‘Whenever I am obliged to lie with my eyes closed I see a cinematograph going on and on and it brings back to my memory things I had almost forgotten.’ – James Joyce.

Ireland’s most literary film festival. Set up as a celebration of cinema, literature, and artistic innovation, inspired by the long reaching arm of Ireland’s father of modernism, James Joyce. The festival is run in partnership with the Bloomsday Festival & the James Joyce Centre and will run between the 11th – 16th June, with screenings taking place at the historic James Joyce Centre, the Irish Film Institute and Belvedere Townhouse in Dublin city.

We will celebrate the birthday of W.B Yeats on the 13th of June with a selection of Poetry and Literature short films. On the 14th, in keeping with Joyce’s radical and experimental spirit, we will screen the best Experimental Films. On the 15th, the anniversary of the publications of Dubliners, we will dedicate to Dublin with screenings of Joycean short films and Dublin Short Stories. We will also have many more special events between the 11th – 16th, as well as on Bloomsday itself of course, the 16th, and will screen the feature films in the evenings.

We want to encourage 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.

Awards & Prizes

All winners will garner our coveted handcrafted 'Joycean Glasses' trophy.

Best Joycean Short - Bronze Statuette

Best Literature Short - Bronze Statuette

Best Irish Poetry Short - Bronze Statuette

Best International Poetry Short - Bronze Statuette

Best Irish Experimental Short - Bronze Statuette

Best International Experimental Short - Bronze Statuette

Best Dublin Short Story - Bronze Statuette

Best Feature - Gold Statuette

Best Overall Short - Gold Statuette & €1000 prize money

Rules & Terms

No premiere requirements.

Short films must be below 30 minutes running time.
Submission Fee €15.

Feature films must be above 45 minutes running time. Submission fee €25.

If selected films will be shown online and during a live screening.

Online screeners only.

We will need a downloadable MP4 or MOV in h264 codec of your film if selected. We will also need access to stills, posters, text, trailers, for marketing purposes. Depending on Venues we may also need a DCP. Please try to send in your films in a reasonable file size as we only have a small technical team.

Films will still be considered for other categories if we deem them more suitable.

If not English language film subtitles must be in English.

If work is unfinished it MUST be completed by the 1st of June to be considered.

Filmmakers must own all rights to material. (Luckily Joyce is in the public domain so don't worry about that!)

Awards will be decided by a judging committee.
65 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Marty Lawton

    Thank you Bloomsday and what an amazing selection!

    June 2025
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  • Laura Coehlo

    Amazing full of wonderful sweet people . The curation is impeccable , the venue is great and everyone from the festival makes sure everyone feels welcome. Great films and great program with great attendance , from general public interested in Bloomsday to filmmakers.

    June 2025
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  • Csilla Toldy

    A great festival with plenty of opportunities for networking in the heart of Dublin.

    June 2025
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  • Trish McAdam

    One of those gems of a festival. The warmth and generosity of the organisers, and helpers, one and all, creates a genuine opportunity to engage with other filmmakers and the audience. The special screening venue, the perceptive programming, Dublin Bloomsday buzz, with its Joycean aesthetic, the appreciation of the irreverent, all the joys and woes of humanity, is unique. I am honoured to have received the Best Feature Award 2025. If you are ever selected, I'd say, don't miss the experience, go if you can.

    June 2025
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  • Evi Tzortzi

    A great film festival where poetry and literature meet cinema, just like James Joyce would appreciate. I find this combination really innovative and fruitful and think that gives an interestingly human tone in our AI era.
    I feel so honored that my film “7 Veils”, co-directed with Giorgos Alexakis, was selected in the Poetry Shorts category. A heartfelt thank you to Tommy, Emma and all the wonderful people who contributed to the festival’s success. Hope we’ll come back again soon with a new film!

    June 2025
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