What We Bring to the Community
For the past 17 years, the festival has been bringing the best of Ireland and the Irish on screen to Boston.
It was named one of the 20 Coolest Film Festivals in the World by Moviemaker Magazine, and with good reason. Our festival brings Filmmakers and audience together like no other. Sure, maybe you've seen an artist give a talk after a film screening, but where else would you then be invited to drinks afterwards?
Bringing together people who love film is what we're all about.
It goes without saying that we at the festival have been always been enthusiastic about Irish Cinema, and in the past few years we've seen the rest of the world start to catch up with us!
In 2016 there were a staggering 7 Oscar Nominations for Irish films and talent- and this from a country with a population smaller than the Greater Boston Metro Area.
James Hickey, CEO of The Irish Film Board, told the Irish Times, “It is just fabulous. I am not sure how I can express it. It is the most extraordinary, exciting moment in Irish film.”
There was once a time when the majority of films made in Ireland were foreign productions seeking to take advantage of the scenery and generous tax incentives.
As a region who's current tax incentive programs are bringing ever larger productions to our doorstep, Massachusetts stands to learn a lot from what the Irish have achieved.
"Imagine a Boston film scene that nurtured its creative talent & kept them from fleeing for the greener pastures of New York or Los Angeles. What might the future of film in New England look like if its artists were empowered to tell their own stories on a global level?"
-Dawn Morrissey, Director of the Irish Film Festival Boston
As the value of Irish film and storytelling becomes more evident to the world, the Irish Film Festival Boston is eager to cement its place as the American home for Irish Cinema.
What would this forum mean for Boston?
The forum represents a chance to bring Irish film influencers together with the local New England community to share experiences and ideas for building strong film communities based on the principals of story and craft.
"In launching this campaign, we hope to both raise funds for the expansion of the festival film forum, and also to raise awareness in the Boston film community of the unique value that the festival presents," says Festival Director Dawn Morrissey.
Bringing almost a dozen Irish filmmakers to Boston each year, the festival hopes to create a bond between filmmakers on both sides of the Atlantic and to capitalize on their experience, contacts, and advice.
Help us make it happen!
We're asking for your help today to raise the necessary funds to make this dream a reality.
It'll take a lot of people coming together to make this dream a reality, just like it takes a lot of people to make a film. We've named our donation levels after just a few of the many departments that work together on a film production - and just like in making a film, every group is important! Every penny counts!
The festival is a registered 501c3 non-profit, so your donation will be tax deductible, minus the price of any physical rewards.
Even if you can't contribute financially, there are other ways to help.
Believe in our mission? Give us a boost by sharing this page on your Facebook or Twitter.
Have fond memories from festivals past? Send them to us and we'll share them on our social media platforms.
Finally, we hope that we'll see your beautiful faces next month as we celebrate our 17th year.
THURSDAY, MARCH 23 - SUNDAY, MARCH 26, 2017 at the Somerville Theater