Our next event will be held at Light House Cinema on November 4, 2020.

Dublin Independent Film Festival welcomes you to our third edition, in the home of Guinness and Irish cinema! An event organized for both independent filmmakers and cinema-goers who love to discover niche films and artists.

The festival’s judges and programmers come from different film backgrounds and are eager to put together an exciting and truly high-quality program of indie films. Dublin Independent Film Festival’s aim is to discover new talent, films and filmmakers with potential, and to recognize the collaborative work this art form is funded on.

The program will focus on independent films of different genres, with no limitations on length, style or country of origin. The festival is open to everyone regardless of budget and experience.

Submit your films for a chance to be screened in front of a live audience in the Light House Cinema in Dublin!

DIFF is run in association with Close:Up, a collection of international film festivals supporting indie filmmaking. By establishing a working network with filmmakers, producers and marketing professionals, we share one common goal: to forge productive and lasting relationships between independent filmmakers and audiences.

Awards & Prizes

△ ​Nominations – Films nominated in each category will be contacted on the notification date, and listed on our website and social media pages. Nominated filmmakers are invited to join the event, although only the films in the Official Selection (below) will be screened.

△ Official Selection – From the Nominations, a smaller selection of films for screening will be notified. Screening materials will be requested and more information about the event will be provided.

△ Winners – Award winners will be selected from the Nominations & Official Selection and announced at our festival, after the screenings, and online the following day.

The screenings will take place in November 2020 followed by an awards ceremony and networking event.

Our jury panel includes:

Daniel F. Holmes, Director
Judge for Best Short Film

Roisin Kearny, Producer, Screenwriter
Judge for Best Screenwriter

Mark Byrne, Actor
Judge for Best Comedy

Rules & Terms

- All films must be submitted in English or with English subtitles (if not in English).

- Filmmakers are responsible for sorting out the copyright on their own materials.

- All films must be made in or after 2018.

- By submitting to us, you give us the right to screen your film in front of a live audience at the Lighthouse Cinema, Dublin.

- Nominations: All films nominated for every category.
Official Selection: Films selected for screening will be notified via email. If you received a Nomination email, but no Official Selection email, it means your film will not be screened, but is still a contender for an award in its category.
Award Winners: Chosen from both the Nominations and the Official Selection.

- We may promote clips from your film on social media, based on the press kits you provide us with.

- We retain the right to change the date and venue of the festival under special circumstances. All filmmakers will be informed about any changes through our online platforms.

- We place no restrictions on your work in terms of premiere status or whether your work has been made available online.

- Any technical issues with the submitted films are 100% the responsibility of the filmmakers. If, at the time of judging, your video file doesn’t work or doesn’t have English subtitles (if in a language other than English), it will be automatically rejected, without a refund. Please contact the festival team ASAP if there are any issues with the submission process, and a solution will be found.

- By submitting to us you agree to our terms and conditions and to receiving marketing newsletters and discounts about film festivals in the form of emails. We will never sell your information to third parties.

- We reserve the right to update our terms and conditions.

4 Reviews
Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Phoebe Torrance

    Such a great festival, everyone was warm and welcoming. Really great communication too! Thanks so much, the best experience

    November 2019
    Helpful
  • Aurora Fearnley

    A wonderful festival, great communication and very supportive of Indie filmmakers. I'll be applying again!

    April 2019
    Helpful
  • Bankhouse Productions

    Excellent selection and organization. Thank you for bringing another great festival to Dublin!

    November 2018
    Helpful
  • Roisin Kearney

    Excellent festival with a variety of wonderful films on screen. Beautiful cinema. Communication was great and I was delighted to win Best Comedy on the night. Can't wait till next year.

    November 2018
    Helpful