH INCREASED AUDIENCES
OVER 20,000 FILMGOERS ATTEND THE FESTIVAL ACROSS 11 DAYS IN CORK
AUDIENCE AWARDS FOR FEATURES AND SHORTS ANNOUNCED
17th November 2025, Cork City: Cork International Film Festival (CIFF) concluded its 70th Anniversary edition last night after 11 days of bringing the best in Irish and international film to Cork, with multiple World and Irish premieres (over 90%). More than 20,000 people attended over 230 films and events during the Festival, with a significant 25% of these at 90% or more capacity. The Festival welcomed almost 200 guests to the Festival, including An Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD, Irish and international filmmakers, industry professionals, and actors.
The Closing Gala, screening to a packed auditorium in The Everyman Theatre, was the International Premiere of Bradley Cooper’s Is This Thing On?, courtesy of Searchlight Pictures.
The Festival has also announced the Audience Awards 2025 for Features and Shorts:
The Audience Award (Feature) goes to critically acclaimed The Voice of Hind Rajab, directed by Kaouther Ben Hania. Screened at The Everyman in association with Amnesty International, it was the Irish premiere of the film that received a 23-minute standing ovation when it world premiered at Venice Film Festival. Two of Tunisian filmmaker Kaouther Ben Hania’s film experiments earned her Oscar® nominations, and this film is considered to be a masterclass in restrained yet emotionally devastating filmmaking.
The Audience Award (Shorts) goes to – Culchie (which also won Best Cork Short) by Richard Lennon. When Luke and his girlfriend get some big news about their future, he faces the ultimate challenge: breaking the news to his farmer dad that he’s ditching the cows, leaving West Cork forever, and never taking over the family farm. Richard Lennon, who is Co-Artistic Director at Darn Skippy Productions, is also an actor, musician and film teacher.
The Festival also announced a slate of award-winners over the past weekend, after welcoming hundreds of international filmmakers and industry professionals to the largest and longest-running film Festival in Ireland. Awards presented included two Honorary Awards – a Lifetime Achievement Award to CIFF patron, Oscar®-winning producer and film education luminary, David Puttnam, and the Honorary Disruptor Award to director John Boorman which was accepted by actor Cherie Lunghi (Excalibur) on his behalf. The €30,000 Eurimages’ Audentia Award was presented to Janicke Askevold for her feature Solomamma, and the Best New Irish Feature Award went to Gealtra by Brendan Canty.
Expanding the event throughout Cork county, the ever popular Super Cine Saturday took place at cinemas across Cork county on Saturday 15th November, where audiences enjoyed a curated programme of Festival archive films, IFI Cork on Camera, and the 2025 Palme d’Or winner from Jafar Panahi, It Was Just An Accident, in Bantry, Macroom and Youghal.
- 97 Irish and international features and documentaries
- More than 100 Irish and international shorts
- Screenings at venues across Cork City and county, including: Arc Cinema (Principal Venue Partner), The Everyman, Triskel, St. Peter’s Cork, Cinemax Bantry, Briery Gap Macroom and Regal Cinema Youghal
- Galas including Saipan (Opening), Shoot the People (Documentary), Song Sung Blue (Awards), Lady and the Tramp (dog-friendly Family Gala), and Is This Thing On? (Closing).
- World Premiere and Cine Concert presentation of Stupid August by Pádraig Trehy (sold out)
- World Premiere of rare archive film about the 10th Cork International Film Festival (1965), restored and digitised by the Irish Film Institute
- Cork Film Trail – expanded interactive film trail across Cork City, including at City Hall, Cork Kent Train Station, The Arc Cinema, Cook Street, Oliver Plunkett Street, The Metropole Hotel and Patrick Street.
- Guests included An Taoiseach Micheál Martin TD, David Puttnam (Oscar®-winning producer, film educator and CIFF Patron); actors Gabriel Byrne, Éanna Hardwicke, Alex Murphy, Simon Delaney, Cherie Lunghi, and Hilary Rose; many filmmakers, including Lisa Barros D’Sa, Glenn Leyburn, Ed Guiney, Brendan Canty, Anne Émond, Andy Mundy-Castle, Marjolijn Prins, Alison Millar, Dennis Harvey, Lars Lovén, Paul Duane and Ruán Magan; and world-renowned photographer and activist Misan Harriman.
The 70th Cork International Film Festival ran from Thursday 6th to Sunday 16th November, 2025. Visit corkfilmfest.org.
