Acclaimed filmmaker Shane Meadows will be a special guest at this year’s Boyne Valley International Film Festival as the event celebrates its fifth anniversary in Drogheda this August.
The festival, which takes place from August 7 to 9, will host a gala screening of Meadows’ acclaimed film This is England to mark the film’s 20th anniversary.
The screening will be followed by an exclusive In Conversation event featuring Meadows alongside Irish actor and Boyne Valley International Film Festival patron Helen Behan, who appeared in This is England 88, This is England 90 and The Virtues.
Widely regarded as one of the defining British films of the 2000s, This is England tells the story of a young boy drawn into skinhead culture against the backdrop of political tensions in 1983 Britain.
The film became known for its raw realism, humour and emotional storytelling, winning Outstanding British Film at the BAFTAs and Best British Independent Film at the BIFAs.
Film critic Mark Kermode previously praised Meadows’ “astonishing CV” and the film’s “brilliantly observed period detail”.
Reflecting on the film’s lasting impact, journalist Sarfraz Manzoor described it as: “…a sober warning on how, in the absence of love and belonging, it is only fear, resentment and hatred that remain.”
Shane Meadows’ work across film and television includes This Is England, Dead Man’s Shoes, A Room for Romeo Brass, Somers Town and The Virtues. He also directed the documentary The Stone Roses: Made of Stone and music videos for Liam Gallagher and Jake Bugg.
As part of the festival celebrations, BVIFF has also announced that its short film bursary will be renamed The Shane Meadows Short Film Bursary for 2026.
Meadows will attend the festival throughout the weekend and is also expected to host a masterclass and take part in a panel discussion, with further details to be announced in the coming weeks.
Tickets for the gala screening of This is England and the In Conversation event are available now through Droichead Arts Centre.
Set against the backdrop of the Boyne Valley, the Boyne Valley International Film Festival is curated by Frank W Kelly and Collette Farrell and produced by Droichead Arts Centre in partnership with Love Drogheda BID.
The festival continues to grow each year, bringing filmmakers and audiences together in Drogheda for screenings, discussions, and industry events celebrating Irish and international cinema.
BVIFF would like to thank its funders, The Arts Council, Louth County Council Festivals Fund, Meath County Council, Scotch Hall Shopping Centre, Love Drogheda Bids, and The Clinch Family, supported by Anglo Printers and Boann Distillery.
