***The Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival's 2021 Submissions are now open!***
Full rules for short films, documentary and feature films below, please read carefully before submitting.
Taking place every spring, the Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival is one of the most iconic events in Ireland’s cultural calendar. The programme has evolved over the years, but each Festival is guaranteed to offer a mouth-watering mix of cinema from around the world, with many screenings attended by the filmmakers and stars.
From hidden gems to red-carpet spectaculars attended by directors and stars, every Festival is a celebration of cinematic excellence in all its forms. Our awards recognise outstanding achievements in documentaries, features and shorts, while the Dublin Film Critics’ Circle Awards distribute accolades from Ireland’s professional film critics and the Audience Award gives festivalgoers a chance to vote for their favourite features and shorts.
But the Festival’s most prestigious accolade is the Volta. Named after Ireland’s first dedicated cinema, the Voltas are awarded each year to individuals who have made an outstanding contribution to the world of film. Previous recipients have included iconic figures such as Al Pacino, Julie Andrews, Ennio Morricone, Daniel Day-Lewis, Claudia Cardinale, Martin Sheen, Kristin Scott Thomas, Brendan Gleeson, Terry Gilliam and Angela Lansbury.
Many of these stars join us in helping to nurture the next generation of talent, as every year Virgin Media DIFF invites a wealth of leading industry professionals to run workshops, give talks, and offer inspirational advice. Over the years we’ve welcomed leading lights from every area of filmmaking, including writers and directors (and quite a few writer-directors), composers, producers and casting agents. Our Creative Catalyst series – introduced in 2019 – showcases the visionary figures (such as Sean Bailey, President of Walt Disney Motion Picture Production) who are changing what we see onscreen.
And that’s not all. With a host of special events, from exhibitions to live concerts, every Festival is unique. Whether you’re a dedicated film fan, an aspiring director, or you simply want to try out one of Ireland’s best festivals, the Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival is for you.
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Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival's Commitment to Greater Diversity:
As part of Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival's mission to employ greater diversity in its programming, we welcome submissions from varied ethnicities and marginalised voices, as well as seeking greater parity and a 50/50 gender-balance. Please make us aware of the diversity in your project when submitting your film.
Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival is committed to treating all peoples with respect, dignity and fairness and will take steps to welcome individuals, organizations and communities of all backgrounds including: of any race, ancestry, place of origin, colour, ethnic origin, ability, citizenship, creed, sex, sexuality, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, same sex partnership, age, marital status, family status, immigration status, receipt of public assistance, history of mental health issues, health status, political affiliation, learning difference, level of literacy, accent, first language, body type, physical appearance and abilities, stature or socio-economic status.
The Festival is not complacent about its progress to date, and recognises that there is more work to be done to achieve diversity in all of its activities.
For full list of winners visit our previous recipients page on diff.ie
DOCUMENTARY AWARD
The documentary jury chose "Confucian Dream" as the winner of the Virgin Media Dublin International Film Festival 2020 Documentary Competition.
DUBLIN HUMAN RIGHTS FILM AWARD
"Herself" was announced as the winner of the recently relaunched Dublin Human Rights Film Award, a partnership with the Irish Council for Civil Liberties (ICCL). Liam Cunningham was also awarded a Lifetime Contribution Award in 2020.
AUDIENCE AWARD
Audience Award Feature Winners:
2020 - "Endless Sunshine on a Cloudy Day", John Connors
2019 - "Maiden", Alex Holmes
2018 - "The Breadwinner", Nora Twomey
Audience Award for Short Film:
2020 - "Iarscoláire", Shaun Dunne
2019 - "99 Problems", Ross Killeen
2018 - "Time Traveller", Steve Kenny
DISCOVERY AWARD
Renamed the Aer Lingus Discovery Award in 2020, the Discovery Award has enabled the Festival to shine a spotlight on emerging Irish talent since 2008. The programme offers unique mentoring opportunities with Festival guests as well as networking opportunities.
DIFF Discovery Winners:
2020 - Cara Holmes (Director), Dónall Ó Héalaí (Actor), Paddy Slattery (Writer/Director), Claire Byrne (Director)
2019 - Alexandra McGuinness (Writer/Director), Ian Hunt Duffy (Director), Oonagh Kearney (Director), Special Mention: Madonna Bambino (Make Up Artist)
2018 - TJ O'Grady Peyton (Actor), Mia Mullarkey (director), Trevor Whelan & Rua Meegan (Director/Cinematographer)
SHORT FILM AWARD
The Virgin Media DIFF Short Film Awards support and nurture emerging Irish and international talent in the short film form as voted for by an international jury of industry professionals.
Short Film Award Winners:
2020 - Best Irish: "Welcome to a Bright White Limbo," Cara Holmes
2020 - Best International: "Quiet Land Good People," Johannes Bachmann
2019 - Best Irish: "Five Letters to the Stranger Who Will Dissect My Brain," Oonagh Kearney
2019 - Irish Special Mention: "The First Was A Boy," Shaun Dunne
2019 - Best International: "Inanimate", Lucia Bulgheroni
2019 - International Special Mention: "Child", Joren Molter
2018 - Best Irish: "Mother & Baby", Mia Mullarkey, Alice McDowell
2018 - Best International: "Retouch", Kaveh Mazaheri
FANTASTIC FLIX CHILDREN'S JURY AWARD
The Fantastic Flix Children’s Jury in association with The Ark Children’s Council and the Irish Film Classification Office.
Fantastic Flix Winners:
2020 - Best Feature: "Onward," Dan Scanlon
2020 - Best Short: "Streets of Fury," Aidan McAteer
2019 - Best Feature: "Mia and the White Lion", Gilles De Maistre
2019 - Best Short: "First Disco", Helen O'Reilly
2018 - Best Feature: "Rum 213"
2018 - Best Short: “Earthy Encounters"
THE YOUNG PROGRAMMERS CHOICE AWARD
The inaugural Young Programmers Choice Award took place in 2019.
2019 - Best Feature: "Rafiki", Wanuri Kahiu
2019 - Special Mention: "Ballon", Michael Herbig
THE DUBLIN FILM CRITICS CIRCLE AWARD
Every year the Dublin Film Critics vote for their Best Film, Best Director, Best Irish Film, Best Documentary, Best Performances and the Michael Dwyer Discovery Award and the George Byrne Maverick Award, named in honour of the contributions of two late Irish critics, from the Virgin Media DIFF programme.