Following its huge success in 2022, the Boyne Valley International Film Festival (BVIFF) returns this August from the 11-13 and co-directors Collette Farrell and Frank W. Kelly are delighted at the number of submissions received and have announced the Short Film Bursary Panel and deadline.
This year the BVIFF will be an extended festival over three days featuring screenings, events and a range of Awards to help support filmmakers.
Featuring screenings of the best of national, and international film talent, as well as a special focus on films made in the region, this year’s festival will also see a number of Best Of category awards of €1,000 including:
- Made in the Boyne Valley, an award supported by the Clinch Family for the best short made in the region;
- Best Irish Narrative Short;
- Best International Narrative Short;
- Best Animated Short
- Best Documentary Short.
The Festival organisers have also announced the return of BVIFF Filmmakers in Focus, the recipient of which will receive an award of €2,000 along with a programme of their work showing during the Festival.
The Festival is also delighted to launch its Short Film Bursary, inviting screen writers to pitch a short film idea by email, no longer than two pages, to info@droichead.com and welcomes applications from film makers whose voices are currently under represented in the Irish film sector. Deadline 7 July.
Three filmmakers will be shortlisted and will receive a €500 development grant by a panel which includes the 2022 BVIFF Filmmaker in Focus, Roisin Kearney; director Frank Berry who received two IFTA awards for his feature Aisha at the 2023 IFTAs, and BAFTA nominated director Alex Kayode Kay.
Each of the shortlisted filmmakers will be invited to present their short film idea to the panel during the festival. One lucky film maker will be chosen, and further awarded a bursary of €2,500 to write the script.
The winner of the 2022 Short Film Bursary was Libby McCormack, who will participate in a table reading of her winning concept, The Parting, for which the Bursary has helped in the development to script stage.
The festival is produced in partnership with LOVE Drogheda BIDS, funded by the Arts Council, and Meath and Louth County Councils, and supported by Boann Distillery, the dhotel, the Clinch Family and Anglo Printers. Full programme and our film makers in focus will be announced in the coming weeks.
For more information on submissions, and short film bursary, please see droichead.com
