The Louth International Film Festival returns for its highly anticipated sixth edition from Friday 5th – Sunday 7th September 2025 at IMC Cinema & An Táin Arts Centre, Dundalk, continuing to celebrate bold, thought-provoking and artistically ambitious cinema from across the globe.
Founded in 2019 by a group of passionate volunteers and filmmakers, the festival has grown in both stature and scope. Its patrons include Hollywood director John Moore, award-winning cinematographer Seamus McGarvey (ASC, BSC, ISC), and Emmy Award-winning director Dearbhla Walsh. This year’s judging panel features acclaimed filmmaker Fred Dekker, known for cult classics such as The Monster Squad (1987), Night of the Creeps (1986), and RoboCop 3 (1993).
“I am a proud patron of the Louth International Film Festival. When the local meets the international, great things happen – this is when art and filmmaking are at the vanguard. Onwards and upwards in our collective seeing.”
— Seamus McGarvey, ASC, BSC, ISC
Presented in association with Louth Filmmakers Society, An Táin Arts Centre and Dundalk Institute of Technology (DkIT), the 2025 festival promises a vibrant programme celebrating innovative storytelling and daring cinema from around the world.
The festival opens on Friday 5th September at IMC Cinema, Dundalk and features the riotous, unapologetic, and politically charged Kneecap defying cinematic convention with the same intensity that the Belfast-based rap trio brings to their performances. Blending fact, fiction, and ferocious energy, the film is a striking meditation on language, identity and resistance – themes that echo the festival’s core values of freedom of expression, cultural dialogue, and storytelling that provokes and inspires.
Saturday’s Highlight at An Táin Arts Centre is Fréwaka, a folk horror feature written and directed by Dundalk born, Aislinn Clarke. Fréwaka tells the story of Shoo, a grieving care worker who begins to experience unsettling visions while tending to an elderly woman consumed by Irish folklore and ancient spirits. As myth and trauma begin to blur, Shoo’s grip on reality starts to unravel. With a Rotten Tomatoes score of over 95%, Fréwaka is one of the most acclaimed Irish horror films in recent years.Director Aislinn Clarke will join the audience for a post-screening Q&A to discuss the film’s development, themes and unique visual style.
LIFF is also thrilled to welcome Lenny Abrahamson as its special guest this year for the 10th anniversary screening of Room and a Q&A on Sunday, September 7th, at An Táin Arts Centre, Dundalk. Lenny is an acclaimed Irish film and television director, best known for his work on Room (2015), which earned him an Academy Award nomination for Best Director. He has won over 30 of the most prestigious awards in Film & TV gaining recognition with indie films such as Adam & Paul (2004), Garage (2007), and What Richard Did (2012), all noted for their emotional depth and realism. More recently, he directed the hugely popular series Normal People (2020). Lenny has always been very generous with his time and support for emerging filmmakers and students – values that are at the heart of the LIFF festival ethos.
Paul Hayes Director of An Táin Arts Centre says of the partnership with the Louth International Film Festival ‘We are proud to continue our partnership with the Louth International Film Festival for the sixth consecutive year. From the beginning, this festival has brought an incredible calibre of filmmaking and storytelling to Dundalk, and it has grown into a vital platform for emerging and established talent alike. The energy, creativity, and community it brings each year is something we at An Táin Arts Centre are always excited to support. It’s a highlight of our programme and a testament to what can be achieved through collaboration and shared vision.’
Audiences can look forward to a programme of bold filmmaking. With special guests including director Lenny Abrahamson and Aislinn Clarke, plus a judging panel led by Fred Dekker, the festival continues to champion daring, thought provoking films.
To view the full schedule visit www.antain.ie
