IBERSCREEN – SFFI (Spanish Film Festival Ireland)

Spanish Film Festival Ireland brings award-winning Spanish cinema to Galway with films, Q&As, workshops and events for all ages.

Spanish Film Festival Ireland takes place in Galway and brings together an exciting programme of contemporary Spanish cinema alongside some truly outstanding guests. This year’s edition welcomes award-winning filmmakers Julio Medem, Paul Urkijo Alijo, and Gaizka Urresti, who will present their films in person and take part in Q&As, workshops, and masterclasses with audiences and students.

The festival also features editor Ana Pfaff, presenting Romería and joining audiences for a post-screening conversation, and a special screening of Sorda prsented by Nevenka Fernandez who will be talking about her powerful real-life story.

Festival events are introduced by local Galway tour guide Brian Nolan, adding a warm local welcome to the programme. Alongside evening screenings, the festival places strong emphasis on children’s films and creative workshops, making it a genuinely inclusive celebration of cinema for all ages.

Accessibility & Assistance

When booking your tickets, please let us know of any special requirements so we can make your visit as enjoyable as possible.

If you book online, phone +353 (0) 91 565 886 or email nunsisland@galwayartscentre.ie to let us know of any special requirements.

THURSDAY 22 JANUARY

VENUE: GALWAY ARTS CENTRE | NUNS ISLAND THEATRE

4:00pm – 5:00pm
Julio Medem Masterclass

Julio Medem leads a special masterclass exploring his distinctive approach to filmmaking, drawing on a career that has shaped contemporary Spanish cinema. Through clips, discussion, and practical insight, Medem will reflect on storytelling, visual language, and the role of emotion and memory in his work. Open to students, emerging filmmakers, and film lovers, this masterclass offers a rare opportunity to engage directly with one of Spain’s most influential directors and gain insight into both his creative process and the ideas behind his latest film 8.

5:30pm – 7:30pm
8 Screening + Q&A Julio Medem – Director

Julio Medem
8 is the latest feature by acclaimed filmmaker Julio Medem, marking a return to the deeply emotional and visually poetic storytelling that defines his cinema. The film explores love, time, memory, and chance through interconnected lives, unfolding with Medem’s characteristic blend of intimacy and formal boldness. Moving between realism and abstraction, 8 invites the audience into a cinematic experience where emotion takes precedence over convention, and storytelling flows through rhythm, image, and feeling. Both personal and universal, 8 continues Medem’s long-standing exploration of human connection and inner worlds, offering a reflective and immersive journey that resonates long after the screen goes dark.

FRIDAY 23 JANUARY

VENUE: GALWAY ARTS CENTRE | NUNS ISLAND THEATRE

2:00pm – 3:00pm
Industry Talk Co-Producing with Spain Miriam de Miguel – ICAA

Miriam de Miguel
Industry Talk: Co-Producing with Spain Join us for an industry-focused conversation on international co-production opportunities with Spain, led by Miriam de Miguel from the Spanish Film Institute (ICAA). This session will offer practical insight into funding structures, support schemes, and pathways for collaboration between Irish and Spanish producers. Taking place on Friday 23 January at 14:00, the talk is aimed at producers, filmmakers, and industry professionals interested in developing international projects and building cross-border partnerships.

7:00pm – 7:30pm
Festival Opening with Brian Nolan and Music

Brian Nolan
Festival Presentation. The festival officially opens with a special presentation by Brian Nolan, a much-loved local tour guide who will introduce the programme and welcome audiences to the festival. Bringing a Galway perspective and a warm sense of place, this opening moment sets the tone for the days ahead of films, conversations, and shared cinematic experiences.

7:30pm – 9:30pm
Romeria Screening + Q&A Ana Pfaff – Romeria Editor

Ana Paff
Romería is a moving and atmospheric film that explores memory, belonging, and the ties that bind people to place. Set against the backdrop of a traditional pilgrimage, the film weaves together personal histories and collective rituals, revealing how identity is shaped through shared experience, loss, and return. With a strong sense of intimacy and observation, Romería captures everyday gestures and emotional undercurrents, allowing moments to unfold with quiet power. The film’s subtle storytelling and carefully constructed rhythm invite the audience into a reflective journey that resonates beyond the screen, offering a sensitive portrait of community, tradition, and human connection.

SATURDAY 24 JANUARY

VENUE: GALWAY ARTS CENTRE | NUNS ISLAND THEATRE

11:00am – 1:00pm
Argentinian Short Programme

Argentinian Shorts Programme. This curated programme brings together a selection of contemporary Argentinian short films, showcasing bold storytelling, distinctive voices, and a wide range of styles and themes. From intimate personal stories to socially engaged narratives, the films reflect the vitality and diversity of Argentina’s short-film scene.

2:00pm – 3:00pm
Ana Pfaff – Editing Masterclass

Ana Pfaff
Ana Pfaff leads a special editing masterclass offering insight into the creative role of the editor in shaping story, rhythm, and emotion. Drawing on her experience editing Romería and other projects, Pfaff will explore the editing process from first cut to final film, sharing practical insights and creative approaches for students, emerging filmmakers, and anyone interested in the craft of storytelling through editing.

4:00pm – 6:00pm
Sorda Screening + Talk Nevenka Fernandez

Nevenka Fernandez
Sorda + Talk: The Power of Cinema Sorda is a powerful and moving film that explores communication, silence, and the complexities of human connection. Through an intimate and emotionally grounded narrative, the film invites audiences to reflect on visibility, inclusion, and the ways in which cinema can give voice to lived experience that is often unheard or overlooked. This special screening will be presented by Nevenka Fernández, whose own story has become a landmark in Spain’s social and political history. Following the film, Nevenka Fernández will lead a talk titled The Power of Cinema, reflecting on film as a tool for truth, resistance, and social change, and on the importance of storytelling in challenging silence and injustice. A deeply resonant event that brings together cinema, lived experience, and conversation.

7:00pm – 9:30pm
Eloy de la Iglesia: Adicto al Cine + Q&A

Gaizka Urresti
Eloy de la Iglesia: Adicto al cine is a compelling documentary portrait of one of the most radical and controversial figures in Spanish cinema. Directed by Gaizka Urresti, the film revisits the life and work of Eloy de la Iglesia, a filmmaker whose uncompromising films confronted social taboos and political realities during Spain’s transition to democracy. Through archive material, film excerpts, and testimonies from collaborators and critics, the documentary explores De la Iglesia’s fearless engagement with marginalised communities, addiction, sexuality, power, and rebellion, offering both a critical reassessment and a passionate tribute to a singular cinematic voice. The screening will be followed by a Q&A with director Gaizka Urresti, offering insight into the making of the film and the enduring relevance of De la Iglesia’s work today.

SUNDAY 25 JANUARY

VENUE: GALWAY ARTS CENTRE | NUNS ISLAND THEATRE

11:00am – 1:30pm
Buffalo Kids – Screening & Kids Workshop

Buffalo Kids is a fun and engaging screening designed especially for children and families, followed by a creative workshop full of playful activities. This relaxed session invites young audiences to enjoy cinema in a welcoming and interactive way. After the screening, kids will take part in fun, hands-on activities inspired by the film, with goodie bags for all children attending. A perfect festival morning for families to enjoy together, encouraging creativity, imagination, and a love of cinema from an early age.

5:00pm – 6:00pm
Masterclass: Directing Fantastic Cinema

Paul Urkijo
Join acclaimed filmmaker Paul Urkijo Alijo for an in-depth workshop exploring the creative process behind fantastic cinema. Drawing on his experience directing Irati and Errementari, Urkijo will discuss world-building, visual storytelling, and the adaptation of mythology and folklore for the screen. This session is aimed at students, emerging filmmakers, and genre enthusiasts interested in fantasy cinema and imaginative storytelling, offering practical insight into directing within the genre. Paul Urkijo Alijo’s work has received widespread international recognition at major film festivals. His debut feature Errementari: The Blacksmith and the Devil premiered at Sitges Film Festival and went on to win and receive nominations at festivals including Sitges, Fantasporto, and Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival. His second feature Irati became a landmark success for Basque-language cinema and was nominated for multiple Goya Awards, including Best Costume Design and Best Special

6:15pm – 7:00pm
Festival Closing Ceremony

Brian Nolan
Join us for the official closing of the festival, hosted by Brian Nolan, as we come together to celebrate the films, filmmakers, and audiences who made this edition so special. The ceremony will include the presentation of the Young Jury Award, recognising a film chosen by young viewers, and the Spirit of the Festival Award, celebrating creativity, connection, and the values at the heart of the festival. A relaxed and joyful moment to close the festival, reflect on the week’s shared experiences, and say goodbye until next year.

7:30pm – 9:30pm
Irati + Q&A Director – Paul Urkijo

Irati is an epic and visually striking feature directed by Paul Urkijo Alijo, inspired by Basque mythology and set in the 8th century. Blending history, legend, and fantasy, the film explores themes of identity, belief, and resistance, creating a powerful cinematic journey rooted in ancient folklore. Following the screening, director Paul Urkijo will take part in a Q&A with the audience, offering insight into the creative process behind the film, from world-building and visual design to the adaptation of myth and oral tradition for the screen.

MONDAY 26 JANUARY

VENUE: INSTITUTO CERVANTES DUBLIN LINCOLN HOUSE, 6–16 LINCOLN PLACE, DUBLIN 2, D02 VH29

Time: To be confirmed
Argentinian Shorts Block 2

This second programme of Argentinian short films presents a diverse selection of contemporary works, showcasing bold storytelling, new voices, and a range of styles and themes from Argentina’s vibrant film scene. The films offer fresh perspectives and highlight the strength of short cinema as a space for creativity and experimentation. Free admission until capacity is reached.