The 20th annual Capital Irish Film Festival (CIFF) runs February 26-March 1. The event is presented and produced by Solas Nua, a Washington, D.C.-based contemporary Irish arts organization, in partnership with the American Film Institute’s Silver Theatre & Cultural Center in Silver Spring, Maryland. See the full program, several individual films are linked below. Last year, a record €544 million was invested in the Irish economy across film, television, documentary, and animation projects, a 26 percent increase from 2024, according to Screen Ireland.
Maedhbh McCullagh became director of CIFF in 2022. The County Cavan native has worked as a multidisciplinary cultural producer, arts programmer, and creative consultant on both sides of the Atlantic. The transcript below is edited from our Feb. 18 Zoom call and email exchanges. MH
Maedhbh McCullagh
MH: Tell us a little about the history of the film festival and how it serves the mission of Solas Nua.
M. McCullagh: Solas Nua means new light in Irish. It’s a multidisciplinary arts organization that is dedicated to bringing the best of contemporary Irish arts to the Washington, D.C. area. It’s a nomadic organization presenting work in different parts of the city and is renowned for its innovative programming; commissioning, producing and presenting thought-provoking work throughout the year. And so, I suppose one could say that it’s an ambassador for Irish arts in D.C. and beyond.
The organization was founded in 2005 by Linda Murray who wanted to see work directly from Ireland being presented in D.C. She wanted to make people aware of Ireland as it is now. That was the seed of Solas Nua and the first film program was presented in 2006. The work reflects contemporary Ireland, not a nostalgic view of Ireland of a bygone era that maybe wasn’t necessarily making its way to DC at that time. And so I think that set it apart. And that’s where the mission of Solas Nua grew from.
MH: Are audiences really still clinging to nostalgic views of Ireland?
M. McCullagh: Nostalgia is something we all feel but I’ve never heard of any CIFF patron complaining about a lack of films that depict Ireland in a traditional “Quiet Man” kind of way. Solas Nua is a presenter of contemporary Irish arts and this program is on a mission in that regard. But the thing about these films is they are neither one thing or another, they are a reflection of a diverse, pluralist, modern Irish society that is multilayered and complex, with an ever-evolving set of identities. This is what the Irish people do. We hold a multitude of things at once. We are the essence of contrasts, darkness and light, contemporary and yet steeped in tradition with these deep ties to the land, to our history, to our understanding of what our history is, and it’s continuously changing.
And in saying this, one of the through lines of this year’s program is the fact that several films use rare archival footage to great effect, evoking nostalgia for historical moments and events. Our opening night film, the East premiere gala screening of Lisa Barros D’sa and Glenn Leyburn’s “Saipan,” is a nail-biting, darkly comic drama recounting one of the most fractious falling-outs in the history of sport! The film explores the explosive clash between international soccer star Roy Keane (Éanna Hardwicke) and manager Mick McCarthy (Steve Coogan) on the island of Saipan just days before the Irish national football team competed in the 2002 FIFA World Cup. The directors use some historic footage, including news reports of the time, which roots the film in the period, and brings the viewer right back to that time.
MH: This year’s festival includes films by 15 women directors and 17 women writers. Tell us about how women’s contributions to Irish film have evolved over the last 20 years?
M. McCullagh: Over the last 20 years, the contribution of Irish women in film has gone from being quietly overlooked to being recognized and openly celebrated and getting the recognition it deserves. Back in the mid‑2000s, women were doing the work — writing, producing, shooting documentaries, keeping indie film alive — but rarely getting the credit, funding, or visibility. Over the past ten years, thanks to women-centered social movements, the determined work of academics and journalists, and the ongoing activism and advocacy of women professionals across the AV sector, critical focus and attention have illuminated and reflected the truth of women’s experiences and the lack of parity in pay and opportunities in the industry. Studies from groups such as Women in Film and Television Ireland and the National Women’s Council and publications such as Dr. Susan Liddy’s Women in Irish Film: Stories and Storytellers showed that women have driven innovation in screenwriting, documentary filmmaking, editing, and producing, often pushing Irish cinema toward more socially conscious and community‑rooted storytelling. They’re driving some of the most exciting writing, directing, and documentary work, despite pervasive systemic barriers and an ongoing lack of representation.
Some of the 42 films being shown at the 20th Capital Irish Film Festival in DC.
MH: What else do you want people to know about this year’s festival?
M. McCullagh: First-off, with 42 films across 22 screenings, the program has something to offer everyone! Expect gripping dramas, Irish-language thrillers (BÁITE,AONTAS), music documentaries (CELTIC UTOPIA, BP FALLON ROCK’N’ROLL WIZARD VOL. 1, IN TIME: DONAL LUNNY), profiles of political leaders who lead with peace (GERRY ADAMS: A BALLYMUPRHY MAN, DANIEL O’CONNELL: THE EMANCIPATOR), and women fighting for justice (TESTIMONY).
Our program lifts up marginalized voices, with stories featuring trans relationships (GIRLS & BOYS, PUREBRED), the deaf community (A QUIET LOVE), and Ireland’s Traveller community (TRAVELLING BACK).
CIFF presents two 2026 Oscar entries, SANATORIUM (Ireland’s official entry for Best International Feature Film) and RETIREMENT PLAN (Nominee, Best Animated Short), and BAFTA-nominated A WANT IN HER (Outstanding Debut By A British Writer, Director Or Producer)
The festival opens with the East Coast premiere of SAIPAN, described above. The 5th annual Norman Houston Award will be presented as part of a double-billing of THREE KEENINGS and the third-ever screening of NO ORDINARY HEIST, with a reception sponsored by the Northern Ireland Bureau. The festival closes with Brandan Canty’s phenomenal feature directorial debut, the internationally renowned CHRISTY, a powerful, big-hearted coming-of-age story that won the Grand Prix at the 2025 Berlinale and just this week won Best Film and Best Director at the Irish IFTA Academy Awards.
It’s a fantastic four-day celebration of creativity and community, where you will see a rich and diverse program of world-class Irish films about Ireland or by Irish filmmakers. It’s an incredibly sociable and welcoming environment where you’ll meet like minded people who also love film, love Iearning about Ireland and discovering Irish talent, all in one space. There’s plenty of opportunity to meet up in between the screenings and in the evenings at our receptions and parties and our partner venue McGinty’s next door to the venue. I hope these films will inspire, uplift, spark dialogue, and cultivate an appreciation for the amazing craft of filmmaking and the value of seeing these artists’ work on the big screen. Right now, more than ever before we need these diverse stories and perspectives to help foster a more inclusive, united, and engaged society. Pease join us February 26 – March 1.