by FilmInk Staff
MORE FILMS, MORE STORIES AND MORE CRAIC THAN EVER BEFORE
From gripping dramas and powerful documentaries to fresh new voices shaping Irish cinema, the Irish Film Festival Australia (IFF26) returns from October 8th until November 15th 2026 with its biggest program in 12 years.
IFF26 will showcase a record 18 films and documentaries, including 13 Australian premieres, alongside a vibrant program of Irish and Irish/Australian short films.
Screening across five Australian cities and online nationwide, this year’s festival offers audiences an unmissable window into contemporary Ireland, celebrating the stories, people and places that continue to shape the country’s distinctive and beloved cinematic voice.
2026 program highlights include the Australian Premiere of Chasing Millions, Galway Film Fleadh award winners Trad, Horseshoe and Girls & Boys, and IFTA nominees Báite (The Drowned), Fréwaka (Roots) and Testimony.
Festival Director Dr Enda Murray says, “Our Irish storytellers are conquering the film world and I’m delighted to bring a slice of that to Australia. There’s a new generation of Irish musicians smashing out tunes in Trad while Declan O’Rourke’s sublime music forms the basis of Almost With You. There’s laughs galore in Chasing Millions but we also deep dive into our recent tragic history with Testimony. Manchán Magan brings some ancient wisdom to the party with his spell-binding Listen to the Land Speak and the Irish language continues its rebirth of cool with Báite (The Drowned) and the folk-horror hit Fréwaka (Roots) among 5 Irish language films. From the cliffs of Donegal to the streets of London, this year’s festival brings the best of Irish culture to Australian audiences.”
For the first time in the Festival’s history, an official Irish/Australian feature co-production will open IFF26 with its Australian Premiere on opening night. The darkly funny, fast-moving comedy caper, new feature film, Chasing Millions, throws a specifically Australian spotlight on the infamous 2004 Northern Bank heist in Belfast.
Neatly tying in Irish-Australian connections, the film’s lead character, Diana, an Australian police woman with Aboriginal / Irish heritage, becomes mixed up in the investigation into the audacious bank heist while trying to track down her Irish family in Belfast. The film’s Australian star, Madeleine Madden (grand-daughter of civil rights activist Charlie Perkins) is of Aboriginal and Irish heritage, and the soundtrack was written by Australian rock and folk legend, Jim Moginie (Midnight Oil).
The Irish Embassy in Canberra will also mark the 80th Anniversary of Diplomatic Relations between Ireland and Australia by presenting CHASING MILLIONS at the Opening Night of the Canberra season on Friday, November 6th. The festival will also showcase the new Australian/Irish feature Almost With You (starring famed Irish singer-songwriter Declan O’Rourke), and celebrate rising young stars of Irish music and film in Trad (starring Game of Thrones’ Aiden Gillen and Bad Sisters’ Sarah Greene) and Gealtra, award-winning Director Brendan Canty’s documentary about Cork’s famous Kabin Crew. Our classic retrospective is the seminal Irish feminist film Hush-a-Bye Baby, Margo Harkin’s multi award-winning debut feature from 1990, featuring the first film appearance and soundtrack from a young Sinead O’Connor. IFF26 will present a dedicated session of Irish-Australian short films, screening in cinemas in Sydney and Melbourne as well as online. This collection showcases stories shaped by the interweaving of Irish and Australian culture, through their producers, directors, actors, or themes. Spanning comedy, LGBTQ documentary, and music, the program highlights a new generation of Irish-Australian filmmakers expressing their heritage in cinematic terms.
Spanning powerful drama, thought provoking documentary, dark comedy and edge-of-your seat horror, the IFF26 program delves into the stories that have shaped Ireland and the contemporary voices redefining it today.
Audiences can also look forward to Gala Opening Nights in each city, complete with live Irish music and complimentary drinks, plus exclusive behind-the-scenes access through Q&As with Festival Director, Dr Enda Murray and select filmmakers and cast.
FESTIVAL DETAILS
In Palace cinemas 8 October – 9 November:
Sydney 8 – 11 Oct – Palace Moore Park, Opening Night party 8 Oct
Brisbane 16-19 Oct – Palace Barracks, Opening Night party 16 Oct
Melbourne 22 – 25 Oct – The Kino, Opening Night party 22 Oct
Perth 30 Oct -2 Nov – Palace Raine, Opening Night party 30 Oct
Canberra 6 – 9 Nov – Palace Electric, Opening Night party 6 Nov
Online across Australia 8 October – 15 November via our digital screening partner, ACMI.
Tickets:
Tickets on sale Thursday 10 September: www.irishfilmfestival.com.au
Cinema tickets from $16 Online tickets from $10
