EU and MEDIA Film News March 2025
News about European films supported by the EU funding and highlighting independent cinemas and cinema clubs that are part of the Europa Cinemas network in Ireland. Includes films made thanks to EU initiatives such as Eurimages Cinema Fund, European Film Promotion as well as events such as the European Film Awards, European Cinema Month, A Season of Classic Films, and the LUX Audience Award.
- IFI, Dublin and IFI@Home
- Triskel Arts Centre, Cork
- Lighthouse Cinema, Dublin
- Access Cinema Network of regional cinema clubs
- MyCinema.ie is an EU-supported platform, operated by access>CINEMA Ireland, on which you can you can rent a curated selection of the best world cinema.
4 Oscar Awards for MEDIA Films
Three EU supported films won a total of 4 Oscars at the Academy Awards on the 2nd March.
- Emilia Pérez, written and directed by Jacques Audiard (France): Zoe Saldaña’s performance earned her the Best Supporting Actress award. The film also won the Oscar for Best Original Song - 'El Mal.'
- No Other Land by Yuval Abraham, Rachel Szor, Basel Adra & Hamdan Ballal (Norway, Palestine) won the Best Documentary Feature Film award.
- Flow directed by Gints Zilbalodis; written by Gints Zilbalodis and Matiss Kaza written, adaptation by Ron Dyens (Latvia, France, Belgium) won the award for the Best Animated Feature Film.
In total, the EU supported the development and international distribution of the winning films with an investment of over €970,000 through the Creative Europe MEDIA programme.
Six MEDIA supported films were nominated for a total of 19 awards in this year’s edition of the Oscars, including landmark categories such as Best Director, Best Picture, Best Actress, and Best International Feature Film.
Flow | Irish Film Institute, from 21st March
After Cat's forest home is destroyed by a flood he finds refuge on a boat populated by various species who will have to team up with them despite their differences. 'Flow is a highly emotional and engrossing experience lacking dialogue, but enriched by conflicts and clashes. Most of these are prompted by the animals’ struggles as they follow their instincts and adopt behaviours that may resemble, at least in part, human nature.' Cineuropa Review of Flow by Davide Abbatescianni.
East Asia Film Festival Ireland | IFI Dublin, 20 - 23 March
Highlights for this year’s festival include the opening night film, Brief History of a Family on Thursday 20th March which is followed by a Q&A with director Lin Jianjie.
- Don’t Cry, Butterfly on Thursday 20th March introduced by Trà My Nguyễn Hoàng;
- Super Happy Forever on Friday 21st March;
- Love Bound on Saturday 22nd March, curated by Chris Berry, King’s College London, and followed by a Q&A with Qiuyan Chen (founder and director of Queer China UK) and Pradeep Mahadeshwar (he/they – multidisciplinary Irish artist and founder of Queen Asian Pride Ireland and Queen Spectrum Film Festival);
- Caught By The Tides, Saturday 22nd March introduced by Jimmy Tianxiang Wang, and Stranger Eyes;
- An Unfinished Film and By The Stream on Sunday 23rd March; and a selection of classic Vietnamese titles (We Will Meet Again; The Girl on The River; In The Lane) which will screen during the festival with introductions by Ms Khuất Thị Thu Trang, Ngoc Khanh Cinema House, Vietnam Film Institute; Tickets and full programme information are available on the IFI website.
CIFF Fear Screen at Triskel Arts Centre, Cork, 6th - 27th March
Fear Screen presents a selection of gripping tales and chilling masterpieces, curated by Cork International Film Festival and screening every Thursday at 8:15pm for the month of March at the Triskel.
From French slashers and Italian giallo, to German serial killers and possessed Polish nuns, each feature will be introduced by CIFF Programme Manager, Si Edwards.
IFI@Home Highlights this March
A world of Irish and international cinema awaits in the IFI@Home library which has collections of classic and new films to rent and stream from the comfort of your couch.
Eva Birthistle’s feature debut Kathleen is Here; Clint Eastwood’s latest feature Juror #2, starring Nicholas Hoult; timely documentary The Bibi Files, which recounts the career of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin ‘Bibi’ Netanyahu; Noori Niasari’s touching Shayda; IFI Documentary Festival 2024 highlight and warm-hearted Irish documentary, Housewife of the Year; Pedro Almodóvar’s The Room Next Door, starring Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton; and Li Yang’s solo feature debut Escape from the 21st Century.
Vermiglio | Lighthouse Cinema Dublin
Vermiglio by Maura Delpero won the Silver Lion at the 2024 Venice Film Festival and was Italy’s Official Selection for the 2025 Academy Awards. Set in the mountain-side village of Vermiglio in Italy during the waning days of WWII. A series of dramatic events unfold after the arrival of a Sicilian soldier (Giuseppe De Domenico) who hides out in town after deserting the army. Vermiglio shows the lives of a provincial family in a remote village suspended in time by the customs of a fading era.
Farewell to Pálás Cinema Galway
Farewell to Pálás Cinema Galway which closed its door this February. We echo the sentiments of Ardán that it's a terrible loss for Galway and art house cinema in the region.
'The Pálás has hosted us so well over the years, most recently for our 10th anniversary Galway City of Film celebration. As well as being a fantastic art house cinema, the team there work incredibly hard and are so supportive of local creatives and Galway film. It’s devastating that a crucial piece of infrastructure in Galway is being closed, one that - having only been opened for seven years - has already left a big imprint on the Galway community and its heart.' Ardán statement.
CIFF St. Patrick's Festival | Room Taken & July Tales, 15th to 17th March free online
In celebration of St. Patrick’s Festival, CIFF presents a free online programme featuring two films – one Irish short and one international feature. Discover or rediscover the Irish gem Room Taken, which premiered at CIFF2023, and hear from director TJ O’Grady-Peyton as he reflects on his experience with the film, its awards run, and the importance of a country being a welcoming nation.
Adding an early summery vibe to the mix, enjoy Guillaume Brac’s joyful two-part film July Tales. Four boys, four girls, all from different countries. Beyond spending Bastille Day in Paris together, what do they have in common?
Book now to watch both films in one programme - available to watch from Friday, 15th March to Monday 17th March.