Capital Irish Film Festival in Washington, D.C from February 27 - March 2, 2025Capital Irish Film Festival

The 19th edition of the Solas Nua's Capital Irish Film Festival in partnership with AFI Silver Theatre and Cultural Center will take place February 27 - March 2, 2025.

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 2025 festival will open with the East Coast Premiere gala screening of award-winning Irish director Aoife Kelleher’s MRS ROBINSON with Former President of Ireland, Mary Robinson and Ambassador of Ireland to the United States, Geraldine Bryne Nason in attendance.

Grab your tickets for the Capital Irish Film Festival in Washington, D.C.  here! 

The festival will welcome special guest artists and Irish filmmakers to DC to talk about their work including: writer and directors, Eva Birthistle (Bad Sisters), Paul Kennedy (House of the Dragon), directors, Alan Gilsenan (The Days of Trees), actor Hazel Doupe (Say Nothing) and musician David Keenan and many more.

This year’s program will feature biopics of cultural icons, musicians, artists, and scientists as well as the most celebrated shorts and Irish language films of the last year. Capital Irish Film Festival gives D.C. audiences the opportunity to explore new works that would not typically be screened in the U.S. including never before seen Irish dramas, psychological thrillers, horror, dark Irish comedy, and much more!

The program strongly features the work of Irish women directors and writers as part of the festival’s ongoing commitment to the representation of Irish women's stories on screen, including 17 titles directed by women, and 12 written or co-written by women. 

The festival also shines a spotlight on some of the most exciting rising stars of Irish screen and emerging Irish writers and directors- with eight filmmakers making directorial and feature debuts!

FESTIVAL SCHEDULE 

DAY 1 | Thursday, February 27, 2025

  • Opening Night: Mrs Robinson @7pm- Special Guest: Mary Robinson and Geraldine Bryne, Q&A | Reception
  • Kneecap @9:45 pm

Kneecap at Capital Irish Film Festival

DAY 2 | Friday, February 28, 2025 

  • CIFF2025 Shorts Program @11am
  • Burkitt @1:15pm
  • Don't Forget to Remember @3pm- Special Guest Q&A 
  • Eat/Sleep/Cheer/Repeat @5:10pm- Special Guest Q&A
  • Travel Socks (Norman Houston Short Film Award) with The Wise Guy @7pm-Award Presentation & Reception
  • Amongst The Wolves @9:40pm

DAY 3 | Saturday, March 1, 2025 

  • CIFF2025 Shorts Program 2 @10:00am
  • Birdsong preceded by CUMHA @12:10pm- Special Guest Q&A  
  • The Irish Question @2pm- Special Guest Q&A 
  • David Keenan- Focla Ar Chanbhás (Words on Canvas) @4:30pm- Special Guest Q&A 
  • Dead Man's Money @6:30pm- Special Guest Q&A 
  • Fréwaka @8:45pm- Special Guest Q&A 

DAY 4 | Sunday, March 2, 2025 

  • CIFF2025 Shorts Program 3 @11am
  • Fidil Ghorm (Blue Fiddle) @1:10pm- Special Guest
  • Housewife of the Year @3:30pm
  • Blue Road: The Edna O'Brien Story @5:15pm 
  • Closing Night: Kathleen is Here @7:30pm- Special Guest Q&A | Reception 

Capital Irish Film Festival Director Maedhbh Mc Cullagh shares, “The 19th edition of the festival explores a wide range of themes and subjects and presents a truly rich and diverse tapestry of Irish life and culture on screen. It is a showcase of excellence in Irish storytelling that our discerning and engaging audiences have come to expect from us, and it reflects the thriving filmmaking culture and screen industry across the island of Ireland today.

"The program encompasses themes of feminism, human rights, trauma, migration, and climate change in socially, politically, and culturally relevant films that represent some of the most gripping, entertaining, and highly anticipated acclaimed Irish films of the year. I hope these films inspire and enrich as much as they entertain and inform.” 

The Capital Irish Film Festival is supported by the Government of Ireland Emigrant Support Programme, Culture Ireland, Fís Éireann/Screen Ireland, Embassy of Ireland, Northern Ireland Bureau, Northern Ireland Screen, and the Irish Film Institute’s IFI International programme supported by Culture Ireland. 

Dinner and a Movie Deal!

Capital Irish Film Festival's partner, McGinty's Public House, has generously offered an ongoing discount from February 27 through March 2 for all ticket holders! When you dine at the restaurant, show your ticket or pass for a 10% off discount on your bill. Located just around the corner from AFI Silver Theatre, McGinty's (911 Ellsworth Dr, Silver Spring, MD 20910) is the perfect place to grab a bite to eat between screenings. 

Grab your tickets for the Capital Irish Film Festival here. You can also keep up to date with the festival on Facebook, Instagram, Bluesky, and X.