- Celebrated Irish actor Liam Cunningham joins judging panel
- Shortlist for World Cinema Award announced today including two Oscar © shortlisted films
- Avolon Access initiative to encourage diverse attendance
Dublin | 20th December 2024: The Dublin International Film Festival (DIFF) today launches a new World Cinema Award category for the 2025 festival, supported by Avolon, a leading global aviation finance company.
The award will celebrate excellence in global filmmaking and underscores the festival’s commitment to promoting international talent and fostering accessibility. Today a shortlist of 8 films ranging from New Zealand to Singapore to India was announced, all of which will be shown at the festival which runs from February 20th to March 2nd, 2025.
The judging panel for the award will include the celebrated Irish actor Liam Cunningham, best known for his roles in HBO’s Game of Thrones, Steven Spielberg’s War Horse, and Ken Loach’s The Wind That Shakes the Barley. He will be joined by Ania Trzebiatowska, Programmer, Sundance Film Festival, and Ciara Ruane, Chief People Officer, Avolon.
As part of their collaboration, DIFF and Avolon are also launching Avolon Access tickets, a special initiative aimed at increasing accessibility to the festival’s World Cinema programme. Avolon Access is designed to ensure that financial barriers do not prevent individuals or community groups from experiencing the vibrant and diverse stories showcased at DIFF 2025. Organisations interested in registering for the Avolon Access programme should visit www.diff.ie
Liam Cunningham, actor, commented: “"The world is in a particularly tricky position at the moment. One of the things that cinema can do is bring the world to our doorstep - we can celebrate the humanity of the world. Anything that brings us closer to each other is worth doing, and that's the reason I'm involved in judging the World Cinema Award this year."
Ciara Ruane, Chief People Officer, Avolon commented: “We are strong believers in the power of global connections to make positive change. Our support for the festival’s inaugural World Cinema Award reflects the international nature of our business, and a celebration of Dublin as a hub of excellence both for our sector and the creative arts. We look forward to a programme that will celebrate global themes and - through the Avolon Access ticket initiative - attract a diverse audience.”
Gráinne Humphreys, Executive Director, Dublin Film Festival commented: “We are thrilled to be announcing Avolon as DIFF’s new Global Partner. Their support for our inaugural World Cinema Award highlights a shared belief in the power of film to celebrate diverse storytelling and connect with a global audience. The shortlisted titles for the World Cinema Award represent some of the most compelling and innovative stories from around the world, offering audiences in Dublin a chance to experience the richness and diversity of cinema. We’re proud to also be working with them on the new Avolon Access ticket initiative which helps ensure that that DIFF remains open and accessible to all.”
The shortlisted films for DIFF’s 2025 World Cinema Award are:
Peacock – Austria / Germany
On Falling – UK / Portugal
Sister Midnight – UK / India
Pierce – Singapore / Taiwan
Went Up The Hill – Australia / New Zealand
Vermiglio – Italy / France / Belgium (Oscar © shortlisted)
Good One – USA
Santosh – UK / India / Germany / France (Oscar © shortlisted)