Disappear Here International Film Festival announces packed line-up

Returning for a ninth consecutive year, Disappear Here Film Festival is back with another huge line-up of new Irish and world premieres to satisfy its increasingly growing audience.

The festival today announced the programme for 2025 with its usual mix of screenings, talks and special events, including industry masterclasses in Screenwriting and a college graduate-focused panel discussion involving the two local universities, Magee in Derry and ATU in Letterkenny.

The 2025 edition will include world premieres and incorporate over 50 short films, five feature films, ten documentaries and a selection of animated work and music videos.

An extra treat is in store for audiences on Friday night, with the new Festival Overture slot at 6pm. 

Focla Ar Chanbhás | Words on Canvas, the wonderful new music documentary from Paddy Hayes, follows singer-songwriter David Keenan’s return to the studio after a 4-year hiatus.

Other festival highlights include Brendan Canty’s hard-hitting yet warm and humorous Christy, an award-winning story about two estranged brothers who end up having to live under the same roof.

The recipient of the second Disappear Here Film Club Documentary Bursary for the county will be unveiled this year in partnership again with ChangeMakers Donegal and Concern Worldwide. 

The Kilydoney Men explores the relevance today of the Donegal fishermen who 100 years ago staged a protest to challenge the local landlord’s privatisation of the estuary at the River Erne.

This will be followed by the festival’s annual Spotlight on Palestine - The Encampments, Michael T Workman and Kei Pritsker’s documentary about the protests by students at Columbia University in support of Palestinians.

The Donegal Voices Programme will feature seven shorts, including Niall Duffy’s hard-hitting drama about the defective blocks crisis, Galar.

The closing feature film on Sunday night at 8pm is Eamonn Murphy’s thought-provoking and visually striking Solitary, in which a widowed farmer deals with a growing sense of fear and isolation after his home is broken into.

The busy weekend also offers events which bring new, emerging talent together with industry experts, including:

Screenwriting Masterclass with Sarah Gordon (co-writer, AONTAS), held inassociation with the National Talent Academy for Film and Television

Workshop: Feature Film and TV Production in Donegal, hosted by Aideen Doherty (Donegal Film Office). Donegal has developed a reputation as a place to get things done and has enjoyed much success in the past number of years This panel will explore the strategies and resources necessary to build, maintain and enhance Donegal as a production base and work in cooperation with the west to develop further opportunities. Featuring Eileen Rafferty -The Bothy, Ciarán Charles -Producer CRÁ, Anna Mannion -Tri Moon Films, Paddy Hayes – Executive Producer Obituary, Gar O’Brien-Collins, WRAP.

Industry Panel and Short Film on Stepping Stones to Donegal’s Film Sector with Festival Director and Filmmaker Orla Walsh and a panel of Donegal creatives. This workshop will draw on the experiences of film-makers involved in filmmaking in the region. It wants to explore the production and crewing situation for making short films in Donegal. What skills are there and what skills need to be developed?

Festival Director Michael McLaughlin talks us through this year’s event. “We’re proud to present another strong line-up of Irish and international features, shorts, and documentaries for 2025. Our reputation as a festival that champions filmmakers - whether emerging students or seasoned professionals- is reflected in the sheer volume and diversity of work we've programmed. We’re especially thrilled to be showcasing many of these artistic achievements to a live audience for the very first time.

This year’s selection is the result of months of careful curation by our dedicated team, and we’re excited to share it with audiences in October. The addition of new industry-led workshops also promises to bring a dynamic and engaged mix of film lovers, professionals, and emerging voices to the festival.

As always, we are proud to offer the Northern Exposure Award and Bursary in partnership with the Donegal Film Office, recognising an outstanding new talent from the region. We’re also grateful to Donegal County Council, RTÉ - Supporting the Arts, Screen Ireland, and the National Talent Academy for coming on board to host our masterclass and workshop programmes this year.

At the heart of our festival is a deep belief in the value of culture and creativity. We see our event not only as a key cultural moment for the region, but also as an ongoing platform for filmmakers to connect with audiences. Each October, we strive to make the arts more accessible - especially in communities where engagement is limited - and just as importantly, to bring our communities into the heart of the artistic experience.