Irish Film Festival Los Angeles Opens March 20 in Santa Monica Los Angeles

CIACLA presents the best in Irish cinema through a three-day celebration of contemporary Irish film in Santa Monica Los Angeles.

SANTA MONICA, CA, UNITED STATES, March 9, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Irish Film Festival Los Angeles opens March 20 and runs through March 22 at the Laemmle Monica Film Center in Santa Monica, Los Angeles.

Presented by CIACLA, the three-day festival brings a broad selection of contemporary Irish cinema to Los Angeles audiences, including six feature films, three feature documentaries, and more than 30 short films across four curated programmes. The weekend also includes filmmaker Q&As, industry panels, Irish-language cinema, and networking events for audiences and creatives.

The 2026 programme highlights the international strength of Irish filmmaking today, showcasing both established directors and emerging voices. The lineup includes 14 women directors and presents a wide range of perspectives, including LGBTQ+ storytelling, documentary practice, hybrid forms, and Irish-language (Gaeilge) films across both short and feature selections.

Opening night on Friday, March 20 features Horseshoe, followed by a Q&A with actor Neill Fleming. Director Donncha Gilmore will also attend for a discussion following his debut feature Girls & Boys.

On Saturday, March 21, director Ronan McCloskey joins audiences after Éire agus na Chéad Náisiúin (Ireland and the First Nations). The programme also includes The Unsinkable Entrepreneur, directed by Craig Stuart Garfinkle, who also composed the Irish-language feature Báite.

Sunday, March 22 features a special screening of I Hope We Can Still Be Friends, followed by a Q&A with director Aisha Tyler, actor Caroline Morahan, and producer Jordan Lee McGrath. The festival closes with Christy, followed by a discussion with writer Alan O’Gorman.

Additional screenings include the documentary Listen to the Land Speak, featuring the late Manchán Magan, as well as The Reckoning of Erin Morrigan and the vertical short Pizza Guys vs Vampires, with writer Mat Raney in attendance.

Across four curated strands of short films — New Voices, The Auteurs, The Futures, and The Contemporaries — the festival presents more than 30 short films. Highlights include the Oscar-nominated Retirement Plan, screening as part of the New Voices programme.

Filmmakers and creatives will participate in discussions throughout the weekend, offering audiences direct engagement with the artists behind the work.

Three panel discussions explore timely issues shaping the film industry:
AI: The Future of Filmmaking? with Ben Hansford, moderated by Mat Raney.
Vertical Format Film: Just Hitting America – Is It Here to Stay? with Dana Protsyshak, Daniel Cotroneo, and Paige Compton, moderated by Kristin Matthews.
Stunts in Film with Quartay DeNaya, Josh Mabie, and Kendall Wells, moderated by Zegan Doyle.

Festival Director Matthew Nevin says “We’re looking forward to welcoming audiences for three days of film, conversation, and connection. The visiting filmmakers and creatives bring a special energy to the weekend, and the programme reflects the confidence and ambition of Irish cinema right now.”

Festival pass holders are also invited to evening social gatherings designed to encourage connection and dialogue within the Irish and wider Los Angeles film community.

Tickets are on sale now at www.ciacla.com/film

IrishFFLA26 is directed by Matthew Nevin, managed by Jenny Minniti Shippey, and coordinated by Jenn McGuirk. The festival is kindly supported by The Government of Ireland Emigrant Support Programme, Screen Ireland, Culture Ireland, ELMA, TG4, MART Gallery & Studios, LA County Arts & Culture, and Irish Film Institute through its IFI International programme in connection with Culture Ireland and Arts Council Ireland.

Presented by CIACLA (Contemporary Irish Arts Center Los Angeles), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organisation dedicated to promoting Irish arts and culture in the United States and supporting Irish artists internationally. Through film, visual arts, music, literature, and community programming, CIACLA creates platforms for contemporary Irish voices in Los Angeles and beyond.

matthew nevin
CIACLA
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