Capital Irish Film Festival
February 29 - March 3 2024
American Film Institute's Silver Theatre & Cultural Center, 8633 Colesville Rd, Silver Spring, MD 20910
Solas Nua’s annual Capital Irish Film Festival in Washington, D.C., presents one of the largest programs of Irish cinema in North America, showcasing the latest Irish dramatic and documentary features, shorts, art films, and animation releases by Irish and Ireland-based filmmakers. The 18th edition of the festival takes place February 29 - March 3, 2024 in partnership with the American Film Institute's Silver Theatre & Cultural Center (Silver Spring, MD). The four day festival showcases the latest Irish dramatic and documentary features, shorts, and animation releases, and provides a platform that not only highlights the rich cultural heritage of Ireland but also fosters an inclusive and diverse community of filmmakers.
The 2024 festival program celebrates the exceptional talent and passion of contemporary Irish filmmakers and is a reflection of the robust and vibrant screen industry that has grown in Ireland in recent years. The lineup will include debut features, North American premieres, women and LGBTQIA+ directors, Irish language titles, emerging voices, and family animation are on the line-up this year.
Two confirmed titles include the North American premiere of award-winning Director, Andrew Gallimore's ONE NIGHT IN MILLSTREET, a deep-dive sports documentary about the colossal 1995 prizewinning fight between Irish underdog Steve "the Celtic Warrior" Collins and then middleweight champion Chris “Simply the Best” Eubank that gripped the Irish nation.
The festival will also include the East Coast premiere of THE GRACELESS AGE – THE BALLAD OF JOHN MURRAY by award-winning director, Sarah Share. This exquisite documentary tells the powerful and moving story of American singer-songwriter John Murry who was on the cusp of greatness after the release of his highly acclaimed album The Graceless Age (2013) when his world fell apart. Addicted to heroin, creatively exhausted, he washed up on the shores of Ireland a broken man - but the story doesn't end there.
Director, Maedhbh McCullagh says, "We're thrilled to present the 18th annual festival in partnership with AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center. This year's program is a celebration of Irish imagination and the rich diversity of Irish life. Films exploring power, displacement, survival, belonging, and heroism will shock, thrill, and inspire. Stories of compassion, resilience, and hope and the indomitable Irish spirit echo throughout the program. As a whole, they are a testament to the insatiable creativity and talent emanating from contemporary Ireland."
In 2024, Solas Nua will present the third Norman Houston Short Film Award, an annual honor for the best new short film created by a filmmaker based in or from Northern Ireland made within the previous two years. This award, including prize money of $2,500, will be presented at Solas Nua’s annual Capital Irish Film Festival, February 29 — March 3, 2024. The winning filmmaker will also be invited to Washington, DC to attend the screening of the film and receive the award in person.
The Capital Irish Film Festival is supported by the Government of Ireland Emigrant Support Programme, Culture Ireland, Screen Ireland, the Embassy of Ireland, the Northern Ireland Bureau, Northern Ireland Screen, and the Irish Film Institute.
Capital Irish Film Festival passes are on sale now with individual tickets on sale February 1, 2024.
Passes On Sale Now
The Capital Irish Film Festival (CIFF) All-Access passes are now available for sale! The pass grants one admission to every screening in the 2024 Capital Irish Film Festival, including Opening Night.
CIFF All-Access Pass: $150
EARLYBIRD HOLIDAY SPECIAL: $137 (Valid through December 6 2023)
As a passholder, you will have the opportunity to choose your film selections and reserve your tickets in advance, by email or in person, for each film you wish to attend (once the program goes live in February 2024).
Advance reservations are strongly recommended. Walk-up admissions for pass holders on the day of screening are based on availability and are not guaranteed.
About Solas Nua
Solas Nua - ‘new light’ in Irish, is dedicated exclusively to contemporary Irish arts. Founded in 2005, Solas Nua acts as an ambassador and advocate for Irish arts in the U.S., promoting contemporary Irish culture, multi-disciplinary arts and creativity. Solas Nua commissions, produces and presents thought-provoking and groundbreaking work across genres, work that is cross-cultural, representing today’s Ireland – a contemporary, globally diverse society – and reflecting how Irish culture is shared across borders, ethnicity, and economic lines.
