The Ó Bhéal International Poetry Film competition began in 2013. There are two main categories: Best International Poetry Film and Best Irish Poetry Film. All entries from Ireland and Northern Ireland are automatically eligible for both categories.

Our shortlists of 30 International poetry-films & 15+ Irish poetry films will be presented across three screenings, at the Ó Bhéal Poetry-Film festival, in the Cork Arts Theatre on Sunday 1st November 2026. They will also be live streamed on Monday 2nd November.

More details at: http://www.obheal.ie/blog/competition-poetry-film/

Awards & Prizes

The winner of the Ó Bhéal International Poetry Film Competition will receive the festival award for best poetry-film, along with a cash prize of 500 euros. The award is designed by glass artist/poet Michael Ray.

The Irish Poetry Film selection will also produce one winner, who will receive a cash prize of 250 euros.

Previous winners include Abdullah Harun Ilhan, Philip Denvir, Anya Ryzhkova, Kate Sweeney, Jelle Meys, Janet Lees, Peta-Maria Tunui, Waitahi Aniwaniwa McGee, Shania Bailey-Edmonds, Jesse-Ana Harris, Lilián Pallares, Charles Olsen, Fiona Aryan, Alvaro Martin, Kayla Jeanson, Marie Craven, Cheryl Gross, Marleen van der Werf and Manuel Vilarinho.

View previous winners, awards and poetry films via: https://www.obheal.ie/blog/competition-poetry-film/

Congratulations to our 2025 winners!!

Best Poetry Film: Free Words: A Poet from Gaza
Director: Abdullah Harun Ilhan
(Poet: Mosab Abu Toha)

Best Irish Poetry Film: Crossing Over Barrack Street
Director: Philip Denvir
(Poet: Jennifer Horgan)

2025 Festival Stage Link: https://www.obheal.ie/poetryfilm/2025/PoetryFilmFestival2025.htm

Shortlisted films to date have also featured in Ó Bhéal’s poetry-film touring programme, at a number of international film and literary festivals, to date including the Clare Island Film Festival, Belfast Film Festival, Stanzas in Limerick, the Cyclops festival in Kiev, Poemaria in Vigo, the Madeira Literary Festival (2018), Salerno Letteratura (2018), Cadence: Video Poetry Festival in Seattle (2019) and REEL Poetry festival, Houston, Tx (2025).

Rules & Terms

International submissions are accepted for any poetry-film under 10 minutes (English subtitles are required for non-english language films). Entries must have been completed within two years of the opening submission date. For our 2026 competition, films must have been completed since 1st May 2024.

Submissions will be open from 1st May – 31st August. Entries made outside of these dates cannot be considered. You may submit as many films as you like – each entry must convey a poem (present in its entirety, audibly and/or visually).

Broadly speaking, a poetry-film is the translation of a poem into film form, by way of interpretation that features the entire poem, either visually and/or audibly.
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  • Csilla Toldy

    An important festival in the genre of poetry film. I was delighted to be shortlisted.

    December 2025
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  • Jonathan Brennan

    Thank you so much for including 'Amergin' in the programming this year in what was a fantastic line-up. Ó Bhéal is one of the first poetry film festivals I'd ever heard of so it was an ambition to have something included. Unforunately, I was not able to attend in person on this occasion (even thought I really wanted to!). Best of luck, Jonathan & Dylan.

    November 2025
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  • Janet Lees

    Such an honour to have a film selected for this year's festival, thank you so much. Ó Bhéal has done so much to advance poetry film, an absolutely wonderful festival run by a tireless and dedicated team.

    November 2025
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  • Abdullah Harun Ilhan

    I am honored and grateful for being selected and awarded to Ó Bhéal Poetry Film Competition. We had excellent communication with the festival team. On behalf of our team, I'd like to thank everyone who contributed to the competition.

    November 2025
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  • Fiona Tinwei Lam

    So honoured to have a poetry video included in this long-running, well-run festival! Thank you, organizers!

    January 2025
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