Donegal filmmakers invited to apply for €3,500 documentary film bursary

A bursary of €3,500 is up for grabs for budding filmmakers as the Disappear Here Film Club in Clonmany launches its annual Donegal Short Documentary Film Bursary.

Now in its third year, the initiative invites local creatives to pitch fresh documentary ideas exploring themes of global justice, with the winning filmmaker receiving support to bring their project to life in 2026.

The bursary is delivered through a partnership between ChangeMakers Donegal at the Inishowen Development Partnership, the Disappear Here Film Festival, based at the Market House in Clonmany, and funder, Concern Worldwide.

Local storytellers are invited to submit proposals that link Donegal experiences with global issues, reflecting the shared mission of ChangeMakers Donegal and Concern Worldwide to foster global citizenship, empathy and awareness. 

The successful applicant will receive financial backing and mentoring to produce a short documentary to be filmed in Donegal in 2026.

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This year’s bursary has risen to €3,500, generated through box office income from the popular Disappear Here Film Club and supported through Concern Worldwide’s Global Citizenship Education Grants Fund. The deadline for applications is Tuesday, March 31 at 3pm.

Last year’s bursary recipient, filmmaker Daragh Goan, created The Kildoney Men, which premiered at the Disappear Here Film Festival in October 2025.

Festival producer and film club promoter Michael McLaughlin said the initiative continues to energise the county’s film community.

“This is a fantastic opportunity for a filmmaker with a story to tell to bring their work to the big screen and share it with a live audience,” he said.

“Donegal is full of unique characters and powerful stories, many of which resonate far beyond the county itself. In these turbulent global times, it feels more important than ever

that these stories are captured and shared through documentary film.”

Myra McAuliffe, project coordinator at ChangeMakers Donegal, said the partnership demonstrates how film can deepen understanding of global issues from a local viewpoint.

“We are grateful to project partners Concern Worldwide for supporting our monthly Film Club in collaboration with the Disappear Here Film Festival,” she added.

“This bursary will allow a local filmmaker to create a documentary that helps audiences understand how global issues connect with everyday life here at home. It will also highlight the ways people can take action—individually and collectively—to build a more just world.

We look forward to seeing the ideas that come in and to showcasing the finished film at next year’s festival.”

Using arts and community development to explore social justice themes is a core element of the work undertaken by ChangeMakers Donegal and the Inishowen Development

Partnership. Their ongoing collaboration with the Disappear Here Film Festival is central to this approach.

Denise McCool, team lead with Inishowen Development Partnership, said the long-standing partnership with Concern Worldwide continues to strengthen.

“Concern Worldwide has supported our work for many years and recognised this collaboration as an important way to connect people with justice issues and their local and global dimensions. The bursary is a fantastic addition to this work and will support a new generation of storytellers in Donegal.”

As part of this year’s call-out, applicants can also opt into an Artist–Mentor Programme designed to support Black, minority ethnic and global majority artists living in Donegal.

Successful applicants will be paired with an emerging or new filmmaker for additional creative development. This expanded mentoring element has been made possible through funding from Creative Ireland and Donegal County Council, both long-time supporters of the bursary.