Derry's Foyle Film Festival unveils enthralling 2024 line-up

The highly anticipated Foyle Film Festival returns from Friday, November 22 to Sunday, December 1 2024, with a captivating programme set to delight film lovers of all ages.

Celebrating its 37th edition, Northern Ireland’s longest-running film festival will feature a compelling mix of international cinema, special preview screenings, award-winning shorts, industry events, and immersive experiences across Derry.

This year’s programme includes Oscar®-worthy features, visionary new voices in filmmaking, and beloved classics. The Opening Night Gala will feature We Live in Time (courtesy of STUDIOCANAL), a heartfelt romantic drama starring Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh, directed by Irish filmmaker John Crowley.

The festival closes with On Becoming a Guinea Fowl (courtesy of Picturehouse Entertainment), Rungano Nyoni’s blend of surrealism and dark humour produced by Ireland’s Element Pictures along with A24 and BBC Film.

Festival Highlights:

Special Preview Screenings: Be among the first to see titles ahead of their release, including Marielle Heller’s bold and funny Nightbitch featuring Amy Adams, Jesse Eisenberg’s poignant road-trip comedy-drama A Real Pain (both titles courtesy of Searchlight Pictures), the spellbinding animated adventure Flow or the genre-blending political satire Rumours starring Cate Blanchett.

World Cinema: Discover cinematic gems such as the Grand Prix-winning All We Imagine as Light from Cannes, La Cocina, an intense kitchen drama starring Rooney Mara, and the Oscar®-tipped political thriller The Seed of the Sacred Fig.

Irish Film: Celebrate the richness of Irish filmmaking, from entertaining and insightful documentaries like Mrs Robinson and Housewife of the Year to the hilarious and moving comedy-drama The Wise Guy directed by Sam O’Mahoney and produced by Belfast powerhouse Out of Orbit.

Art of Action Season: Experience the power of Asian action choreography with screenings of iconic films Seven Samurai, The Way of the Dragon, Oldboy and House of Flying Daggers, celebrating their influence on global cinema. Art of Action is a BFI FAN initiative supported through the National Lottery.

Marielle Heller’s bold and funny Nightbitch featuring Amy Adams

Industry Events: A dedicated Industry day for emerging and established screen talent includes talks from Break Out Pictures, BFI Doc Society, Donegal Film Office, Cyprus Avenue Films and Front Room Films. Women Leading From the Front is a highlight featuring leading names in conversation including Edinburgh Fringe CEO Shona McCarthy, Head of Film and Talent Development at Wild Atlantic Pictures Dearbhla Regan (Saipan, An Cailín Cúin) Derry film and TV director Andrea Harkin (Time, The Trial of Christine Keeler) and Donegal screenwriter Shannon Welby (Blue Lights, Goat Girl).

Immersive Arts — Adventures in Storytelling: A full-day event for artists, tech enthusiasts, and creatives, offering insights into extended reality (XR), virtual production, animation, motion capture, augmented reality, and guerrilla filmmaking. Highlights include sessions by DAS (Digital Arts Studios) on XR resources, Donal Phillips from Queen’s University on virtual production, Northern Ireland Screen and National Talent Academy for Animation are joined by Emmy-nominated director John McDaid from Dog Ears discussing animation in Derry.

Also, open to the public, a unique VR cinema experience featuring Goliath: Playing with Reality, a 25-minute award-winning VR exploration of mental health, gaming, and connection, will also be available.

Special Events:

Don’t miss Falling Slowly: A Celebration of Irish Song and Film, featuring live music from Irish cinema, with performances by local artists, including renowned pianist Ruth McGinley, Rebecca Mulheron (Rua), Pearse Donaghey (Polar Bolero), Codetta Singers, hosted by Tim Burdon and kindly supported by Screen Ireland.

Additional highlights include a book launch and discussion with local writer Dave Duggan and Louise Gallagher, co-creator of the hit BBC drama Blue Lights, plus a special live recording of the Mind the Time podcast with Peter Cunnah from D:Ream, looking back at 1994.

Our Light in Motion Short Film Competition continues to grow, proudly retaining Oscar® and BAFTA accreditations while gaining an additional BAFTA accreditation in the animated short film category. This year’s entries will be eligible for further consideration at the Academy Awards® and BAFTA in the International, Irish, British, and Animated Short Film categories.

The festival closes with On Becoming a Guinea Fowl (courtesy of Picturehouse Entertainment)

Festival Programmer Christopher Morrison said: “We’re excited to offer another year of screenings, events and experiences. This year, we have more preview screenings than ever before and for the first time, immersive experiences open to both the industry and the public. Our Light in Motion Short Film Competition expands with new categories and we’re thrilled to feature incredible local talent. There’s truly something for everyone!”

Industry and Competition Programmer Eavan King said: “Our Industry programme is an exciting part of the festival this year, highlighting increased creative collaboration across the North West region, exploring the potential of immersive technologies for artists here and   celebrating inspiring local talent who have made their names on the international stage.”

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Richard Williams, Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Screen, said: “Northern Ireland Screen is proud to support Foyle Film Festival as it returns for its 37th year. This year’s programme offers an inspiring blend of international cinema and award-qualifying shorts, showcasing the depth of storytelling from our region and championing both celebrated and emerging voices.”

Screenings will take place at Nerve Centre and Brunswick Moviebowl, with some events taking place at external venues across the city. Tickets for all events are now on sale at Nerve Centre and Brunswick Moviebowl box offices, or online at foylefilmfestival.org. A Festival Pass offers excellent value, granting access to all events over the 10 days.