The second May The 4th Sci-Fi Film Festival on the Skellig Coast, Co. Kerry, Ireland hosts a huge variety of Star Wars and other Sci-Fi related events over a two day period from May 3rd to May 4th

The May The 4th Sci-Fi Film Festival Awards Ceremony will present awards to a new generation of adventurous independent filmmaking, in which boundaries are explored, pushed and often broken. The creative means employed in these films will take audiences on a wild ride towards the future of cinematic storytelling.

The festival will be a mixture of live and online screenings. Live screenings will take place over the two evenings of the festival in both Portmagee village and on Valentia island. Those films selected to be screened online will run for the duration of the festival on the May The 4th Sci-Fi Film Festival Website.

Our panel of judges are experts within the independent film scene. In April 2024 they will be announcing the nominees for the awards ceremony which will be held on Saturday May the 5th in the magnificent Royal Valentia Hotel on Valentia Island in County Kerry. The event is a ticketed event. Tickets for the event go on sale as soon as the full list of nominees are announced. Tickets include a four-course dinner, the awards ceremony and after show party. Nominees interested in attending must purchase their own tickets. If a nominee cannot attend and happens to win an award then we will ensure that the award gets to the winner shortly after the awards ceremony.

Films that are submitted for the short film category and that are chosen for alive screening are automatically under consideration for nomination for the following awards:

Best Film
Best Director
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Screenplay
Best Cinematographer
Best Editor
Best Score
Best Visual Effects
Best Production Design
Best Costume Design
Best Make Up

Films that are screened online are under consideration for the Best Online Film Award
We will also be selecting a number of feature films to be screened live and online. These features, whether they are screened live or online will be under consideration for nomination for the Best Independent Feature Award.

Finally, the Best Documentary Award, the documentary can be a feature or short film.

Ireland is the land of a thousand welcomes and for those of you who have their films screened at our 2024 festival and who decide to travel to Ireland to participate at the event, will feel the warmth of those Irish welcomes.

Portmagee is a little bit special. It’s often described as “a picturesque and sleepy little fishing village on the South Western most tip of the Iveragh peninsula, just off the Ring of Kerry”. It’s true but the description only touches on the more obvious charms of our seaside home.

Portmagee and Valentia are within reach of a huge number of activities from golfing to diving, for which the area is justly famous. Portmagee is also the main departure hub for trips to the amazing and awe-inspiring Skelligs Rocks, the home of preserved monastic settlements from the 6th century.

And this is just the jewel in a crown of beautiful scenery, historical sites and fascinating places to visit in the area.

Our past is far from sleepy as is amply demonstrated in the tale of how the village got its name –pirates, smugglers and political intrigue are all mixed up in it.

We can’t wait to see you there!

Best Feature Film
Best International Short Film
Best Irish Short Film
Best Sci Fi Web Series
Best Director
Best Actor
Best Actress
Best Screenplay
Best Cinematographer
Best Editor
Best Score
Best Visual Effects
Best Production Design
Best Costume Design
Best Documentary
Best One Minute Film
Special Audience Award
Best Independent Feature Film

1. We are looking for sci fi story based films, which can be in the form of live action or animation
2. All foreign language films must include English subtitles
3. Short films must be under 35 mins long.
4. By submitting your film you are agreeing for the May the 4th Be With You Festival to use clips from your film for promotional purposes
5. You must submit a promotional poster or still with your application
6. You must give the name of the director, writer and producer when submitting your film.
7. We do not accept films that are more then three years old.
8. We do not accept films with poor production standard (sound/video resolution less than 720p HD)

Overall Rating
Quality
Value
Communication
Hospitality
Networking
  • Thanks to Dave Byrne and the whole team at May The 4th Sci-Film Festival for such a wonderful festival experience. Portmagee, Ireland is an absolutely stunning location and the awards dinner was so much fun!

    May 2023
  • Lars Boehl

    The place alone is pure Star Wars magic. The organisation and support beforehand was perfect and the event itself a feast for fans of Star Wars, Ghostbusters, Alien and other glorious works of pop culture. The Comic-Con next door was super nice and offered the opportunity for some cool souvenirs from connoisseurs :-) Anytime again!

    May 2023
  • Micheal Fitzgerald

    This is an awesome Sci-Fi Festival.
    The location is local to real life Star Wars filming locations and the local businesses & people are very supportive & enthusiastic. The production quality of the festival films was first class and the awards dinner event was a brilliant filmmakers tribute & networking event. This festival has great world potential.

    May 2023
  • A absolute terrific festival 🙌, will be 100 percent submitting again. Unfortunately I could not attend but I was honoured to have my film selected.

    May 2023