Online Festival — February 26–March 8

And the Winners Are...

CIFF John McEneany Award 2026

BP Fallon—Rock 'n' Roll Wizard Vol. 1

Director: Alan Leonard 

CIFF Consulate of Ireland Award 2026
Short Film: Gael Force film still

Gael 
Force

Director: Tara Hegarty

CIFF Festival Award 2026
Short Film: Sean Fear film still

Sean 
Fear

Director: Fiach Curran

CIFF Festival Award 2026
Short Film: The Invitation film still

The 
Invitation

Director: Sinead O’Brien

Nominees

  • Báite 
    Director: Ruan Magan
  • Samanta Nobody
    Director: Ciaran Creagh
  • Dance Master 
    Director: Richard Howard
  • Saipain 
    Directors: Lisa Barros D’Sa & Glenn Leyburn

Nominees

  • The Man Who Built the Waldorf Astoria
    Director: Paul Cooke
  • The Laughing Boys
    Directors: Caroline-Grace Cassidy + Roisin Kearney
  • What It Is to be Irish
    Director: Gordon Hickey 
  • John Gunning: Big In Japan
    Director: Nicky Larkin

Nominees

  • The Invitation
    Director: Sinead O’Brien
  • Three Keenings
    Director: Oliver Goldrick
  • Póg Mo Pigeon
    Director: Cliodhna Lyons
  • Meteoric
    Director: Paul Ó Murius

Runners Up

  • The Protagonist Gene
    Director: Kyle Leland Cullerton
  • The Art of Resistance
    Director: Bonnie Boyle
  • The Knife 
    Director: Joy Nesbit

27th Chicago Irish Film Festival TRAILER

A celebration and quick glimpse at this year’s amazing films; thank you to the wonderful filmmakers that made it happen.

In Theater — February 26–March 1

Opening Night Film

Pre-screening Reception at 5:30 PM followed by Screening at 7:00 PM.

Báite

When a woman’s body is discovered beneath the waters of a rural lake, the arrival of a Dublin detective unsettles a small lakeside community and places unexpected pressure on Peggy Casey, a young publican struggling to keep her family business afloat. As tensions simmer between Peggy and her siblings over the future of the pub, the investigation begins to expose long-buried truths – about the dead woman, the place they call home, and the fractures within the Casey family itself. Set over a sweltering weekend in 1970s Ireland, the film blends intimate family drama with a quietly unfolding mystery.

Winner Best Irish Language Feature Film – 2025 Galway Film Fleadh

Closing Film

Saipan

Special Event

Dance Master

US Premiers

Girls & Boys

Samanta Nobody

Surprising Stories

A Lesser Gift

Aontas

Life on Mercury

Movie Magic

Sunphlower

Remarkable Documentaries

Sanatorium

Gerry Adams – A Ballymurphy Man

A Quiet Love

BP Fallon: Rock-N-Roll Wizard, Vol. 1

Buried Alive

Shorts Programs

Shorts: Under Pressure

Documentaries

Shorts: Wide-eyed

Children 6–12

Shorts: On the Brink

Young Adults 13+

Shorts: So it Begins

Shorts: Holding On

Shorts: The Long Goodbye

Online Festival — February 26–March 8

Front row seats, living room vibes.

Films will be available at various times beginning February 26th and ending March 8. See individual films for access information. Online screenings have limited capacity and are available on a first-come, first-serve basis. Stream in Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin.

Donor & Sponsor Opportunities

Please consider donating and/or sponsorship to support the festival and help us continue to bring Irish films to the Chicagoland audience.

100% of your donation is used in presenting the festival.

We offer sponsorship to fit any budget, become a sponsor!

Don't Miss the 27th annual Chicago Irish Film Festival with the Best Independent Films by Irish Filmmakers.

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